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Whether you’re shopping for birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, or any other celebration—we’ve got you covered if you’re looking for the best gifts for personal trainers (because we know exactly how special personal trainers are in your life). Coaches are not only encouraging and patient folks, they work to elevate your heart rate each training session and help you reach your fitness goals on a weekly basis.
If you’re looking for a way to show your coach you care, our curated gift guide is your one-stop-shop for the special fitness coach in your life. We’ve included budget gift ideas, affordable technology items, and even meal delivery services! Every gift idea on this list can potentially enhance your coach’s life (even just a little bit).
Gifts Under $50
Under $50
36 oz Ice Shaker
Is your personal trainer sipping on a shake during your sessions regardless of the time of day? Well, you have the chance to gift your coach with an upgraded shaker cup that keeps protein shakes cold for hours with the double-wall insulated stainless steel const
Under $25
Bombas Socks
These simple ankle socks from Bombas make a perfect gift for your coach, who inevitably is on their feet all day. Gift them with a little relief in the form of honeycomb arch support, a cushioned footbed, and a seamless toe box.
Under $20
Mark Bell Sling Shot Hip Circle
If your coach is still using elastic mini loop bands for exercises like clam shells, monster walks, and glute bridges, it’s time to gift them with the Hip Circle. This heavy-duty fabric resistance band won’t roll, slip, or snap. Gifting this to your trainer is also a gift for yourself!
Under $50
Lululemon Everywhere Bag
You can help keep your personal trainer organized (and stylish) with this belt bag from Lululemon. It fits all the essentials including a smartphone, wallet, keys, and few other small items like sunglasses or a protein bar.
Under $20
Amazon Basics High-Density Foam Roller
With four length options all priced under $20, you can’t go wrong with this high-quality foam roller. Your personal trainer will appreciate having a foam roller at home (or will keep it at the gym for you to use, too). Either way, it’s a great gift!
Under $30
Transparent Labs Hydrate v3
If anyone is going to appreciate the gift of hydration, it’s your personal trainer. This high-quality electrolyte powder is better than off-the-shelf sports drinks because it doesn’t have any artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives. Choose from two flavors: Tropical Punch or Peach Mango.
Shoes and Apparel
Best Running Shoes
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23
When a fitness instructor is on their feet all day training clients, it’s the perfect opportunity to gift them with our top-rated running shoes. These Brook Adrenaline sneakers are ideal for running, walking, or all-day comfort.
Best Shoes for CrossFit
Nike Metcon 9
Are you looking for the best fitness gift for your favorite CrossFit Level 1 Trainer? The Nike Metcon 9 is a classic choice with more than 10 colorways to suit anyone’s style.
Best For All Day Wear
NOBULL Trainer
NOBULL trainers are perfect for coaches while working with clients, lifting heavy weights, or running around town. These shoes offer a minimal heel-to-toe drop and are constructed from ultra-durable materials, which is ideal for all-day wear in the gym.
Best Budget Leggings
The Gym People Running Leggings
These leggings might have a budget price point, but your fitness trainer will absolutely love the comfort these leggings provide. These are ideal for a full day of training clients with a soft material and a four-way stretch. Plus, they feature pockets and come in over a dozen colors.
Best Gym Shorts for Men
Lululemon License to Train
These Lululemon shorts for men hold up to all the elements of a gym including sweat, chalk, barbell knurling, and everyday wear-and-tear. This is the ultimate pair of shorts for the male trainer in your life.
Best Running Headband
Buff CoolNet UV Headband
This running headband is made with UPF-50 material to protect skin from UV rays. Your personal trainer will appreciate this headband for running, lifting, or covering up a bad hair day.
Strength Training Accessories
Best Loop Bands
Fringe Sport
If your coach is serious about adding resistance bands to weight lifting or bodyweight training, give them the gift of more bands. Whether your coach decides to bring them home or use them on clients—coaches can’t really have too many resistance bands.
Best Chalk
Rogue Gym Chalk
For the CrossFit or powerlifting coaches in your life—you can’t go wrong with a big block of chalk. It’s versatile for complex lifts like deadlifts and the bench press along with other movements like handstand push-ups and kettlebell swings.
Best Dumbbell Accessory
PlateMates
Platemates are a fun accessory that personal trainers will appreciate using themselves or with clients. PlateMates allow for micro-loading on dumbbells, barbells, and cable machines, which is a technique ideal for anyone from beginners to elite lifters.
