fitness-gifts

In today’s economy, we are all looking for superior returns on the money we spend on gifts for those we love. Nothing works better to increase the value of your preferred stock than to give the gift of fitness and health. Below please find recommendations for my budget-friendly physical stimulus plan:

  1. Wearable Fitness Technology: Fit Bit, Jawbone, Basis, Apple and other wearable fitness technologies are what’s really hot this holiday shopping season. With the ability to count steps taken, calories of food eaten, assessment of how well you slept, calorie value of various exercises performed, these supercomputers on your wrist range from $99 to over $300.
  2. Jump Rope: New-generation jump ropes have thick rubber tubing, rather than wimpy clothesline rope. On some models, the handles can be weighted to provide extra resistance. A nice quality Valeo rope can be purchased on the Internet for $13.99.This classic toy can provide a vigorous aerobic workout in a small space. Five minutes of jumping rope will cause your heart rate to rise faster than the price of an IPO.
  3. PowerBlocks: At 100 pounds and $299, this compact, integrated dumbbell and weight rack system allows the user to access every dumbbell from five to 50 pounds using a unique selectorizing system to lift only the weights required. There is also a lighter version that allows the user to select weights between three and 24 pounds and costs about $129. For the big time investor, there is an upgrade kit that will allow the larger 100-pound set to expand to 180 pounds. Whichever size system is right, his gift of steel is one precious metal you must add to a well-balanced home gym portfolio.
  4. Bosu: The Bosu ball is not a ball at all. Rather it is half of a stability ball mounted on a rigid plastic base. This device provides an unstable platform for balance training, abdominal exercises, aerobic work, strength training and a host of sport-specific exercises. Any exercise that can be done from the stable floor can be done from the unstable Bosu, thus increasing its intensity and overall challenge. The scope of people who can benefit from training on a Bosu ranges from the elderly recovering from an injury to professional athletes and everyone in between. Costing about $120, the Bosu is an excellent asset to add to one’s exercise balance sheet.
  5. Wrist Roller: If your wrists are overused from spending all day performing surgery, weeding the garden or pounding the keys of your Bloomberg Terminal, this precious gem can build arm strength and help prevent overuse injuries in the lower arm. The device consists of a light weight tethered to a plastic or metal dowel. Roll the dowel forward, and the weight rises. Roll it backward, the weight descends. Any tennis player, golfer, Little Leaguer or hockey player on your Holiday gift list can accrue benefits by dramatically increase grip strength. With opening bids between $25 and $50, this little dividend is an ideal stocking stuffer.

Investing in the fitness and wellness of love ones will yield huge dividends. They are annuities that keep on giving. As you can see from my buy recommendations above, one need not take a second mortgage to afford AAA-rated quality gifts.

What’s on your Holiday gift list?