Walk yourself to health - part 1 - The anatomy of gait and ten top tips to make it efficient

I am really excited about this month of classes and write ups that are dedicated to gait.

But, if you get gait wrong, you can cause or at least perpetuate tension and old injuries. Get it right however and you can heal yourself surprisingly fast! So with thousands steps taken most days, let’s make each one count towards movement wellbeing.

As kids, we hopped, skipped and ran around to get places and with natural mechanics, great posture and moment awareness. But as adults, with a never ending ‘to do’ list and a busy mind, nature can so easily get forgotten.

And when you are not so moment/body aware, gait becomes heavy with and a leg-kicking-out-in-front kind of stride. Every step then becomes a little jolt for your joints (this tendency is exaggerated when running late).

Good news though, your body wants to be neutral and when given the right environment can adapt very well. But, when it comes to gait, old habits die hard so be sure let your mind accept what might be a gradual change.

And that’s why I am dedicating the next 28 days to help you discover your optimal walking style

So, what restores a great gait?

Whether you are walking from one room to the other, from car to super-market or taking a 10 mile hike, you just need to remember the basics of sound gait mechanics.

Here are ten points about the anatomy and physiology of good walking technique:

1. Where possible, purchase and start to embrace ‘bare-foot’ style shoes. However, if you are on flat and firm surfaces most of the time, then consider some of your outdoor trips in trainers (sneakers)
2. Gait doesn’t start at the hips, so remember to initiate each step, but especially each first step with a hinge at the ankle joint
3. Take a shorter stride than you might think. This helps with a more springy gait and avoids the classic (Basil Faulty) leg kick out in front
4. When you adopt point three above, you will notice that the foot lands underneath you (this is a great safety point when dealing with ice and banana skins)!
5. Keep posture up but relaxed…
6. And vision around eye height
7. Maintain a slight forward lean throughout your whole body
8. Include an element of torso rotation towards the lead leg (if there was a flashlight on your chest bone, it would do a slight scan from left to right)
9. Let arms respond with a subtle, natural movement rather than forcing an arm swing
10. Be moment aware (sights, sounds and smells)

When to take your mind and emotions for a good walk

Gait, like posture can been affected by emotions. It’s easy to see from a distance if somebody is more joyful (posture up, buoyant gait and eyes wide) or more depressed (head down, shoulders rounded, heavy gait).

If you do get those moments of feeling down with a head full of thoughts, that’s a great time to go out for a walk (and a light, short jog can really help with this too). The simple act of getting outside can interrupt your mental pattern, give you exercise, let you see beyond the walls of your house and bathe you in fresh air and nature. Also, while out there why not think about something positive. You will likely return refreshed! 

Walking mantra

Below is an 11 step mantra to do regularly this week. It’s an odd number so you should find that you change the lead foot each time. Pause on each 11th step for a few seconds before carrying on.

So, on each step say this sequence:

Step 1 - I

Step 2 - Take

Step 3 - Short

Step 4 - Strides

Step 5 - And

Step 6 - Each

Step 7 - Step

Step 8 - Lands

Step 9 - Under

Step 10 - My

Step 11 - Body

Why not try it now and review Mindfulness 60 for tips on this

Summary

For this week, I really want to play all the classes and I am sure will notice the difference after seven days. As well as the Dojiva classes, I also encourage you to walk more often than usual. If you’re already a good daily walker, why not add extra challenge by using hills or jogging for some of the time?

That’s it for this week, thanks for reading.

Take care

Danny

Members can login here and for the ten day Dojiva trial - click here