As the holidays approach, ’tis the season for shorter days and colder weather. But if you’ve got an athlete in your life, you know the weather is no excuse to stop exercising (and we all know that holiday cooking, no matter how delicious, is also always a great motivator to get back in the gym!)

So, what better way to show your love or appreciation this holiday season than a gift that’s catered to their favorite athletic activity? Every year brings more new and fun breakthroughs in athletic gifts and products, and this one is no exception.  Here are our seven great gift ideas for athletes.

Fitness Tracker

As technology has evolved, so has its ability to measure and shape our workouts. Fitness trackers (whose popularity has surged recently) run the gamut from simple to complex. They can be used for everything from general tracking (like the number of steps) to recording much more advanced data (body temperature, stride length, lap times, etc.). If an athlete is focused on charting their performance or using data to inform how they train, then a capable, multi-feature fitness tracker can be the perfect gift.

New Shoes

Whether the athlete in your life spends their workouts logging miles on a beautiful jogging trail or logging sets of squats at the gym, one thing is true: they’re going to need new shoes eventually. Of course, some athletic activities wear them out faster than others, but odds are good that most athletes will need a new pair sometime soon.

And with the athletic footwear industry only getting bigger every year, you’re sure to find something for every athlete on your list. Whether they need to up their performance, test out a new feature, or simply look fresh, new shoes are always a good idea.

Kettlebells

For at-home workouts, nothing beats a good kettlebell. These ingeniously simple pieces of equipment are growing more and more popular, and for good reason.

Kettlebells enable a nearly endless variety of training techniques, covering everything from light toning workouts to heavy powerlifting movements, or even explosively powerful athletic conditioning. And the best part? Some full kettlebell training programs don’t require more than a single kettlebell, making it easy to “start small” when building your home gym (and save space and money along the way).

A New Workout Playlist

Nothing gets an athlete’s blood pumping during a tough workout like a good song. And what’s even better than a single song? A whole playlist of them! Whether their new playlist is curated by you, or you simply gift them a membership to a music streaming service, this is one gift that’s sure to keep them moving.

Supplement Gift Card

No matter what you’re fueling for, every athlete knows that what you put into your body definitely affects what you get out of it. Supplementation can be a huge key to driving high performance and enabling effective physical recovery and maintenance. Whether it’s the right protein powder, the right electrolyte mix, or the right vitamins, every athlete has their favorite brand or supplement. Consider a gift card to their favorite supplement provider this holiday season.

Sweat-proof Headphones

No matter if they’re working out in the great outdoors or inside a gym, many athletes use music to help them focus. Of course, with any vigorous workout comes sweat — and with sweat, comes technical issues. Enter sweat-proof headphones, the perfect solution to having music during even the hottest workouts, and also the perfect gift for any athlete who needs exactly that.

Wearable Safety Lights

Thanks to shorter days, running and cycling during winter months often happen in low-light conditions. And even on dedicated running, hiking, or cycling trails, safety isn’t guaranteed in the dark. That’s where wearable safety lights come in, equipped to clip onto a cyclist’s bike or a runner’s shorts, ensuring they’re visible to everyone around them.

Athletes Love Union Park by Hillwood in Little Elm

A huge influence on any athlete’s lifestyle is their home environment. And at Union Park by Hillwood, we’re proud to offer a new home community that’s designed with movement in mind! From our Fitness Park & The Rec (our indoor/outdoor exercise facility), to our open green spaces, dog park, and miles of beautiful trails, we provide many amenities that encourage our residents to get out and get moving.

If you’re curious to hear more about our Little Elm community, contact us or visit our builder’s models for more information.