Best Yoga Mat
Manduka PRO Yoga Mat
Your personal trainer will adore this ultra-durable yoga mat with a 10-year lifetime guarantee. It’s great for yoga, bodyweight exercises, and mobility drills. It also comes in a ton of colors.
Best Weightlifting Belt
2Pood
Give the gift of support and comfort with this 2Pood 4″ straight weightlifting belt. It’s supportive without being too constricting and the ideal belt for functional training.
Best Lifting Collars
Rogue Aluminum Collars
Your coach will appreciate a set of new (and ultra-sturdy) barbell collars. Our expert testers really like how well these Rogue collars clamp to an Olympic barbell.
Budget-Friendly Technology Gifts
Affordable Fitness Tracker
Fitbit Charge 6
If your personal trainer doesn’t already have a fitness tracker, the Fitbit Charge 6 is a solid (and affordable) option for counting daily steps, tracking heart rate, and monitoring sleep habits. You’ll get all this for about $150 on Amazon.
Best Massage Gun
REP Rapidstrike Massage Gun
Your personal trainer can get some serious muscle relief after a long day on their feet with the REP Fitness massage gun. This is the best recovery tool you can give the hardest-working coach you know. Plus, it’s reasonably priced under $150 and often goes on sale.
Best Budget Headphones
JLab GO Air Sport Earbuds
For under $30 you can gift your personal trainer with a wireless pair of earbuds that offer quality sound for lifting weights, running on the treadmill, or walking outdoors. These earbuds are also rated to hold up to sweat and dust, which is ideal for someone who works in a gym all day.
Meal Delivery Services
Best Meal Kit
Green Chef
Looking for something a little different for a personal trainer gift? Consider a digital gift card for Green Chef meal kits. They offer organic ingredients and your trainer will be able to choose their own meals and a delivery date that works best for their own schedule.
Best Vegan Meals
Purple Carrot
If you work with a fitness coach who abides by a vegan or vegetarian diet, give them the gift of Purple Carrot meal kits. You’ll be able to send a digital gift card to your trainer’s inbox so they can browse recipes and pick their meals of choice.
Best Budget Meals
EveryPlate
EveryPlate is a budget-friendly meal kit delivery service that will offer your personal trainer plenty of recipes to choose from including vegetarian and high-protein dishes. Gifting EveryPlate is simple with digital gifts cards your trainer will receive via email.
Recovery Gifts
Best Muscle Soak
Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt
After a long day of coaching, your personal trainer deserves some relief from sore muscles with Dr. Teal’s epsom salt. This one is infused with rosemary and mint to optimize recovery for aching muscles.
Best Red Light Therapy
NovaaLab Deep Healing Pad
Your personal trainer will appreciate this portable red light therapy pad for speeding muscle recovery and potentially boosting cell production and tissue repair.
Best Acupressure Mat
CXCTCT Yoga Acupressure Mat
Our testers enjoyed this acupressure mat and we know your personal trainer will too. It helps with muscle recovery by stimulating blood flow and reducing muscle pain.
Best Recovery Supplement
LMNT Electrolytes
LMNT is formulated with optimal amounts of sodium, potassium, and magnesium to help replenish electrolytes from exercise. Be sure to check out seasonal flavors like Chocolate Chai and Chocolate Raspberry!
Best Muscle Pain Cream
Tiger Balm Pain Relieving Ointment
Tiger Balm is classic choice for muscle recovery with cooling menthol and warming cassia oil. Your personal trainer with thank you for this soothing recovery gift.
Best Portable Sauna
Sun Home Sauna Blanket
Give the gift of relaxation with this sauna blanket from Sun Home Saunas. It may not be a traditional sauna, but your coach will reap the benefits of detoxification through sweating.
Protein Snacks and Supplements
Best Whey Protein Powder
Transparent Labs Whey Protein Isolate
Fitness lovers and gym enthusiasts are particular about their protein powders. Everyone has a favorite brand and flavor. That said, we wouldn’t suggest just any protein powder as a gift for your personal trainer. This Transparent Labs whey protein tastes great without artificial ingredients.
