As a physical therapy student who trains, I feel like I have a unique set of needs this Christmas. My Christmas list is full of equipment to train when I’m not in the weight room, things to combat constant poor studying posture, and things to prepare me for my internships (READ: free labor) and future career. Since I have student loans up to my eyeballs, I definitely cannot afford this stuff on my budget.

  1. Spud Inc. Casual Bowtie — This is crucial for fighting horrible sitting posture while studying and sitting in class. I’m afraid I’m going to look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame by the time I graduate.
  2. Elitefts Pro Ultra Compression Floss Band Blue — Keeping with the mobility issues, this thing will hopefully help me get some mobility in my knees before my squat sessions that have been few and far between lately.
  3. Pro Monster Mini and Pro Light Resistance Bands — For those numerous days/night I have no time to make it to the gym, I can get a pretty good session in with just these 2 bands. Plus they’ll make me feel cool doing pushups with band resistance. What kind of weakling does bodyweight pushups still?
  4. Heavy Grips — These things will make my hands crazy strong for all that manual therapy I’ll be performing on future patients. You have a knot in your upper trap that “nobody” can get out? Come here and let me my Hercules hands on it!
  5. Elitefts™ Premium 13mm P2 Power Belt — As the PT student intern or the new PT at my future job, I know I’ll be asked to transfer all the super heavyweight patients. Being the guy who almost looks like he lifts weights, my chances of performing these transfers only increase. If I have this belt, I may be able to save my back...for a little while at least.

Obviously having these five items under the Christmas tree would definitely help me out. If you buy the heavy grips for me, then I might thank you by working out a couple of those problem spots in your neck. If Santa doesn’t bring me any of these things, I’ll be the weak hunchback PT with back problems that can’t find a job.

 Matt Creel, CSCS is a PT student at LSU New Orleans. He is a former D1 college baseball player and former assistant high school baseball coach. 

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