Transitioning to Barefoot Health PLUS RunAmoc Giveaway!

Transitioning to Barefoot Health PLUS RunAmoc Giveaway!

Did you know April is National Foot Health Awareness Month? What better way for us to celebrate than by helping you make your feet happy?

Whole Body Barefoot Book Review + RunAmoc Giveaway!

With the weather warming and springtime blooming, more people are going outside and getting active. It’s a great time to be mindful of your feet, which are literally the foundation of your whole body. Biomechanist and bestselling author Katy Bowman is an expert on foot health and its connection to overall body wellness, which happens to be the subject of latest book, Whole Body Barefoot: Transitioning Well to Minimal Footwear.

About the Book...

"I've taught thousands of people about their bodies and I always start with the feet."
~Katy Bowman

Whole Body Barefoot Book Review + RunAmoc Giveaway!I asked Katy for a preview of her book and she graciously sent a copy to our workshop. To put it mildly, this is exactly the book we’ve wanted for many years. There are several publications that tout the benefits of going barefoot or wearing minimal shoes, and some that give outlines for starting a barefoot running regimen, but Bowman’s book takes it to a different level. We receive many foot health questions at the Soft Star workshop, but because we’re not medical professionals we can’t give medical advice. This book, however, will answer many of the inquires from people looking to relieve foot and body pain by switching to minimal shoes and restoring natural function.

For starters, Bowman acknowledges up front that going barefoot will not magically heal all your pain and make you immune to injury. On the contrary, she proclaims the exact opposite: “an incautious change to minimal footwear could very easily result in injury and further disease.” The key word there is incautious. Bowman is, of course, a fan of bare feet and minimal shoes and she has plenty of evidence to show people may benefit immensely by making the change, but she also understands firsthand that this transition must be done delicately for feet that have spent decades adapting to conventional footwear. After helping thousands of patients reduce pain, increase bone density and solve their pelvic floor mysteries, her approach is not only science-based, but also tried and tested many times over.

Whole Body Barefoot Book Review + RunAmoc Giveaway!

The first half of Whole Body Barefoot is all about the science. She compares a life in conventional shoes to a diet of movie theater food (popcorn, soda, candy, etc). Sure, you’ll get your calories and stay alive, but keep it up long enough and you’ll start to see the detrimental effects. What follows is a rough breakdown of the basic geometry of footwear and how it affects whole body dynamics over time.

For example, Bowman shows how any elevated heel will change your body “loads,” alter your pelvis and spine and cause a variety of muscles to shorten or lengthen unnaturally (to be fair, Bowman points out this isn’t only women’s heels, but also heels on men’s and children’s shoes). The point isn’t to make the reader an expert on biomechanics, but to illustrate how seemingly small footwear features can have a big long-term impact. Tapered toe boxes, loosely-secured footwear (think flip-flops) and a lifetime of walking on unnaturally flat surfaces are also shown to take an unexpected toll. But fear not, there’s a solution…

Whole Body Barefoot Book Review + RunAmoc Giveaway!

The second half of the book is devoted to stretches and exercises designed to gradually restore natural function. These include habits that will improve your stance, simple home workouts to strengthen the various tissues and muscles of your feet and tips for healthy walking. An appendix at the end of the book sums up the program with detailed illustrations, along with a directory of companies that sell tools and shoes that promote barefoot-like movement. It’s a very comprehensive list that offers something for everyone (seriously, at eight pages it includes products we didn’t even know about ourselves).

Sound like a lot to take on? You’d be surprised how simply it all comes together. At only 150 pages, Whole Body Barefoot is an easy read that packs a lot of gems into a short and concise blueprint for happy feet.

Biomechanist Katy BowmanKaty Bowman. M.S. has earned an international reputation for educating the geneneral population on alignment and load science. Her other books include Move Your DNA, Alignment Matters and Every Woman's Guide to Foot Pain Relief. You can learn more about her biomechanics programs and books by visiting the Restorative Exercise website or by following her popular blog, Katy Says.

 


 

Now, Onto the Free Stuff…

To celebrate National Foot Health Awareness Month, we’re proud to team up with Bowman to give away a copy of Whole Body Barefoot and a pair of Soft Star RunAmocs! Designed with athletes in mind (and thoroughly tested by ultramarathon runners), our minimal RunAmocs allow your feet to move naturally and also work very well as casual or dress shoes. The winner can choose any single pair from our current collection colors and styles.

Whole Body Barefoot Book Review PLUS RunAmoc Giveaway!

To enter, simply choose any of the methods below. Using multiple methods will increase your chances of winning! Contest ends at midnight on Thursday, May 7, 2015.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Trouble viewing the giveaway tool? Click here.

