How to Walk Correctly and 4 Common Mistakes - IMPROVE YOUR WALKING AND POSTURE!

Walking is easy, right? Walking correctly, not so much! I hate to break it to you but the chances are you are walking incorrectly.
Knowing how to walk properly is important. It translates to being perceived as more confident, more assertive and let’s be honest, having more self-esteem. Walking style is unique to all of us, each person walks differently however, I see so many mistakes due to poor habits, high heels, running shoes and bad posture that leads to a lot of problems at the major joints and with muscular imbalances.
Become conscious of how you walk and portray confidence and assertiveness by fixing your walking mistakes.
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Mistake 1: Duck Feet 1:00
Mistake 2: Flat Feet 1:29
Mistake 3: Banana Knees 2:45
Mistake 4: Knocked Knees 3:43
How to Walk Correctly: 4:40
Foot Position: 4:43
Knee Position: 5:08
Heel Postion 5:40
TIPS: Forward Lean 7:04
TIPS: Engage Back-Leg Glute 7:17
TIPS: Trunk Rotation / Arm Swing 7:43
TIPS: Look ahead 10-20m 8:04
4 Common Mistakes:
1: Duck Feet: : Feet are pointing out. Can lead to major issues in the ankles, knee, hips and lower back.
2: Flat Feet: Loss of the arch - Can result in less balance, more stiffness, pain when exercising, issues with the knees and hips.
3: Banana Knees [overstriding]: Hyperextended knees as a result of over-striding noticed by a hard hitting heel strike to the ground. Leads to underactive quads and glutes whilst the hamstrings become overactive.
4: Knocked Knees: Knees cave inward towards the mid line of the body. Causes issues to the feet [loss of arch], lower legs [bone turns outwards] and hips [hip rolls/ moves inwards]. Leads to knee cap problems, ligament damage and premature arthritis.
How is your walking pattern?
Leave a comment!
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Generation Strength is run by Gemma Schofield, a Certified Personal Trainer and Strength Coach. My main mission is to bring strength training to women using science-based programming, posture assessments, nutritional knowledge and teaching how to create good habits that actually stick.
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[@jethrobradley7850]

This is easily the clearest of the many 'How to walk' videos on KZbin. Your explanations and demos of common mistakes are really useful too.

[@GStrength]

aww thank you Jethro for your comment

[@badpuddy9912]

I couldn't agree more. I watched 10 videos and they had contrasting opinions that just confused me. Now I watched her explain my problem and I'm convinced that this is the only opinion I need to listen to. Best video about the topic.

[@aaarif2]

Ditto

[@patriciaoreilly8907]

Agree.

[@patriciaoreilly8907]

@@badpuddy9912 Absolutely 👍 I watched many & switched off due to waffling, keep repeating & no information 😑 this video is the best for me .

[@hummiebubs6967]

Lots of different opinions out there on how to walk "correctly." I have found that striking the forefoot or midfoot first has helped my knee pain. Heel striking can hurt the knees.

[@OutrageIsNow]

I'm trying to teach myself this. It's extremely difficult to not heel strike 😣 Any tips?

[@hummiebubs6967]

@@OutrageIsNow I found this video to be very helpful! Good luck :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHi2hWmeaN6bgKc&ab_channel=GrownandHealthyGrownandHealthy

[@GStrength]

completely agree, I think it really depends on the shoe. Unfortunately people wear the padded almost "heel" like trainer and it really shifts the positioning of the feet. Taking the hips into anterior pelvic tilt and hyperextending the knees. I've personally found a soft impact landing on the heel whilst almost simultaneously hitting the mid foot at the same time to be helpful. This said there are many schools for thought on this and others prefer forefoot walking. I say, go in the direction towards pain-free movement and you've cracked the code so it's great that you found something that works for you.

[@TInyK12]

With a neutral alignment of hips, knees, feet etc. a forefoot strike is unnatural. Usually you’re expending more energy and activating more muscles to get that forefoot strike. Walking with either a heel strike or mid foot strike is easily attainable with more relaxed muscles if everything is aligned correctly. And shoes play a BIG part in influencing your foot strike.

