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ACE Says the Hottest Holiday Gifts Inspire Fitness
ACE Offers Top Fitness Gift Ideas Easy on the Wallet and Waistline

Posted: Nov 16, 2005 in

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Nov. 16. 2005 – The endless shopping lists and constant search for the perfect gift can become an all-consuming focus come holiday season. Why not give the gift that will benefit friends and family for a lifetime? The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s nonprofit fitness authority, offers the top five fitness gifts that won’t break the bank this holiday season.

1. Jump Rope. Less than $15, jumping rope is a great approach to physical fitness and a fun, inexpensive gift option for kids or adults. A single 30-minute jump roping session at a moderate speed can burn approximately more than 250 calories for a 130-pound person and nearly 350 calories for a 150-pound person.
2. Exercise DVD’s. For the person who stays away from the gym, give the convenient gift of at-home fitness. From aerobics, kickboxing and strength training to yoga, Pilates and tai-chi there’s a workout video for every kind of fitness enthusiast. DVD’s range from approximately $15 to $25 each.
3. Resistance Tubing. Less bulky than dumbbells or weight sets and easily stored, resistance tubes are a great way to strengthen and build muscle. Check out SPRI, a leading resistance tubing manufacturer, for exercise tubes that retail for less than $10 each at www.spriproducts.com.
4. Heart Rate Monitor. Perfect for a novice exerciser or even the most advanced, a heart rate monitor is designed to help individuals more accurately track exercise intensity. A heart rate monitor can help individuals get the most out of their workouts without over doing it. Prices vary from $50 to just over $100 for basic models.
5. Personal Training Consultation. Working with a personal trainer has been shown to increase motivation as well as teach the most safe, efficient exercises. Around $50 a session, a personal trainer consultation is the perfect gift for someone interested in starting a new fitness program or updating their current routine. Use the “Find an ACE Pro” feature on the ACE Web site www.acefitness.org. to locate a trainer in your area.

About ACE
The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s Authority on Fitness, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of physical activity and protecting consumers against unsafe and ineffective fitness products and instruction. As the nation’s “workout watchdog,” ACE sponsors university-based exercise science research and testing that targets fitness products and trends. ACE sets standards for fitness professionals and is the world’s largest nonprofit fitness certifying organization. For more information on ACE and its programs, call (800) 825-3636 or log onto the ACE Web site at www.acefitness.org.