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Put simply, walking is just a series of forward falls. Keep falling forward,
one foot after the other (without falling on your face) and you’ll move along.
The catch is that walking technique becomes crucial the more efficiently you
want to move, the more you want to avoid strains and pains, the faster you want to go,
and the more you want to increase intensity.
Walking is not just slow-motion running. Sure, we all learned the basics as
toddlers—right foot, left foot, repeat as needed—but turning walking
into a fitness activity demands a new dimension. Taking stock of how you move
and adapting that movement to the tips that follow will turn your
stride into a powerful strut.
No matter how fast or how far you go, standing tall is key. Hunching your shoulders
forward tightens the chest and inhibits breathing. Dropping your chin to the
ground does the same by shutting down your throat. Relax your shoulders and pull
downward and backward with your shoulder blades. Tighten your abdominals, not
only for additional toning but for good back support.
Other techniques
Heel-Toe
Compared to runners, who normally land more on the middle part of their feet,
walkers should hit squarely on the heels with toes lifted high. That allows
your ankle to move through its complete range of motion, from the heel landing
in front of you at the beginning of the stride to the big toe pushing off in back
of you at the end of it. The toes and foot of the leg behind you at the end
of the stride offer major propulsion as you gain speed. Think about trying
to leave your heel on the ground behind you a split second longer than normal,
and feel as if you’re trying to push the ground away from you with the
ball of your foot before your leg swings forward.
Stride
Overstriding can turn your walk into a bouncing gallop reminiscent of
Groucho Marx’s comedy gait. That wastes much needed forward-moving energy.
Avoid the natural tendency to take longer strides to go faster. Instead,
move your feet faster by taking more steps per minute—turnover,
it’s called—while maintaining the natural stride length. A walker
doing a slower pace of 17- to 18-minute miles might take 115 to 120
steps per minute, while a typical brisk walk of 15-minute miles takes
you up to about 135 steps per minute. A speedy 12-minute mile might mean
160 steps per minute. Notice how the number of times you “turn
over” your feet per minute increases with your walking speed.
But avoid short, choppy steps that can diminish your natural power.
Feel as if your leg actually starts at your waist. Extend the leg
with each step from above your hip bone. That frees your pelvis to
rotate forward with each leg so you can cover more ground without
bouncing. Avoid excessive side-to-side motion, because that keeps your
center of gravity from moving forward, which is, of course, where you want to
go. Swinging side-to-side with the hips also wastes energy you need to
travel forward.
Arm Bend
You don’t necessarily have to bend your elbows 90 degrees, though most
serious walkers do. But as you move faster, a right-angle bend is more
comfortable and helps you attain your potential speed. And, if you
experience swelling in your hands, bending your elbows will help keep blood
and fluids from being pulled into your hands by gravity.
Arm Swing
Whether your arms are straight or bent, the pendulum action should
start at your shoulder. If you use a bent arm, your elbow shouldn’t
move. Also, control the bent-arm swing. It should be strong but remain
compact to your body, with hands not swinging higher than the chest,
elbows tucked into the waist, and fingertips not crossing over the
midline of your body or reaching in front of you more than 10 to 12
inches. Power your swing with your back muscles. Try to swing your
arms faster, and your legs will likely mimic the speed.
Don’t Clench
No need to clench a fist. Imagine you’re holding a raw egg in each
cupped palm—squeeze too hard and you’ll break it; open too far
and you’ll drop it.
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