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23 Fitness Gifts For Men

We all have that one guy in our life — you know, the one that fitness gifts for men were made for. He’s the guy you always see carrying around resistance bands and protein shakes, talking about his one-rep max, or how he just set a new personal record, waxing about the benefits of calisthenics versus weight training exercises. He's the guy who wears headbands because he actually sweats — not just because he’s into Wes Anderson. He might be your dad, your best friend, your boss, or your bae. Whatever role he plays in your life, finding a gift can be tricky if you’re not the type of person who knows the difference between your “delts” and your “glutes.”

Fear not, however. We’ve scoured Amazon and found a complete list of items that will help him take his workout to a whole new level. There are things like odor-resistant gym bags, high-tech fitness trackers, versatile pull-up bars, yoga kits — all the geeky workout products that make gym rats' ears perk up and make you feel confident you nailed the gift with something he actually likes. If gift giving was a sport, you'd win because these are the best fitness gifts for men.

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1. A Set Of Fitness Bands That Fit In A Travel Bag

Fit Simplify Fitness Bands $10, Amazon

These hyper-durable, heavy-duty fitness bands are made from latex and are 100 percent TPE-free (Thermoplastic Elastomer). They come in five different resistance levels, ranging from "hey, this isn't so bad" all the way up to "I'm gonna be sore-as-hell tomorrow." The best part, however, is that the package includes a little book that's chock-full of exercises to help you understand exactly how to use them. Additionally, they fit into a small carry bag so you can take them to the gym or tuck them away in a drawer so they're not hanging all over your bedroom.

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2. A Plank Device That Makes Push-Ups Even Harder

HELM Pushup Plank Device, $80, Amazon

This unique push-up adapter fits over yoga balls or Bosu balls (the half-sized versions) to create a dynamic surface underneath. What that means is that when you do a push-up or a plank on it, in addition to getting all of the regular strength-building benefits, you're also working all of the micro-muscles that require balance. This makes the workout tougher and drives faster, fuller results. It also evens your posture and helps correct your form so you can't get sloppy after a few reps.

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3. A Pull-Up Bar You Can Use More Ways Than One

Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Pull-Up Bar, $32, Amazon

This cool doorway pull-up bar lets you bring the gym to your home without turning your garage into a CrossFit studio. You can use it to do both pull-ups and chin-ups, as well as things like crunches or dips. The only thing to keep in mind with this purchase is that if you're going to hang it, you need the type of doorway that has a doorjamb at the top for the top beam to slide over.

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4. A Towel That Cools Your Skin While You Work Out

Your Choice Cooling Towel, $12, Amazon

This polyester cooling towel is made of ultra-absorbent, chilling-friendly high-density mesh that's breathable and evaporates like magic. Just soak it in cold water, wring out it and throw it around your neck — it will continually reactivate, staying cool for several hours. The towel also provides UPF 50 sunscreen protection.

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5. An Armband That Holds Your Phone and Keys

Tribe AB66 Sports Armband, $13, Amazon

Lots of armbands will hold your phone while you run but this one has lots of extra bells and whistles, too. There is a special slot, for example, to hold your house key so you don't have to stash it in the plants every time you take a jog. It also has a reflective strip to keep you safer when running at night and is made with super lightweight neoprene, making it much less cumbersome than lots of armbands on the market.

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6. A Pedal Contraption To Cycle Under Your Desk At Work

DeskCycle Exercise Pedal, $160, Amazon

Forget those giant standing treadmill desks — this compact contraption lets you discreetly cycle underneath your desk while you work. The 10-inch pedal height is much lower than most comparable exercisers, meaning it will fit under more desks than its competitors. It also has more than twice the resistance range of most pedalers on the market. With eight calibrated settings, the device offers smooth magnetic resistance and quiet pedaling that won't disturb your coworkers.

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7. A Waterproof Sports Band That Tracks Sleep And Activity

LETSCOM Fitness Tracker Watch, $29, Amazon

The slick waterproof wrist monitor tracks your steps, distance and calories while you're working out or going about your day, effortlessly syncing with your phone to generate the data. It can also distinguish between light and heavy sleep patterns, giving you insight into the quality of sleep you're getting.

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8. A Protein Shake Mixer That Will Blend On The Go

Promixx Battery-Powered Mixer Bottle, $20, Amazon

There are tons of battery-operated, portable smoothie makers out there but most of them don't come anything close to the mixing power of a real blender. With a sleek ergonomic design and scientifically-engineered blunt blade, the vortex blender is slices through tough vegetables and fruits while preserving micronutrients. It has a rechargeable Li-Ion battery you can plug into a USB and a supplement storage space.

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9. A Compact Roller That Works Your Core

Perfect Fitness Ab Carver, $31, Amazon

This ergonomically-engineered device has a carbon steel spring that maximizes resistance and makes it one of the better abdominal-upper arm combo workouts you can get. It comes with comfortable, high-density foam kneepads, so you don't have to worry about chafing and the handles are removable so it's easy to store and doesn't take up tons of space around the house or in your car.

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10. Sneaker Laces You Don't Have To Tie

Lock Laces, $8, Amazon

You know the old adage about the hardest part of going to the gym being putting your sneakers on. Well, these brilliant little accessories make it super easy with simple locking laces that instantly convert any lace-up gym shoe into a fast, slip-on show. The fancy laces mean you get a custom fit that conforms to your foot every time, too. If motivation is your issue, let these handy Lock Laces take some of the hassle out of getting yourself to your workout space.

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11. An At-Home Balance Board To Strengthen Your Core

EveryMile Wobble Balance Board, $30, Amazon

This fitness device aims at improving balance and strengthening muscles. It can be used as a personal training device to tone muscles or as a physical therapy aid to assist with ankle injuries and other rehabilitation uses. It's even designed with two handles so you can tote it around with ease.

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12. Neoprene Weightlifting Gloves That Protect Your Hands

Gym Paws, $20, Amazon

Made from top-grain, genuine cowhide leather, these gym gloves go above and beyond your basic durability, bringing tough and rugged hand protection to the indoor gym. They're tanned and treated with Napa vegetable oil, making them ultra soft, and then layered with military-grade, water-resistant neoprene to wick sweat so your hands don't feel clammy. Light palm padding mitigates hand fatigue without excess weight and four finger loops lock the grips into place, offering a fantastic barrier from blisters while lifting weights on the hard gymnasium floor.

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13. A Foam Roller For Post-Workout Deep Tissue Massage

321 STRONG Foam Roller, $22, Amazon

This is one of the most durable foam rollers available, made from 100% EVA and designed with a pattern meant to penetrate deep muscle tissue and break up persistent myofascial. Using the roller before or after workouts targets spasmed, taught muscles and helps them release tension via trigger points. It's also great for enhancing circulation, increasing oxygen flow and improving flexibility.

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14. Bluetooth Running Headphones That Are Fully Waterproof

LETSCOM Waterproof Bluetooth Headphones, $20, Amazon

Not only are these headphones fully waterproof and Bluetooth compatible, they also cancel noise so you won't have to hear the other gym-goers around you while they grunt and groan. They have a continuous play of up to eight hours and with IPX7 level waterproofing, you don't need to worry that running in the rain will cut out the sound — you can literally stand under a waterfall in these and still hear the beats.

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15. A Mat For Sit-Ups That Offers Lumbar Support

Elite Sportz Abdominal Sit Up Pad, $20, Amazon

This mega-soft, perfectly contoured ab mat gives you incredible lumbar support, making all of those days in PE class doing hard-floor sit-ups while a classmate held your feet a distant memory. This is a whole new sit-up experience — comfortable, safe and without risk of hobbling around sore the next day. The arched back support also allows you to get in a lot more reps by reducing lower back pain. On top of all that, it will increase the effectiveness of your crunches too, delivering better results.