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52 Comments

  1. maria fleishman
    maria fleishman
    would love to win!
    Reply
  2. Elisa Panjang
    Elisa Panjang
    Awesome book!
    Reply
  3. christina moore
    christina moore
    I would love to win a pair of Soft Star RunAmocs!
    Reply
  4. melissa cich
    melissa cich
    They look extremely comfy
    Reply
  5. Anne-Marie Dubeau
    Anne-Marie Dubeau
    Happy feet are important to have a happy body!
    Reply
  6. Mary Thill
    I love them!
    Reply
  7. Edmond
    Wow, prize shoes are fab. & splendid. 2 fingers snap. It is tight, fly & off the chain. Thank you for the awesomeness, the contest, and generosity. Pick me, pick me!
    Reply
  8. Paula V
    I may have put my twitter link instead of pin link in the pin entry field. If so, here's my pin. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/386113368029897786/
    Sorry about that.
    Reply
  9. Charles O'Dowd
    Charles O'Dowd
    These shoes are comfortable and encourage you to get outdoors, exercise, raise your metabolism, make yourself fit and everyone around you. Yah!
    Reply
  10. Marni
    I LOVE my first pair of soft stars! I'm healing from surgery for removal of skin cancer (quite a big radius) on my lower calf, and they've helped me maintain balance and strength during my healing process. Thanks for the offer! Can't wait til I'm cleared to run by my doc!
    Reply
  11. Adam Swanson
    I've been dreaming of some SoftStar's. Love the idea of handmade minimalist shoes. My favorite company went to a more cushioned, man made upper so it's time to move on. Thanks for the opportunity
    Reply
  12. natalie karns
    natalie karns
    Sounds great
    Reply
  13. janie darlene hampton
    janie darlene hampton
    when my feet are comfy , I feel fantastic !
    Reply
  14. lanisa larrabee
    lanisa larrabee
    nice
    Reply
  15. sheri
    I would give this gift to my 20 year old son, as a single mom, we both keep looking at your website and wishing, just can't afford it now, he would love, i mean really love to win.
    Reply
  16. roger
    Let's get the word out about barefoot shoes and buying Made in the U.S.A.!
    Reply
  17. Patrice
    Love my Metros! Good luck to everyone!
    Reply
  18. J
    Thank you!
    Reply
  19. Debbie
    I've been coveting some more utilitarian Soft Stars for myself... I have the ballet flats and my kids have grown up in the moccasins... maybe now's the time! And I'm so glad you're giving away a copy of Whole Body Barefoot! The whole (shod) world should read that book!
    Reply
  20. Betsy Tsukada
    Betsy Tsukada
    Soft Stars are my favorite shoes. You could say I'm an addict! Keep doing what you do... making awesome footwear!
    Reply
  21. Pauline Lau
    Would be great to win a pair....looks comfortable!
    Reply
  22. Pamela
    How exciting it would be to win a book and shoes...I lived in my Roos all winter and am ready for something new.
    Reply
  23. Debra
    Really love my soft stars. Have learned so much from Katy Bowman - on my way to healthier feet.
    Reply
  24. Granny P
    What's the good for the granddaughters is great for granny too.
    Reply
  25. Anne
    I look forward to reading the book!
    Reply
  26. Margot
    If I can't go barefoot, I have to be in my soft stars <3
    Reply
  27. Natalie
    Thanks so much!
    Reply
  28. amber
    would love to win! ;)
    Reply
  29. Lindsay
    My whole family loves softstar shoes. I would love some Runamocs.
    Reply
  30. Bri
    The science of happy feet and strong people!
    Reply
  31. monika
    living in the UK i cannot afford to buy soft star shoes as they add tax to anything you buy over a certain price.so id love to win. i had a pair of run amoco and i wore them until they fell apart
    Reply
  32. Karen
    Now that the ice is gone and winter looks to be almost over, I am dreaming of getting back out there and building up my stamina again. Having a new pair of run a mocs would be amazing!
    Reply
  33. Alan
    I think I've entered! I'm never sure with this technology! For anyone who's interested, there's a great Joe Rogan interview with Katy Bowman on youtube - check it out. I hope I win ;)
    Reply
  34. Lauren
    Excited to try these shoes!!
    Reply
  35. Adam
    I have two pairs of runamoc lites! I can always use another pair of a different model. I'm a fan!
    Reply
  36. Jamie K
    Back to Nature!!!
    Reply
  37. jollydee
    Run Amoc DASH are my faves - I love the feeling of them as they keep me connected to Earth Mother's energy when the going is too rough for my barefeet. Thank you to the Elves for creating these beautiful shoes!
    Reply
  38. Cathy Neuschafer
    Cathy Neuschafer
    RunAmoks - on my list of Gotta get some." I tried on a pair that a friend of mine has, and they are wonderful. Lots of toebox room, no elevated heels - foot heaven!
    Reply
  39. Lisa Z
    I would love to win! I love both Katy and Soft Stars!
    Reply
  40. andrea
    Would love to win. Both my kids get to wear your amazing shoes and I've never had a chance!
    Reply
  41. Liene
    fingers crossed. thanks for a chance!
    Reply
  42. J. Rivkah
    We dig!
    Reply
  43. Robert Merlak
    Robert Merlak
    My 3 kids are loving it and I want runamocs baaaaadly :-D love ♥ from Croatia!
    Reply
  44. Katie
    Love my shoes! Love my husbnd's and my daughter is moving into her third pair! Hoping to win :)
    Reply
  45. Linda Parsons
    Linda Parsons
    Would love to try the shoes!
    Reply
  46. Madison
    I am super excited about the book!
    Soft star shoes absolutely rock, we all have a pair of moccasins and wear them every where.
    Reply
  47. Carmen
    Me gustaría mucho ganar unos zapatos soft stars. Y me gustaría que el libro lo tradujesen al español
    Reply
  48. teva
    It sounds like an interesting read and the shoes would be a treat.
    Reply
  49. Gayle Feibel
    I love all my Soft Star shoes. I want more, more, more. They are the most comfortable, freeing shoes I have ever owned.
    Reply
  50. Jen
    Soft stars are the best! I'd love to win and get a copy of Katy's book and a new pair of soft stars. Mine have been loved so well that they are wearing out!
    Reply

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