10 Best Holiday Gifts for Gym Staff (Plus 5 Bonus Freebies)

The holidays are a perfect time for you as a fitness business owner to celebrate the unsung heroes—your coaches and staff. And since we know you’re busy, you probably don’t have a ton of time to spend hours searching for the best holiday gifts for your gym staff.

But these people are the front line of your business. They’re running classes, interacting with clients, handling admin and sometimes taking care of the dreaded toilet cleaning. So you want to show them appreciation that’s meaningful, useful and unique, right?

That’s why we’ve created this list of the top holiday gifts for gym staff, to take the work off your plate. So whether you want something practical, fun, memorable, or even free, take a look at the options below. We hope they’ll help you choose a gift your team will genuinely enjoy—and maybe even use daily.

​Top 10 Holiday Gifts For Gym Staff They’ll Actually Love

1. Custom Gym Merch

• ​Cost: $$$
• Lead Time: 4-6 weeks

It’s a timeless classic in the fitness world, and one that your coaches will likely get lots of use out of. Gift them some gym apparel like t-shirts, hoodies, joggers or hats. And customize it with either their name or role (e.g. COACH) on the back. Or if each coach has a unique reputation—like color coordinating their wardrobe or comically handing out no-reps—consider ways to incorporate it uniquely for them on your branded apparel.

If your fitness business has a strong gym culture, chances are there’s an inside joke or saying that are often thrown around. Consider putting it on the merch or getting it engraved on a tumbler. These personalized touches make for thoughtful, memorable gifts for gym staff.

2. Training Equipment Pack

• ​Cost: $$$
• Lead Time: 4-6 weeks

​Upgrading your team’s training equipment is always in style. What if you gave them a new gym bag, personalized gym towel and a new training journal branded with your gym’s logo?

You could also look at specific equipment for different training modalities. For instance, a CrossFit gym owner could do custom jump ropes, weight belts or knee sleeves. Or for the ultimate holiday gift, a custom barbell that each coach could call all their own.

3. R&R Pack

• ​Cost: $$
• Lead Time: 1 week

​In between crazy class schedules and reviewing coaches notes, hopefully your team is finding some time to relax and recover. Help them manage stress and slow down life’s pace this holiday season by giving them gift cards for local recovery options like massage, chiro, sauna, cold plunge or float tank.

You could also build your own recovery package by putting together a gift basket of candles, epsom salts and cozy socks. Want to take it up a notch? Consider adding recovery tools like a foam roller or massage gun into the mix, or buying them a subscription for the GOWOD app.

​4. Energy Gift Set

• ​Cost: $
• Lead Time: 1 week

​Your coaches and staff are always bringing the energy for your clients. Therefore, it’s the perfect time of year to help them replenish their own!

Gift them an energy gift set that includes a high-quality shaker bottle or tumbler, and pair it with a mix of coffee from popular brands like Black Rifle Coffee Company, or their favorite energy drinks. This is one of the simplest but most appreciated gifts for gym staff, especially the early-morning crew.

5. Coach Survival Kit

• ​Cost: $
• Lead Time: 2-3 weeks

​Let’s face it—coaching can require some long hours and having an “on” switch that doesn’t turn off. Keeping your coaches happy and energized will be a breeze with the ultimate coach survival kit! This is an excellent gift for gym staff that balances fun and practicality.

Start with a personalized clipboard, where they can keep all their notes and be reminded at every class that they’re a valuable part of your team. Add a gym-branded pen, some of their favorite snacks and definitely some caffeine. For those fitness businesses with cold temperatures and drafty warehouses, maybe a branded warm beanie. And just for fun, why not throw in a whistle to help with those clients who might need a little help staying in line?

6. Team Outing

• ​Cost: $$
• Lead Time: 1 week

​There’s nothing like a little team bonding to make the holidays even more merry. Why not invite your coaches and staff out for a team dinner or brunch where you pick up the tab? Or if you want to get a little more creative than just food, take them out for an evening of axe throwing or to an escape room.

A team outing is a great way to get your staff connected outside of the gym’s walls. Sometimes your morning coaches may never run into your evening coaches otherwise. A team outing gives them a chance to have fun, unwind and feel appreciated.

7. Coaching Gear Stipend

• ​Cost: $$$
• Lead Time: 1 week

​We’ve yet to meet a coach that would turn down a new pair of kicks. Instead of trying to pick out the apparel or shoes each individual team member might want, think about gifting them a stipend or gift card.

Ask a sales rep or local store manager at Lululemon or other popular athletic stores about bulk or corporate gifting options to make this gift for gym staff seamless and simple, for both you and your team.

8. Fitness Fun Pack

• ​Cost: $$
• Lead Time: 1 week

​If your team is into competing locally or participating in various fitness modalities, gift them a fitness fun pack for the holidays! You could pay for an entry into a local CrossFit competition, HYROX race or Spartan. Or if they’re into things like yoga, pilates, boxing or Jiu-Jitsu, you could purchase a punch card from another local gym for them to complement the training they’re doing at your fitness business.

9. Custom Coach Art

• ​Cost: $$$
• Lead Time: 4-6 weeks

​If you’re looking for super-fun and unique, personalized art makes for unforgettable gifts for gym staff. There are lots of options out there for creative, personalized art, and this would really show your staff that you put quite a bit of thought into the perfect gift.

You could order a custom cartoon portrait—or a “Merry Liftmas” ornament—of each coach doing their favorite lift. Additionally, if they have their own locker or storage space in your fitness business, you could order a custom sign to differentiate spaces. A simple Google search for “custom gym gifts” will give you a ton of ideas in this fun category.

10. Charitable Donation

• ​Cost: Depends on size of donation
• Lead Time: 1 week

Sometimes the best gifts aren’t tangible, or even about personal recognition. So if you want to make an impact outside the walls of your fitness business, consider a donation to a local charity. Talk to your team to find out which causes they care about and make the donation on behalf of them.

Five Bonus Holiday Gifts for Gym Staff That Are FREE

We get it—not every year is a “huge holiday gift” year. Whether you’re just starting out, building your reserve fund or saving up for some new equipment, here are five thoughtful gifts for gym staff that won’t break the budget:

1. “Day of No Cleaning” coupon—Yes, you’ll have to DIY but that’s what makes it even more special.
2. Coach Appreciation Wall—A simple display in the gym with printed notes from members highlighting what they love about each staff member.
3. Private team workout with a guest coach.
4. VIP Parking Spot—Each coach gets their chance to park in style for a month, year, or whatever your team size dictates.
5. Handmade, “Coach of the Year” style awards—Create yearbook-style superlatives or framed certificates (funny or serious) as a heartfelt way to honor each person’s unique contribution.

Strong Teams Deserve Strong Gifts.

The holidays are a fun time to recognize and appreciate your team for working hard all year long and being the front line of your business. Hopefully this list of ideas for holiday gifts for gym staff takes the work off your plate. And no matter what you get your team, don’t forget to treat yourself to a little R&R this holiday season. You’ve earned it!