Walking and standing are so common that it never pops into your mind the way you walk or stand, however, it should. You might be surprised to know that proper walking and standing techniques not only make you look beautiful and confident but also do wonders for your health. Technological advancement and the use of gadgets like smartphones and laptops have made our posture suffer. A few checks of how to walk properly and you’re good to go….
Spine check When walking or standing, your spine (commonly known as the backbone), a strong multipurpose structure should always be straight. Your entire body should be intact and in sync, with ears forming a straight line with shoulders, shoulders over hips and hips should align over knees. Alignment is very important as this will restrict you from slouching and limping. Check that you don’t arch your back as it might lead to back pain.
Arm motion The movement of your arms is another important attribute to be taken care of. Correct arm motion gives power to your walking, thus balancing your leg movement. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees and swing from your shoulder in the back and forth movement. The swing will make your legs move in sync. Faster the swing, faster you’ll walk. Don’t flap your elbows out but keep them close to your body.
Mind your Feet Land your heel first with every step you take. You should then roll from heel to toe. Ensure to roll smoothly, your walking or landing shall never be noisy. When taking off the leg, push off with your toe. Push off with the rear foot is essential to walk with speed and power. This will be a great help for ladies looking for how to walk better in heels.
The pace shall vary from an individual to individual, hence decide your pace of walking with the right technique and posture. Now, let’s find out how to stand correctly.
Proper alignment is the key to standing right and standing straight. Establishing a proper posture for standing starts with the right alignment. You may start with standing against the wall to understand the positioning. Place your feet as shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor. Your body and the wall shall ideally have three contact point; your hips, shoulder blades and the back of your head. Once aligned, you may then try walking away while maintaining the upper body posture that you set standing against the wall. Pull your chin up while pulling the back of your head.
Most importantly, allow naturally for the things to fall in place while practicing the right posture. Never force or rush the process. Feel your stature and the comfort of your supported body aiming upward. Walking in the right way will only enhance the other benefits of walking like burning calories, weight loss, especially if its a morning walk. Moreover, correct posture will ensure you take full breaths, adapt to a natural walking stride as well as engage your core muscles and helps reduce stress on your joints; whereas bad posture contributes to aches after walking and standing. Now you’ll never have to listen again from anyone screaming at you to “stand up straight” or “walk properly! ” You’ve overcome the challenge, hence, bid goodbye to bad posture.
Never let your posture suffer!