[@yodan00b]

@@OutrageIsNow try a softer soled shoe.. I find it difficult and somewhat awkward to walk toe heel when wearing a stiffer or thicker soled shoes, I feel like I'm forcing an unnatural gait, but as soon as I put on a soft soled shoe or take my shoes off all together my stride softens and often the toe heel stride takes over on it's own (especially when running..) and feels much more natural.

[@michellelangdon5134]

Oh wow! I'm hyper mobile and I've never had anyone address walking properly! I'm actually a "Banana Duck" to be honest. I have fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, arthritis, lupus, yeah! So you can imagine how much my joints hurt! I feel like an old lady! I'm going to start using your tip immediately. Thank you! I really can't thank you enough for making this video! 😊☮️

[@malwinafidyk101]

Did it help?

[@ankitasharma8655]

This is the best vdo i have seen... people make fun of my way of walking, i knew that I don't walk properly but i was unable to find mistake in my walk...now i understand what's wrong with my walk!

[@jonas33428]

May i ask how? Anyway hope its going better and people stop beeing silly. In my case ive been crouching and also people made fun of me.. its all on the feets and i focus on the arch to straight my legs.

[@kimazz1]

Thank you. I am 68 years old and realized that I have banana knees. The past few weeks I've been trying to improve my walk but I wasn't sure how to improve it until I watched your video. Very helpful thank you so much

[@1991Yammy]

Where was this lady 40 yrs ago when I needed her? Thank you for the lesson. Always knew something was wrong with my walk. Wear out inside heels of my soles. I'm banana legged. Now I can work on improvement.

[@GStrength]

Definitely! Nobody has perfect posture but we can definitely improve it :)

[@joswinnoronha1739]

A toddler

[@aaarif2]

Thanks a lot for explaining with after effects of walking in wrong way I followed the wrong method of keeping knees straight and longer stride plus sway back posture causing knee shock and sacrilo ilieac joint inflammation and recently aggravated pain in SI joint since 4 or 5 weeks My body managed to adjust my mistakes till I was 51 but now it couldn't So, I thought there is something quite wrong I could be doing and I doubted my stride and Ankle touching first as reasons. After some research I found that there is an opinion to walk by pushing with back foot toes to move forward plus shoulder sway. All these basic errors happened as I had to walk a mile daily to school by supporting a 5 kg bag belt on head resulting in arrest of shoulder sway, longer stride and sway back. All my doubts had been proved correct and gave correct suggestions, but now training myself to consciously change bad habits means retraining on every step and walking at reduced pace but correctly Thanks to you and also others who posted on this topic and helping out

[@RohitRoy-mu9it]

By far, one of the best videos on this topic.

[@suej4430]

This is so helpful with a visual demonstration of the problem areas. This was fantastic. Thank you so much.

[@lincyjose3823]

Very good info

[@wbwarren57]

Nice video! Very clear explanations and very good demonstrations. Thank you.

[@sunlord75]

I do have problems with walking. Clear explanation! Thanks!

[@livedadyt10]

Good advise, thanks.

[@dawg2745]

Ngl your videos are actually cool, keep going.

[@GStrength]

I am glad you liked it! I have also released a new video on how to do a proper pullup and will be creating more content on other fitness and health topics :)

[@jamesbond4633]

I really enjoyed your presentation. I am a bit self conscious about walking and your explanation clarified an aspect of walking I definitely had wrong. The slight tilt forward makes so much more sense now. I was always told through my school days to have my back straight up and erect. It might look good but it is definitely not functional. Thank you so much from Canada!! Looks lovely wherever you filmed this!!!!!

[@GStrength]

HI James Bond! Loving the name. Im glad you enjoyed it and thanks for taking the time to comment. I'm always a little self conscious too but because i tend to round my shoulders and stick out my head a little. I've found just bringing awareness to it reminds me. Also seeing other people walking the same way is a cue for me to get my shoulders back and pull my head in. I agree with you about the upright posture. I have anterior pelvic tilt and I realised in my 20s that I was actually exaggerating my posture more and making it worse. "Back straight and erect" usually leads to overarching the lower back and creating more tightness and issues through the lower back. Not sure if its the same for you. I live in Southern Spain, greetings from here to Canada, have a good day

[@patriciaoreilly8907]

Great 👍 video Gemma clear concise & straight to the point no waffling.

