Top 5 Items to Buy your Man to Help Him get in Shape
As a trainer, I like to make sure that whatever I buy is going to be of high quality, and is going to last. I am ok paying a few extra dollars on something if I know it will last me a few years, and it looks good. I recommend products in person all the time, but I haven’t put anything down online, so here are a few of my most recommended products, with a semi in depth description of each item. I have personally bought and used all of these products on a consistent basis, and can guarantee that all of them are of high quality.
All links are provided as a hyperlink connected to the main item name.
If you want to workout hard and consistently, good shorts are a must, and are more important than a high quality shirt. With Ten Thousand Gear, you have a product that is guaranteed to last. I have had 5 pairs and they have all lasted a minimum of 1 year, while some have lasted 2 years, and are still holding up very well today. Their customer service is great and very responsive, if you have any issues with your shorts, they stand by their products and will make sure to replace your shorts (or shirt) hassle free.
Fit: I am 6'2, and about 200 pounds, and have tried the medium and large. The large is a safe bet for me, length wise and in terms of fit. The mediums fit pretty snug, and I find myself having to adjust them quite frequently. If you are 150–180, the medium should be great for you, if you are bigger than that, get the large. They also offer a variety of short lengths (5, 7, and 9 inch), and since not everyone likes to show their quads, you can get a longer short if necessary.
Price: These are a little on the pricer side in terms of shorts, at 58–68 dollars (lined and unlined), but considering they hold up so well, and the customer service is great with replacements, I think it is a good investment. I have had both lined and unlined, and I prefer the unlined version. The liner wore out over time, while the exterior of the shorts held up, and stayed very comfortable. I actually cut the liner out of my lined shorts at about 6 months and they have been working great ever since.
I know Beats gets a bad rap for durability, but I have had these for a few months, and they have been great. The microphone works very well when I am on a phone call too. I am not an audiophile and don’t need studio quality sound, I just need good beats and decent noise cancellation when I’m working out, so the decent sound quality is good for me. Apple customer service is very good, and when the PowerBeats 2 and 3 that I had in the past that had issues, Apple didn’t hesitate to replace my headphones. I even had a pair that I bought off Amazon and didn’t have a receipt or any proof of purchase, but I verified they were real with the serial number, and Apple replaced my Beats.
Fit: These fit very well, and the ear hook works great to keep your headphones secure at all times, I never find myself adjusting my headphones during a workout. The only time these will be uncomfortable is when I bring them to a coffee shop or on a flight and use them for 3 or more hours.
Price: Retail for these is 250, but if you stay on the lookout, you can find them for 180–200 on sale. I got mine for 200, and once again, it is a product I use everyday, so spending the extra money on it is justified (I also had an Amazon Gift card, so that helped).
Lululemon ABC pants are phenomenal.
Fit: I wear a 32 inch waist and 34 length for my pants, and I buy that exact size, and they fit great. I usually don’t wear a belt and I never find myself adjusting these pants.
Price: Along with the rest of this list, these are on the pricier side, at 120–148 dollars. However, I encourage you to make up a fake fitness occupation or run club for yourself and try to get 25% from the Sweat Collective. I’m a part of it, and I just sent a screenshot of my personal training schedule and I was instantly granted the discount. Despite the high price tag, I find value in these in the versatility. I am in gym clothes 99% of the time since I’ve been a trainer, and these are easily interchangeable with any outfit you might wear. You can dress them up or down, and they look a lot better than regular sweats if you are doing something outside of the gym. Save your man’s fashion sense and get him a pair of these as a gift, it’ll be a way to be nice, while not straight up telling him that his other pants just aren’t making the cut.
ALERT-I dryed a pair of ABCs that I owned, and that was their demise. That was quite silly of my, but if you get a pair, or already have one, HANG THEM UP! I ended up giving them to a friend since they went from 34 length to about 31, that was highly unfortunate.
I think Animal needs to work on their brand image a little bit, because I recommend their protein to everyone, but the product looks so intimidating, no one wants to buy it. However, I can assure you, I have found more value in this protein compared to the many others I have tried. The Macros are amazing (1F, 3C, 25P 120 calories), and my fiance also takes this protein while she is getting fit for our wedding.
Taste: The taste is decent is all I’ll say. Never have I had a supplemental protein powder taste delicious, so if taste is what you’re looking for, go eat real food. If you mix it with anything, it tastes decent, and I have tried it with water, all kinds of fruit and veggies, almond milk, etc.
Value: The price is 42 dollars for 4 pounds, which is amazing. My Fiance will usually have 1 scoop a day, while I will have 2, for an extra 25, or 50 grams of protein per day. We will end up buying about 1 tub every month, but that’s only because we both use it. When it was just me, the tub would last a full month.
Why is a protein supplement important: I need about 200 grams of protein to reach my nutrition goals daily, and getting that through only regular food is very difficult. A supplement helps you reach your target protein on a consistent basis, which is one of the most important factors in terms of muscle recovery and progress in the gym.
Extra Info-I am lactose intolerant, so having a protein that doesn’t upset my stomach is very important. This protein is Whey Isolate, which means less lactose, and I have rarely experienced any stomach aches with this product.
The Metcon 5 is out now, but I just ran through a pair of those in under 4 months, so don’t buy those. Go to any site that is still selling the Metcon 4 and get them instead of the new 5, since they lasted me over a year.
This shoe is extremely durable, and looks decent. It is also supportive, it allows you to cut, lift, and do mostly anything you would need to in the gym. I have even played basketball indoors and outdoors and these weren’t bad at all.
Value: At 70–100 dollars, I think these are very well worth the price tag. I’m sure you can find a cheaper pair on ebay also. I see people lifting in running shoes all the time, which aren’t very solid when it comes to lifting. You don’t have great ground feel while performing squats and deadlifts, and the feedback you get from a sole with less cushioning is very reassuring.
Fit: These are a bit more on the snug side, but they feel broken in on the first few wears, which is very nice. I wear a 13 in almost every shoe, and a 13 from Metcon 2–5 worked just fine for me. I have tried the 12, and they are way too small.
Those are 5 of my top products to buy your man on his journey to getting back in the gym. If you have any questions, reach out to me on instagram at @MattBaileyTraining
