Many parents, at-home and working alike, succumb to the “I don’t have time” mantra when it comes to exercise, but it’s an important part of life and is worth making time to do.
You might think exercise is something that requires special equipment or is only done at a gym, but you might already be “exercising” without even knowing it. Exercise falls under several definitions, and one way it is defined is that it’s a regular or repeated use of a faculty or bodily organ. Knowing this, I’m positive we all have a long list of things we do every day that count as “exercise” and we never thought of it as such.
Carrying your kid around the house or grabbing them before they grab the cat’s tail several times a day would definitely count.
That was before she could walk, now just doing what she does would be an excellent way to exercise without even knowing it.
Daily things like going for a walk, mowing the lawn, vacuuming, mopping, doing laundry, and playing (or squatting) with your kids are all great ways to fit in exercise and accomplish your laundry list (pun intended) of things you need to get done.
In a nutshell, movement of any form is, in and of itself, exercise. An important thing to remember is to be consistent with your movement and make sure it’s something you enjoy. If your stomach churns just thinking of going for a run, don’t do it, you’ll never stick with it. Ride a bike, walk, swim, row, hike, or……clean house. The point I’m trying to make is, keeping active, however you so choose, helps to make a better you.
As parents, we need to be excellent role models and should let our children see us being active and living a healthy lifestyle so they will hopefully follow suit and WANT to be like mommy and daddy. Note I said “healthy lifestyle”; this means exercise and good nutrition! If you are trying to lose weight, you can workout all you want, but without good nutrition, your results will be minimal at best.
Finishing a great workout session is NOT a pass to go pig out on packaged, processed junk or order takeout without thinking of what you’re actually putting in your mouth. Do you even read the ingredients label on some of these things? Actually, real food won’t have a label at all since it’s just the one ingredient in its whole form. Crazy, right?
No matter your fitness goal, lose weight, gain strength, maintain current level, etc., we will all benefit from moving more and practicing good nutrition for the quality of life it provides. If you are already a conscious eater and get a good dose of daily movement, good for you, keep it up and hopefully you are inspiring others! Bonus points when it’s your little ones that are being inspired. I love knowing Avery is seeing her Mommy and Daddy keeping active and wants to do the same whenever she can.
Ever since I graced my feet with the Soft Star RunAmoc Moc3’s (read my review here), I’ve been a Soft Star convert. I can’t think of any other shoe I need besides just more Soft Star Shoes. Thanks to those wonderful, hard-working “Elves” in Oregon, more Soft Star Shoes is exactly what I got!
Begging to be worn to work and to workout!
They actually sent two different pairs of their Dash RunAmoc model. One with their 5mm Vibram™ rubber trail sole and another with their bullhide leather sole to review.
Similar to the Moc3’s, the Dash RunAmoc is perfect for everything from lifting to chasing your kids to just lounging around. Actually, I’d say they’re even better with the front lacing system providing a more secure fit. Don’t get me wrong, I still wear my Moc3’s for walking and casual use, but the Dash’s are my go to shoes for running, lifting, hiking, or anything that requires a snug fit and good traction.
A caveat to the good traction is the bullhide leather sole. They are extremely comfortable and a minimal shoe lover’s dream when running in dry conditions, but when the ground is wet, things get very slippery. So, I’d advise against wearing them at places like a splash pad like someone I know…..
Yeah, I’m smart. But, running in them to the splash pad was nothing short of liberating, especially when I was in the grass. Nothing beats feeling the ground as you run, and with the bullhide, you can reap the meditative effects of earthing/grounding.
You can choose between a Vibram™ rubber sole (5mm Trail sole or 2mm Street sole) or a tough bullhide leather sole. Both are zero drop between toe and heel. And their comparison.
Spacious toe box allows feet to stretch comfortably.
Regular, narrow, or wide width options are available.
Can be worn with or without socks.
Highly resistant to odors.
5.0–9.5 oz, depending on size, leather type and sole.
Made in USA: designed and handcrafted in Oregon using US-sourced materials.
One key point Soft Star left out on their site is how doubling up on their shoes means double the performance and fun. Like, for instance, the kid’s Ramblers combined with RunAmoc’s.
