If, like me, you are just thinking about holiday shopping, I submit a few ideas for yoga-themed gifts for the athletes (or anyone) on your list.
My Products
My books and DVDs can help your friends begin or deepen their yoga practices. The Athlete’s Pocket Guide to Yoga will even fit into a stocking! You can find them on Amazon as well as both big bookstores and specialty bike and running shops. They are:
- The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga, a how-to for any yoga practitioner, athletic or not
- The Athlete’s Pocket Guide to Yoga, a lay-flat what-to-practice guide
- The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga DVD, with two hours of customizable multilevel content
- RIDES: NC, a virtual training ride through the farmland of Orange County, NC
YogaVibes
You can also give someone a subscription to YogaVibes, which will let them enjoy fresh yoga-class content in the comfort of their homes or wherever they might go with their laptops. You’ll find my newest class, Yoga for Athletic Recovery, as well as DVD content and much more. Use the code sage20 for 20 percent off!
My next YogaVibes taping, focusing on yoga for the core, will be at Carrboro Yoga at 2 p.m. on January 8. Sign up now—it’s free, but space is limited.
Give the Gift of Experiences
Better even than things are positive experiences. A yoga retreat, workshop, or teacher training is a fantastic way to give your friends the gift of balance. Better still, join them! You can give a passcard for classes at Carrboro Yoga (these never expire, and you can share them with a friend), or choose a special event. Here are some of my upcoming programs:
- YogaVibes taping: Yoga for the Core, January 8, Carrboro Yoga, Carrboro, NC
- Yoga for Athletes Workshop, January 14–16, Wilmington Yoga, Wilmington, NC (early bird discount!)
- Yoga for Athletes Workshop, February 4–6, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Lenox, MA
- Yoga for Athletes Master Class, February 19, Yoga Fusion, Washington, DC (registration available soon)
- 200-Hour Yoga Alliance Yoga Teacher Training, Carrboro Yoga, September 2011–January 2012
- Yoga and Running Retreat, October 21–23, ZAP Fitness, Blowing Rock, NC
While my coaching roster is totally full, you can still structure your training through my plans on TrainingPeaks. You’ll find a half marathon plan and a cool yoga-based plan for core strength, sold in conjunction with Runner’s World.
Give the Gift of, Well, Gifts
If you prefer giving a concrete item, I can help you out. My sponsors Rudy Project and XTERRA Wetsuits allow me to share my discount on sunglasses, ski goggles, bike helmets, wetsuits, and speedsuits, so be in touch and I’ll share my code.
Here’s an unsolicited endorsement of a few items that I’ve really enjoyed in the last year. These might be just the thing for that special someone:
- Lotus Pad yoga mats. Super sticky, incredibly light, and eco-friendly.
- The also eco-friendly, light, and comfy Brooks Green Silence performance racers.
- Jai Uttal’s Bhakti Bazaar album. Download an eco-friendly electronic copy.
- The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Great present not only for young adults but for any reader. Download to your Kindle/iPad, snuggle in, and you’ll be hooked.
- The Kickbooty yoga pant, now in a thermal run option, made by my friends at Athleta. Today only, use code SNOWDAY for 20 percent off. You can wear these as you enjoy the great outdoors.
Finally, remember that service—whether it’s eco-friendly service to the environment, or making a donation in honor of your loved ones—benefits us all far more than anything we could wrap in paper and ribbon.
Best wishes for the holidays and a glorious 2011!