So, you have a friend who is into fitness, or perhaps one who isn’t, but you’d like to get him/her started. Your budget is somewhat limited, so what would make for the perfect holiday gift? Obviously, any fancy equipment or memberships are out of the question, so likely something for home usage would be ideal.
I’ll just make this quick and simple. These two items I am about to list are not only affordable, but are essential pieces of equipment that everyone - beginners and professionals alike - should include as part of their arsenal.
1. Do-It-Yourself Parallettes - For way less than $10, with maybe 30 minutes tops of getting your hands dirty, you will provide your loved one with one of the single most beneficial pieces of equipment money can buy. With these parallettes, you can perform progressions for such moves as the handstand, handstand push up, planche, L-sit/V-sit, etc. Of course, if one is just starting out, the push up, dip, and other foundation movements can also be performed.
2. Furniture Slides - Say what? Those things you slip under coaches and tables to help move them around the house? Yes, you read that right. If you are not convinced that these sliders are one of the most affordable, effective, pound-for-pound best workout apparatuses, look no further than this video from our good friend Ross Enamait. You can also find sliders marketed solely for exercise, but these are often overpriced, and you are basically paying extra for branding. Save the money, and get these instead. Also, if all else fails, paper plates work as well!
In closing, give your friends and family the gift of fitness (on a budget) this holiday season, and they will be more than thankful.