Looks
The first thing I noticed about these shoes is how they would fit in at the office along with khakis and a button up shirt. Perfect for those who want/need to get out of their work clothes and into workout clothes to exercise during lunch or right after work. No extra pair of shoes needed, they’ll work for both!
While I’m not going to the office any time soon as an at-home dad, they’re accepted by my wife when we go out to some place a little nice. And getting her to accept my chosen apparel when going places is a big “feet”!
I ran a 4th of July 5k in the bullhide RunAmoc’s (which I placed in my age group, thank you), and received many questions about my “dressy” shoes from fellow runners. Not sure why they stuck out so much though. I thought black and brown go together, no?
I proudly filled the runners’ ears about the greatness of American made Soft Star Shoes and they were eager to check out their site.
Fit and Feel
Wonderful and great. There, that’s all you need to know. The fit is about a half size down from what your normal shoe size is, at least that’s how it is for me. I normally wear 10 1/2, but the 10’s fit perfect with no foot slippage inside. I have the regular width shoes which work great for me, but if needed, you can choose narrow or wide as well.
I’ve worn them with and without socks, but prefer to wear socks most of the time. No real reason why, just habit I guess, and it’s obviously the stylish thing to do. But, Avery begs to differ.
Unless your feet are covered in baby powder, they’ll sweat, especially with the full grain leather. Once wet from sweat or any other water, the shoe’s color will bleed and stain socks if you wear them. I’m fine with this because, well, they’re socks. Plus, Soft Star gives fair warning on their site.
Die-hard barefoot shoe advocates would probably want to stray from the 5mm trail sole as it does reduce ground-feel. That said, I have no problem with the extra rubber and find there’s still a good amount of feedback between the ground and my feet.
The bullhide leather obviously offers more connectivity, and yes, it simply feels wonderful walking on any surface and connecting with the earth. Now excuse me as I look for my peace sign necklace and tie-dye shirt….
Performance and Durability
As long as you’re on a dry surface, the Dash RunAmoc’s offer the minimal athlete an outstanding shoe to run, jump, lift, and wonder trails with confidence. While in Colorado, I hiked and ran on trails in my 5mm trail sole almost without issue.
I say “almost” because the wide toe box, while awesome for giving toes freedom to spread out, seemed to catch on a lot of rocks when I was walking. Oddly, whene running, I didn’t have this problem, but when hiking, I stumbled several times with my wife there to point and laugh.
Stumbling aside, they provide plenty of feedback when running and lifting. Also, the wide toe box does enable my toes the freedom to spread out as they naturally would if running sans shoes. Something that the New Balance or Merrell minimalist shoes don’t offer with their narrower design.
I love having a shoe that performs well in the gym and on the road, and these fit the bill. Since the bullhide leather is extremely limited in traction, I stick to the rubber soles which work great in my garage gym. And since good form is vital when doing lifts like squats and dead lifts, the zero drop is a welcome feature.
I’ve kicked enough objects and scraped the shoes on many things with minimal wear and tear. From the abuse I’ve put them through, it’s easy to see how well Soft Star’s “Elves” constructed the Dash RunAmoc. My only concern is that the upper is glued to the sole instead of stitched, but they’ve been holding together with no sign of separation for the five months I’ve owned them.
Despite their high strength construction, the Dash RunAmoc’s are very lightweight starting at 5.0 oz which makes for another wonderful aspect when running/walking. They are also highly flexible which lends to natural foot movement and offers that “barefoot experience” without worrying about sharp debris on the road. I’ve run across many surfaces, all with plenty of protection from potential hazards on the ground.
Summary
I could go on about all of the Soft Star Shoes and how I want more, but I suggest you go check them out for yourself. They have shoes for the whole family to enjoy, and the Design-Your-Own option allows you to own a high quality and comfortable shoe that’s truly your own. They make a great gift too! We’ve obviously become huge fans since that’s all we packed for our vacation.
No other shoe, that I’m aware of, is at home in the office just as much (if not more-so) on the trail, pavement, or under a barbell. Their superior quality in form and function is what has me lacing up my Soft Star Dash RunAmoc shoes every day. I know I can count on them to get me through whatever’s in store for the day while keeping my feet happy. That is, unless Avery hides them from me.