[@tamnguyen5347]

Make sense, thank you

[@hafsaarsalan4489]

Awww love you for making this video i walked wrong all my life and my family was making fun of my walk but now i know what was wrong with my walk i definitely improve it ❤

[@ClassicFormulaOne1]

Amazing. 40-year old here with ankle and knee injuries for the last 10 years. Never realized how I walked was bad. Greetings from the Netherlands

[@GStrength]

Glad this helped you!

[@carlad6665]

Brilliant. Absolute gold

[@L_niel_1003]

Excellent. What would seems as the simplest of movement is such a big problem for many of us. Thank you very much. BTW I suffer from flat right foot. I am working hard at training my body to move appropriately. In my late 40’s so it’s a bit harder I think due to years of incorrect movement and posture.

[@markj.a351]

Thank you. This is so good. I've found so many videos that say how you should do it and then rather than showing it they give you a 20 minute explanation about the evolutionary development of humans.

[@mattcrawford4011]

Amazing. I’ve recently run into a knee issue. While recovering & getting strength back …. I can’t believe how much I was actually doing wrong with just walking! This helps a lot! Now I see a lot of other people walking incorrectly as well. Maybe there should be a walking 101 class in elementary school 😂

[@purpurina5663]

I have some lordosis and an extremely high arch, so I used to stick my bum out and tilt my ankles in for stability, which brought in my knees too. Pilates has helped A LOT. The feet position they consider correct is very slightly outward (think of a pizza slice wedged between your front feet), so that the thighs and glut are engaged. Also, keep your tummy softly pushed in while you lower your shoulders and open your chest. That takes care of the upper body.

[@GStrength]

Thank you for your comment. Its so great that pilates helped you. Yes, im with you, I know when you're squatting and deadlifting that the toes should ever so slightly be pointing outwards. Thanks for your tips about the stomach and upper body.

[@SimXtreme6]

Thanks for the class!

[@lyndonthejohnson]

Thanks! That was a great primer.

[@kevingoza]

Perfect. Thank you!

[@manoharbajaj2125]

Am eighty years old,have no cartilage in both knees.I review your video from time to time to improve my walking. Thank you for your tips.

[@ivormectin515]

As a fitness professional I do not understand why the government is not doing something about encouraging children to learn how to walk properly in their early years. The incidence of obesity is directly related to that of valgus knee. The cost to our health services for treatment of obesity-related conditions would be slashed if people entered adulthood with proper orthopaedics & musculature

[@t.8936]

Is it a case of them not walking properly or their knees touching? Isn't that a bone issue? I don't think they can just change that. 75% of children have knock knees before the age of 5 and it fixes on its own. Are you saying they become obese after the knees align properly? It's a bold statement. What exactly should doctors be doing differently in your opinion? My son has knock knees. How exactly do I teach him to just straighten his legs?

[@walkertongdee]

Thank you so much what the others say just did not work this makes sense!

[@uchchhasdutta7267]

Thanks, this was really helpful.

[@Orgest1]

Thank you so much

[@chinmaydas4053]

Right posture demonstration👍👍

[@anilsagar1065]

Simple & great way to teach

[@jonas33428]

This is the best video out here, thank you very much!

[@GStrength]

Lovely words :)

[@jonas33428]

I still have my archs but like your video shows i tends to put all my weight on the insides. On my right side even more which make my left side more unstable. This has now made me get an knee brace and it actually helps with the balance and save energy! What kind of exercises can help by the way? Also trying to land on the middle of the foot like you said help as well :)

[@johncourt9580]

A great video, you've shown me there's a lot more to walking, than just putting one foot in front of the other. I'm looking forward to a whole new me!

[@GStrength]

Thank you John. That sounds bloody terrific. Enjoy the whole new you! Let me know how you progress :)

[@nectarinepie952]

Thanks for this video. It's really important for postpartum recovery to have good posture and engage the glutes, so I'm trying to do this.

[@kayew79]

This was very clear. I am flat footed, and over the years arthritis in knees led to a bilateral total knee replacements and had to relearn how to walk, but because the the flat feet find old habits slip in, and came across this video and will continue to think about the heal toe and soft knees etc.

[@GStrength]

Really glad it helped you!

[@williamwebb7917]

Great information. Thanks.

[@kate60]

Excellent! Thank You! Well done!

