How to Walk Properly and with Confidence-5 Easy Tips You Can Rely On

These 5 tips will help you walk with proper posture, more confidence, and lower impact on your joints. Don't fall for incorrect walking tips like trying to lean forward which are a mistake.

Poor walking technique can lead to back, hip, knee, and foot pain. Most people are unaware when the way they walk is the cause of their pain. You can improve the way you walk in the same way you would learn a new dance. Not everyone walks with great technique, just like not everyone has great dance technique. Because no one ever gets instruction on how to walk, people just don’t know when it’s a problem. You can use the basic tips in this video to determine if you may have a walking problem. It’s also important to understand when you are getting good information about how to walk and when you are not. There are some highly promoted videos on YouTube recommending ideas like leaning forward to walk, or walking forefoot first instead of heel first. These ideas are based on faulty logic, and I will explain why.

Sign up for the new Walking Code Online Course, launching on 10-1-23. Check out the super pre-release deal which is available only to those enrolled by 09-30-23.

Get Your Walking Code Ebook

Tip #1-Vertical Posture
We should stand and walk with vertical posture. There should not be a forward or backward lean at all, not even a slight lean. Walking forward, backward, or in any direction requires using a pattern of rotation of the abdominal core combined with actions from the hip muscles.

Tip #2-Arm Swing
The arms should swing forward in a straight line and on the opposite side as the leg swing. The right arm should go forward with the left leg and the left arm forward with the right leg. The arms should not swing across the front or back of the body. They also should not swing straight back behind the body. The arm should drop back in a relaxed manner to be even with the torso on the back swing. Variations in arm swing reflect variations in rotation of the core. These variations result in an irregular path of travel of the spine and added stress on the joints. If your arms are swinging sideways, it means there are sideways forces acting on your joints and this causes added stress on the joints.

Tip #3-Feet Face Forward

The feet should face straight forward when we walk. There should not be a significant turnout in the feet, referred to as out toeing, or duck feet. Walking with the feet out can add stress on the ankles and arch of the foot, causing them to collapse. It is also associated with posture changes that can cause stress on the back and other joints. Walking with your feet turned out could make you more susceptible to plantar fasciitis or posterior tibial tendonitis.

Tip #4-Gentle Heel Placement

The first part of the foot to contact the ground when we step normally is the heel. The foot should then roll forward into the flat foot position. Many people walk with to hard of a heel strike because they push off, lean forward, or have an anterior pelvic tilt. This can result in knee pain as well as pain in the back, hip, and feet. YouTube has some highly ranked videos by Bob and Brad and Grown and Healthy promoting using a forefoot or midfoot strike to walk instead of placing the heel. There is no evidence for this whatsoever
Tip #5 will be discussed in the video.

Links

How to Use Rotation to Move Forward and Not Lean

How to Walk Getting Started

Proper Walking Foot Placement

Duck Foot Walking=-Difference between powering with the standing leg vs the swing leg

Forefoot vs Heel Strike Walking Debate with Dr. Todd Martin and Mark Hendricks from Grown and Healthy

00:00 Rethink the way you walk
00:30 Bob and Brad Walking Video
01:15 This is Puzzling
01:55 5 Easy Tips Intro
02:41 Tip 1-Vertical Posture
04:00 Tip 2-Arm Swing
04:36 Tip 3-Feet Face Forward
06:18 Tip 4-Gentle Heel Placement
10:00 Tip 5-When to Commit

[erinwilson]

My Dad and I are both flat footed and duck footed. My dad trained me out of it by telling me to point my big toes forward. It made a difference.
Thank you for your information. Love and peace to you ❤

[x.Aura.x]

Yes!!! Keep calling out these channels that claim they're experts who clearly are going off of very outdated info!!!

[arelphelps]

Best video on the subject. You know your stuff. Thank you, I will implement these essential cues

[thomaswilliams]

A really good demonstration on walking properly. Enjoyed the talk and watch the examples over and over, great tips, well done.

[marioride]

One of the Best, if not the best tutorial video I've saw. Thank you 🇵🇹

[rickysofire]

This actually helped out so much and you touched like every topic I was not finding on yt

[saulgoodman]

Spent 4 years watching these other clowns making their millions of views on something they know nothing about. So glad I found you as I always said to every specialist something is wrong with my walk. Nope. Strengthen this and that. Do this and that to NO it’s your hair combed the wrong way. I’m the specialist it is plantar fasciitis not your walk attitude everywhere. Longest 4 years of my life of going crazy trying to find information to no avail. Thank you!!

[faithongachi]

Thanks for this. I can now improve my walking as I plan to walk for exercise

[pavelvedernikov]

Very good and sound advice, I like it very much. Thank you! The videos showing side by side right and wrong ways of walking were especially helpful.

[kcdogny]

Good stuff! I need to peruse all your videos, although I probably needed to a long time ago! Thank you in advance.

[Sophie-zgfb]

Wonderful video. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise - well worth doing properly. Thank you!

[winfielddixon]

Thank you for the reality check, I watched Bob and Brad and thought forefoot walking was insane. Very concise and articulate video, well done!

[bonniemeads]

Great information and visuals. I am finding that as I attempt to correct my walk I seem to still lose a bit of balance as especially my right foot often lands with a bit of a swing and landing on outer edge of right foot. Can tell by my callus on right edge and heel. I have balance issues and so happy I found you.

[gagecarty]

The information is presented in short, easy to understand segments

[TanverUlhassan-tydn]

Your hard work and dedication are an inspiration to us all!!!🍀Thank you for making a difference in the world!!!🌿

[juliussezar]

Thanks Bro. I have always thought why i tired so quickly., You made me change my movement.

[bbharat]

if only people know to walk correctly they will get rid of their knee pain.Unfortunately they wait till the damage had been done.But even after that point right walking decreases the pain.Thank you

[effthegop]

I'm only halfway in and I know this will be my source of information. I'm 71 and have been walking hunched over for decades. I often try to straighten myself up but it is not natural. I have also had lower back pain for decades and it might be related. I do always focus on keeping my feet straight. I severely injured my right hamstring a few months ago and I have been trying to recover. I know I am still dragging my right leg. When I walk I concentrate on every move but I'm not sure exactly what moves are correct so I'm just winging it.

I find it simple to walk while pushing a shopping cart so that has been my hack. However, I don't shop much. I'm headed to the beach for a couple weeks and there will be a lot of walking, like 2 to 5 miles a day. I want to take advantage of this time and correct my walking issues. Thanks for all the help you provide. I will finish the video and research some others.

[mrcannibal]

Im actually put do impact on my right Hip, that its Killing my self stem. Thanks for this Video. I´ll try my best to do a better posture while walking.

[rwvgnek]

Oh this was infermitive along with your other vidios. also nice and condenced. Thanks . a bit of work gitting this bad waling habit changed but FEELS worth the effort. With Loving Kindness