From true barefoot feel allowing for natural foot movement, to high quality materials for construction, I know these shoes will last me several years under most conditions.
Pros
Water resistant and great for cold weather running as they keep your feet warm. Unless you get the perforated version.
High quality materials used for durable shoe build
Highly flexible with excellent ground feel and comfort
Looks like a dress shoe, but built to perform under all conditions
Zero drop between toe and heel
Cons
Wide toe box can cause you to trip if you’re not careful like me.
Leather will bleed onto your socks when your feet sweat.
The bullhide sole is very slippery on wet surfaces.
Looks like a dress shoe. I don’t mind this, but many seem to think it’s weird
Thank you, Soft Star Shoes, for making such an excellent line of shoes and providing earth-friendly footwear for the entire family!
Disclosure: Soft Star Shoes provided their Dash RunAmoc’s to me free of charge in exchange for review. I was not compensated for this post in any other way and all opinions are my own.
Remember how I posted my workouts from last week a whole 2 times? Yeah, that didn’t last too long. Not that I quit working out, far from, but that typing it all out took too long. Honestly, keeping myself in check is hardly an issue, just ask my wife, so other than sharing my workouts with all who care to read, it felt pointless.
Sorry to anyone who seriously looked forward to knowing my workouts from the prior week. Instead, I hope to share strength & conditioning routines created either by yours truly (that’s me) or found elsewhere.
High intensity routines are perfect for the time-strapped parent (or anyone short on time) as they provide a superb training stimulus in 30 minutes or less. That is, of course, assuming you push yourself out of your comfort zone. If there’s one carry-over from my years of marathon training to strength training, it’s learning to push far beyond my level of comfort to reach and/or surpass my goals.
One thing I have trouble with in my strength goals is actually doing less to gain more. With marathon training, it’s all about doing more; more miles, more time on feet, and essentially, more running! When training for strength, you focus on lifting “more” weight (i.e. get stronger),but not much else since your muscles need to rest and recover in order to repair themselves and grow stronger.
Strength training is obviously more detailed than that, but that’s an extreme Cliff Notes version. Lift heavy, eat a caloric surplus, rest, repeat. I’ve done better with this over the years, but still have a major problem with creating a caloric surplus. I’ll admit I have this fear of getting fat, like I used to be, and anytime I actually eat what I think is a lot, I have this urgent “need” to go run or do some form of exercise. It’s borderline OCD if not worse, but like I said, I’m getting better at accepting I MUST eat more to actually get stronger.
Even with my diet comprising of almost all whole foods that I prepare, I still find ways to be hard on myself as if I’m not doing enough. I think it’s time I get over it and eat more peanut butter! Love that stuff!
I could blabber on and on about this topic, but it’d become more redundant than it already is. Plus, I have an HIIT routine I created that I want to share with you and hopefully you’ll find it effective.
Although this is mainly a blog about my life as a stay-at-home dad, fitness/nutrition plays a major role in our lives and is a field I want to get into when Avery starts going to school. Plus, parents need to keep fit too. If not for their own health, for the sake of leading by example for their little ones!
Once your kid goes down for a nap or you’re graced with a patient child, try this routine for a full-body blast that’ll have you full of endorphins once finished.
I’m waiting for you!!
6 Rounds for Time
6 *Pull-ups or Chin-ups
10 Burpees
15 Push-ups
10 1-arm **Kettlebell Swings (each arm)
15 V-Ups
*If you can’t do pull-ups/chin-ups, try inverted rows or dumbbell bent rows
**If you don’t have a kettlebell, use a dumbbell or anything you can old and securely swing
I was feeling this the next day and loved it! If you really push yourself, expect to take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. I added 5 minutes of biking before and after but it’s not required.
Give this routine a try and let me know how you liked it (or didn’t like it) in the comments below. This is also a great finisher after pure strength training with compounds exercises like squat, deadlift, bench, etc.; just shorten it to 3 rounds.
Do you struggle with getting motivated to exercise or are you like me and struggle with doing less to gain more?
Do you like crossfit style “WODs” like this?
This post is part of the #FitFamilyFriday Link Party. Click below to find posts by other health-minded bloggers and be sure to share with your friends and family!
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