Best Vegan Protein Powder
KOS Vegan Protein Powder
If your fitness coach adheres to a vegan diet and uses vegan supplements, gift them with the best-tasting vegan protein powder we’ve ever tested. It’s organic and free from dairy, soy, and gluten ingredients. Plus, you’ll have seven flavors to choose from including an unflavored option.
Best Sweet Protein Snack
Onnit Protein Bites
Whether your personal trainer is a bodybuilder, powerlifter, or endurance athlete, we think everyone can agree on the fact that Onnit protein bites are pure chocolate-covered deliciousness. These protein bites come in five decadent flavors and range from 7 to 9 grams of protein per serving.
Best Protein Cookie
Lenny and Larry’s The Complete Cookie
Although your fitness coach probably doesn’t indulge in homemade, oven-fresh cookies every day—you can treat them to the next best thing. That’s where Lenny & Larry’s cookies come in, which offers 8 grams of protein per cookie.
Best Protein Chips
Quest Tortilla-Style Protein Chips
Personal trainers are not immune to craving junk foods like chips and other salty snacks. If you want to impress your coach, introduce them to these Quest protein chips which are low-carb, gluten-free, and provide 18 to 20 grams of protein per serving depending on flavor.
Best Protein Bars
RXBAR Protein Bars
The RXBAR is one of our top-rated protein bars for taste, texture, and quality ingredients. Your personal trainer will appreciate having 12 grams of high-quality egg white protein and no artificial sweeteners to snack on between meals.
Other Gift Ideas for Personal Trainers
If you’re still not sure these gift ideas will work for your personal trainer, we’ve got even more ideas for cardio enthusiasts, strength training purists, and tech-savvy coaches.
Supplement Gift Ideas
- Best Protein Bars for Men
- Best Protein Bars for Women
- Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
- Best Muscle Recovery Supplements
- Best Pre-Workouts
- Best BCAA Supplements
- Best Prebiotic Soda
Strength Training Gifts
What to Look for in Gifts for Personal Trainers
When browsing gift ideas for personal trainers, you can’t go wrong with sticking to their coaching niche or giving the gift of a tasty protein treat. It’s worth asking questions and their dietary restrictions and areas of interest for their own training.
Dietary Restrictions
While you can’t go wrong with an edible gift (in our opinion), you may need to ask questions and consider if your coach has any dietary restrictions such as an intolerance to gluten, milk, eggs, or nuts. It’s also important to consider if your coach consumes animal protein or only plant proteins.
Coaching Expertise
Most personal trainers have an area of expertise or an area of interest they gravitate towards. This could be an affinity to using resistance bands, endurance sports, or a keen attitude toward mobility training. We suggest leaning into whatever your coach enjoys for the ideal gift.
Gifts for Personal Trainers FAQs
What is a good gift for a personal trainer?
If you’re looking for a gift for a personal trainer that shows appreciation for all their hard work and encouragement, we put together a gift guide that goes beyond the run-of-the-mill coffee mug or t-shirt. In this gift guide we included meal delivery services, protein snacks, apparel, shoes, and strength training accessories.
Should I give a gift to my personal trainer?
Your personal trainer likely does not expect gifts from clients. It’s not uncommon for clients to give a gift to their coaches to show appreciation around the holidays, but it’s not a requirement to receive the coaching you pay for.
What gifts will impress a personal trainer?
Other than showing up on time for your sessions, we have a few other ways to impress your personal trainer. Paying attention to what your coach likes (including things like apparel, snacks, and supplements) can win the heart of your personal trainer when you give them a gift. Our experts also curated a list of impressive gift ideas especially for personal trainers.
What do personal trainers want for Christmas?
When it comes to holiday gifting, you may be thinking about adding your personal trainer to the list. Our experts say it’s OK to forego gifts for your coach, but we know folks feel especially generous around the holidays. You may have to ask some questions like what’s their favorite recovery supplement or go-to gym shoe? Plus, our gift guide for personal trainers was curated by CPTs to offer insider knowledge.
Further reading
The best treadmills under $2,000 are packed with high-end features but don’t break your budget. Read more
REP’s latest bench keeps improving on past innovations. Is this the best weight bench on the market? Find out in our REP Blackwing Adjustable Bench review. Read more
We third-party tested this protein powder ourselves. Find out what our tester thought in this GNC AMP Wheybolic Review. Read more
Overwhelmed and confused by too many types of protein powder? We’ll help you sort through them and decide on the best option for you. Read more