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16. Exercise Cards That Make Working Out A Game

Strength Stack 52 Exercise Cards, $30, Amazon

This extremely comprehensive stack of fitness cards includes 114 exercises, each of which has a QR code that can be scanned on your phone to watch online videos of the exercises being performed by the US Military sergeant who helped design the deck. They're created with the busy person in mind who doesn't have time to watch long videos or go to the gym. The idea is to pull a few cards for short, 5- to 15-minute spurts a few times a day during spare moments. They have multiple different levels with progressing challenges and can be played alone or competitively with workout buddies.

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17. An Acupuncture Mat That Eases Muscle Tension

Sivan Acupressure Mat, $30, Amazon

This soft foam acupuncture mat is covered in thousands of acupressure points along the upper and lower back muscles to help stimulate blood flow and muscle recovery after a long workout. In addition to stimulating circulation and mitigating delayed onset muscle soreness, the mat also promotes rest and relaxation.

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18. A Backpack-Style Gym Bag That Carries Literally Everything And Anything

Athlio Legendary Drawstring Bag, $28, Amazon

This sleek drawstring gym bag is designed to accommodate a huge variety of sporting accessories including a basketball, soccer ball, volleyball, tennis racket, wrestling gear, boxing gloves, yoga mat, golf accessories or CrossFit gadgets. It's built with deodorizing ventilated compartments to help keep your bag smelling fresh. On top of that, it's covered in pockets — two shoe and water bottle pockets, a zippered pocket on the outside for wallets or other valuables, and two easy access pockets inside for your phone, key, and other small accessories.

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19. Deodorizing Inserts So Your Sports Gloves Stay Smelling Fresh

Meister Glove Deodorizers, $12, Amazon

Whether you've got boxing gloves, hockey gloves, goalie gloves, ski gloves, or other sporting gloves, these high-quality flannel Meister deodorizers will eliminate any unwanted odors. Simply slide them into your gloves after your workout and they will leave the scent of cedar, fresh linen, cologne, or lavender, depending on which aroma you choose. They also sap moisture from the gloves, preventing the materials from breaking down due to excess moisture and thus extending their life.

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20. A Secure Gym Locker Lock You Can Open With Your Fingerprint

TAOCOCO Smart Keyless Security Locker Lock, $31, Amazon

Rather than fiddling with an annoying combination lock, this smart lock allows you to open your padlock with your fingerprint. This lock is made with durable zinc alloy and is IPX6 waterproof so you don't have to worry if it gets wet from sweat or water. This high-tech gym upgrade will keep all his favorite gym gear safe while he focuses on his workout.

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21. A Kit That Has All The Things You Need To Get Into Yoga

Clever Yoga Beginner's Yoga Kit, $56, Amazon

This beginner's kit includes everything — a non-slip TPE yoga mat, two durable foam blocks, an 8-foot cotton flexibility strap, a microfiber mat and anti-slip, sweat-absorbing hand towel set. The 6-millimeter thick mat features double-sided textured surfaces that offer grip as well as comfort while you're learning new poses. Best of all, the whole thing fits into an easy-carry bag that you can take to the gym or store conveniently at home.

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22. A Push-Up Board That Offers Over A Dozen Different Micro-Angles

Power Press Pushup Trainer, $50, Amazon

This color-coded push-up board with cushioned, non-slip hand grips has peg holes that create different stances depending on where you insert the handles. That means you can target many different micro-muscles throughout your chest, shoulders, back, and triceps with the board's "Plug & Press" system. Watch Power Press's workout videos on YouTube to learn the different positions and angles to maximize your upper body definition and up your strength training game.

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23. Running Armbands That Help You Stay Visible At Night

BSeen LED Running Armbands, $10, Amazon

These LED armbands are bright, highly reflective lights that come in three settings — off, on and flashing. They are comfortable and grip well, refusing to slide down your arm or bunch up. The kit comes with two bands and extra batteries so you've got plenty of juice to run for miles and know you'll be seen. As a bonus, the bands are multi-functional and can also be worn on your wrist, leg, ankle, or attached to your bicycle or messenger bag.

Bustle may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from Bustle's editorial and sales departments.

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