Gift Guide

The Best Martial Arts Gifts

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, NothingButChuck.com earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Picks are ours; nobody pays to be included. Full disclosure.

Chuck Norris started with nothing but a uniform and a Korean instructor. You don't need much more. This guide covers gifts for someone beginning martial arts, someone who trains seriously, and the kid who just got their first belt.

We're still assembling product picks for this guide. In the meantime the editorial recommendations below tell you exactly what to look for.

For a beginner

  • A uniform (gi or dobok). Check the style first: karate and Tang Soo Do use a heavier canvas gi; taekwondo uses a lighter V-neck dobok; jiu-jitsu gis are different again. When in doubt, a gift card to the school's supplier beats the wrong uniform.
  • Sparring gloves and shin guards. Most schools require them by the first sparring class.
  • A mouthguard. Unglamorous, essential, always appreciated.

For someone who trains at home

  • A heavy bag (hanging or freestanding). A freestanding bag suits apartments; a hanging bag is better if there's a beam to take it.
  • A double-end bag or reflex bag for timing and accuracy.
  • Puzzle mats for a corner of the garage.
  • A stretching strap or leg stretcher. Norris kept his flexibility into his 70s; this is how.

Books

Norris's own The Secret of Inner Strength is the best-known martial arts memoir of its era. For technique, a good Tang Soo Do or Shotokan karate manual, or Bruce Lee's Tao of Jeet Kune Do, which Norris himself admired.

For kids

A first belt display rack, a kids' focus mitt set for practicing with a parent, and (our favorite) Sidekicks (1992) on DVD, the Chuck Norris film about a boy who daydreams his way to confidence through karate. If you'd like to support youth martial arts more broadly, KickStart Kids, the foundation Norris founded, accepts donations.

Prices and availability change; check the retailer page before buying. Product descriptions are ours and not endorsed by Chuck Norris or his estate. Updated September 2026.