Silly Walk vs. Optimal Muscle Mech

Funny thing – At times there seems to be a “theme of the week” that comes up with clients.

Last week’s theme – walking with optimal muscle mechanics. And more particularly, how “complicated” optimal walking can seem once you’ve become accustomed to less-than-optimal-muscle-mechanics.

During the week, I even received a text from a client who was practicing her optimal walk while in the grocery store. She was working to be aware of the walking form that we had talked about during our sessions while at the same time, hoping not to look too awkward in the process. ( :

I smiled at her text, and couldn’t help a flashback to my high school days and Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks – Check it out for a laugh on YouTube at https://youtu.be/TNeeovY4qNU.

Somehow, I think several clients have felt that they too were learning a “Silly Walk” as they worked to adapt their current walk to one with optimal-muscle-mechanics.

So as you’ve heard during our sessions at The Mind Body Whisperer, in a nutshell, the key points for walking with optimal muscle mechanics are*:

1. Active glutes are important to optimal muscle mechanics

• Your glutes will help you push forward to initiate your walk and pull you and your walk forward.

2. Counter-rotation of your opposing shoulder and hip (i.e. left shoulder and right hip) while walking will keep the discs in your back well hydrated and flexible.

3. Utilize the stirrup system of your foot and calf –

• As your calf swings forward, raise your toes toward your knee (this will also stretch your back calf muscles)

• Allow the full width of your heel to strike the ground

• Roll your foot – somewhat along the outside edge of your foot (Rolling your foot against the ground will also stretch the plantar fascia muscle along the bottom of your foot)

• Once you’ve rolled along the full width of your foot, allow your weight to roll onto the full width of your foot

• With the full width of your foot, simultaneously engage your glutes and pull your stride forward

• Finally, use all five of your toes to give your stride a final “kick” forward

In case you’re also interested, the following You Tube videos will also give you some ideas about walking.

Here’s a few more HowTos from YouTube: