It’s almost the holiday season again, which means it’s also time for our annual AWMA Blog Gift Guide. Just like our martial arts training over the past year, though, the holidays are probably going to be a little different than normal for most of us. So we’ve decided to try something a little different.
We’re still going to recommend which high quality products from the AWMA catalogue will make the best holiday gifts for the different martial artists and fitness buffs in your life. But our focus has shifted a bit to keep up with the times. This year we’re going to focus on gear that is perfect for at-home training.
As we head into the end of a difficult and confusing year, there is still plenty to celebrate. But we might still need to adapt our martial arts practices until we can all train together again some day.
With that in mind, we have put together a list of suggestions for martial arts gear that will be great for at-home training through the rest of this pandemic — and great for supplementary training when we get back to the dojo. We’re also including suggestions on how to support the martial artists in your life as they work through these challenges— and how to stay connected with each other even when we can’t physically be together!
Gifts For Strikers
At-home training might not be able to perfectly recreate the education — and fun — you’ll get from sparring and technique training with your training partners. But these gifts will help the boxing, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and MMA practitioners in your life keep their skills, reflexes, and strength sharp until they can get back to the gym. They’ll also make great tools for supplemental at-home training in the future!
Target training martial arts gear like the Proforce® Combat Tactical Focus Mitt ($29.95 USD, ea.), ProForce® II Double Paddle ($19.95 USD ea.), and the ProForce® Rebreakable Board ($39.95 ea.) make affordable gifts and stocking stuffers. For a little more, the Proforce® Tombstone Shield ($69.95), a multi-angle striking shield to protect against multi-striking combinations, is a great tool for boxers, kickboxers, Muay Thai, and MMA fighters.
For bigger budgets, a heavy bag is a welcome addition to any good home gym setup. AWMA offers a wide range of traditional heavy bags, free-standing bags, and focus mitt stands to meet any home gym’s needs. Check out our blog post on standing vs hanging bags, and our recent guide to training with a focus mitt stands, to determine which one is best for your martial artist.
Still not sure? You can never go wrong with a new pair of boxing gloves. And strikers can always use a new pair of handwraps or two. AWMA offers a wide selection of both in various fabrics, colors, and prints to help you find the perfect match for almost any preferences and personality!
Gifts For Grapplers
At-home training can be more of a challenge for people who participate in grappling-focused martial arts like amateur wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Judo. But there are a few pieces of martial arts gear that you can give the grappler in your life to make their solo training sessions safer, more comfortable, more effective, and more fun. A set of ProForce® Mini Mats ($19.95 USD ea.) are a must-have for anyone doing solo grappling drills at home. They’re also useful for bodyweight strength and conditioning work, yoga, and animal flow workouts, all of which are great cross-training for grapplers.
For bigger budgets, throwing and grappling dummies allow martial artists to practice throws, submissions, and position drills in their solo training. AWMA sells stuffed and unstuffed grappling dummies ($89.95 USD- $499.95 USD) in various weights and sizes to help you pick the one that’s just right for the adult or youth grappler in your life.
You can also treat them to a new martial arts uniform that they can either save for their triumphant return to the dojo, or start breaking in now so it’ll be all ready to go when they are.
Gifts For Fitness Buffs — And Aspiring Fitness Buffs
In addition to high-quality martial arts gear for almost every discipline you can imagine, AWMA also offers an impressive selection of fitness gear that can help you build a home gym for almost any purpose. Are you shopping for a martial artist interested in expanding their cross-training? An exercise buff looking to expand their training options while they’re away from their beloved gym? Someone who wants to take this time to try new workouts? AWMA has you covered!
Small-but-powerful workout gear like the ProForce® Fast Action Jumprope ($19.95 USD), Hand Grips ($5.95 USD per pair), and Sit-Up Bar ($19.95) will fit almost any budget and training space. Throw in a set of ProForce® Mini Mats ($19.95 USD ea) to protect your exerciser and their floors.
For bigger budgets and more elaborate home gym setups, the ProForce® Stretchmaster ($299.95 USD) is a great tool for anyone who wants to improve their flexibility. And the ProForce® Target Master ($269.95 USD) is a source of all sorts of fun and challenging cardio workouts, even for people who have never put on a pair of boxing gloves before. (If your exerciser hasn’t used boxing gloves before, you can also treat them to a pair and a set of handwraps to use with the Target Master.)
DIY Gift Ideas
If you’re feeling handy and creative this holiday season, you might consider making your own martial arts training gear for the martial artist if your life. We’ve made guides on how to make your own makiwara, chi-ishi, throwing dummy, and heavy bag. Each how-to guide also offers professionally-made alternatives from AWMA if you decided to go that route instead.
If you’re feeling cute, you could even gift the grappler in your life with a new martial arts uniform, a teddy bear, and step-by-step instructions for turning them into a DIY grappling dummy.
The Gift of Time
If you live with a martial artist, or you have one in your bubble, and you don’t train in martial arts yourself, you could also consider making your participation in their training a part of their gift. You can give your boxer, karateka, kickboxer, Muay Thai or MMA fighter a set of training focus gear, and a set of handmade coupons offering to learn how to hold the pads for them when they’re training at home. For Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo practitioners, you could purchase a martial arts uniform in your size, and a set of promise notes for training sessions where they can practice their grip and submission training with you. (Just make sure they teach you how to tap before you start!) We’ve got tips on training with an untrained partner to help you both get the best out of the experience.
For the martial artist who participates in weapons training… no, we don’t recommend offering to train with them. But you can give them training weapons that are safer for at-home training and commit to building a weapons-friendly space for them to train in. We’ve got tips for both in our blog post, “How To Practice With Training Weapons In Small Spaces.”
Gift Cards
Still not sure? There’s always AWMA.com e-gift cards!
