Father’s Day is coming up and I’ve been doing some thinking about all the good daddies I know out there!   At our gym, we have some pretty amazing men who can daddy their a$$es off!  Just like the amazing and thankless job of mommying, good daddying is even less appreciated.  Before all the women come at me with their PB&J covered sticky hands, hear me out.  Just like moms, not all dads are created equal.

Right now, I’d like to address those dads that take over when mom needs a break without being promised anything in return as well as those dads who have made the hard choice to stay at home with the kids while the moms work outside the home.  I need to give a shout out to the dads I see at the gym checking the babes into childcare so they can work out that aggression somewhere besides the home.  Kudos to a dad who can have a genuine discussion with his teenage daughter about uncomfortable topics like sex and periods.  The dads who do the driving lessons are irreplaceable in my book! Anyone can bring home a paycheck.  That’s not a dad.  I’m talking about parenting, the hard stuff that hits daddies in the gut. Daddy stress is real! They have to work hard not to throw it all on us moms because that’s the easy thing to do.  Let’s face it, we are better equipped naturally to handle it.  No offense, but this is just the truth.  It is in our make-up!  I could go on and on about how much I appreciate my daughters’ awesome daddy but I’ll keep this about fitness.

If you have a man in your life that enjoys staying fit and getting daily exercise, you are in luck!  There are gift ideas out there for days!  If he’s already into fitness, he’s probably told you what he wants or has bought it himself!  Here are my picks.

• Gym membership (of course I’m going to suggest this): Dudes love this because it brings them right back to the days of sports, camaraderie and competition. They feel amazing and get some social interaction that is not work related.
• A few personal training sessions: If he has some goals that he needs help achieving, personal training is a great way to kick those into action!
• Garage gym package: There are several companies that carry packages for starter home/garage gyms. If you really want to excite your fitness enthusiast, this is for you!
• Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance This is an awesome resource for all athletes at any level. It’s an important read for those dads who like to go a little too hard in the gym. Click here to get a copy.
• Fitness accessories like grips, weight belts, shoes and clothing….anything from Rogue!
• Nutrition Coaching: Most guys just eat what is put in front of them, but did you know that when they take ownership of what is going into their bodies, two things happen. One, they start doing some of the cooking. Two, the entire family will eat better because both parents are on the same page. Who buys the food? That’s right, not the kids. There…you’re welcome.

If fitness is not your guy’s thing (yet) and you would like to introduce him to some friendly family competition, here are a couple of good challenges you can lay down for the big strong man of the house.  Men love a challenge and you need to work this in a way that makes him feel like it’s his idea.  Surely you can manage that one.  I’m sure it’s not your first experience in persuasion.

Pushups for Profanity! (love this one) Every guy I know has his moments.  Some have to put a dollar in a jar, this time he does push-ups.  Perfect!

Plank challenges Hold a plank position as long as possible.  The winner gets to come up with the next challenge.

How many push-ups can you do with a kid (or two) on your back? Hmmm? This is going to be a hard one.  

Playground workouts are awesome! Here are a few exercises you can challenge the big guy with while “playing with the kids”.

Push-ups with feet on a swing or on a bench

Monkey bar madness:  pull-ups, toes to bar, chin over bar holds, moving across bars (ninja warrior style), hang contests with kids, etc…

Bear crawls, broad jumps, sand burpees, leap frog, sprints….whatever else you did as a kid that kept you fit.  Think about what you did prior to the internet! Have your kids use those sweet little puppy dog eyes to ask dad to play with them.  Works every time!

Ok this is really important so listen up!  DO NOT GET YOUR BEST DADDY ANYTHING FITNESS RELATED UNLESS YOU KNOW HE WILL USE IT!  Getting him a gym membership, personal training sessions, or fitness wear will not make him comply.  Keep setting a good example and encouraging him to join you in your journey to a healthy future.  Stick to what he loves like golf, books, clothes, or whatever you know he will enjoy.  Find another way to work your persuasive magic on your man later.  Father’s Day is for him!  Now go hug that best daddy!