[@joannthompson4410]

Good video! I watched 2 popular physical therapists talking about walking & landing on ball of foot but they did not show how to do that. Your instructions are so much better.

[@GStrength]

Thanks a lot for the kind comment! I am glad the video has helped you :)

[@fatoumatajammeh5207]

It’s marvelous and really helpful am now walking correctly all thanks to you ❤️

[@ninadpawar.7797]

Thanks it's very useful for me.

[@stephanygates6491]

Duck feet also pinches the lower spine, predisposing to sciatica. Very helpful information! It took me decades to overcome duck feet, and I just figured out my flat feet causing foot pain every night.

[@humamatin8846]

How to correct duck foot

[@AGGELIAFOROS]

Thanks. Now I must overcome habit.

[@maajedarlife6410]

Very nice and informative content

[@alyanabanana3493]

Thank you this is really helpful!

[@troya3094]

So clear. I'm going throw it right now.

[@m.m3445]

Thank you I will start your advices

[@garyrickards9562]

Excellent video

[@suthonlimchawalit9257]

Oh, wow, I learn a lot!

[@lov2playtn]

Thanks for listing playtime...you made it easy to go the interesting part of your video.

[@GStrength]

I thought it would :) thanks for watching and for the comment!

[@dermotmcglinchey282]

Thank you , very good common sense advice👍

[@adi21831]

Great video!

[@jayanthikumar5010]

Thank you

[@arhamkhan8570]

Really a great vlog. It helped me alot. Thank you so much. Stay blessed.🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@user-qj2wt5cs6p]

SUBCRIBED/ LIKED your channel!!🍀 Very informative vedio!!!👌Love the way as you explained!!!🐳

[@AvwenaviGodspower-pk9qs]

Thanks u have just change my world❤❤❤❤

[@bshadrick]

Hi! Nice video, my walk seems to be pretty good. I'm almost 70 so I try to always with a bounce in my step!

[@drharishchaudhari8508]

Thank you so much mam 🙏🌺💐

[@OutrageIsNow]

I have all of the mistakes but only on my right side. It's gotten better since I started strengthening and mobilizing my hips and tibialis. Have to release my gastroc and soleus daily. It's not perfect but it is getting better. Buying a pair of Altra Lone Peaks helped me so much. Although any barefoot shoe will help, I love my Altras.

[@glorgau]

Yeah! Altras zero drops rock. They really helped me get through doing the 4000 footers in New Hampshire. They do feel like clown shoes for the first 15 minutes or so.

[@OutrageIsNow]

@@glorgau definitely. The person I bought them from told me they would feel weird at first but only because “regular shoes” have stifled and muted the muscles involved in walking. Astral makes a minimalist shoe that I’m looking forward to trying out too

[@timg531]

Thank you, Aria Stark! 🙏😁

[@Auni9]

I thought I was the only one thinking she looked like Arya lol

[@GStrength]

You're welcome and, yes, I get that a lot :)

[@davidowusu2386]

I appreciate your effort it been a blessing to me

[@joylondon4179]

Thank you for your excellent explanation of how to walk! Like a lot of people watching this I have problem with feet and knees and I’m supposed to walk everyday for a distance. I like walking my two dogs but, My one drawback is hills as I live in the most hilly place and I find going down a real problem on the knees. Going up is fine! But I have to come down sometimes! Lol ! May I ask for your advice on downhill walking please? Oh and I have to look down for rubble, sticks, horse poo etc! Thank you!

[@GStrength]

Hi Joy, Thank you for your question and thanks for what you said about the video :). I agree with you, uphill walking is great and never usually causes problems since it hits the glutes and hamstrings and it is gentler on the knee joint. You do have to come down haha! I am not sure how you are walking down but if you are coming down the hills towards the front of the foot (near the toes and ball of the foot) then this places extra pressure on the knee. The heel helps to absorb the impact, what tends to work better is "digging the heel into the ground" without forcefully stomping it down but just, you know, feeling steady and secure on the ground and saving the front-foot walking for the uphill part, where you're going to be on the ball of the feet more. Whenever I am coming down the hill I place the heel down, have a soft bend always in the knees and keep the bodyweight back (behind the heels). My friend was walking with me on the camino de Santiago and was complaining of knee pain from the rolling hills. I told her to switch to the method I just mentioned and she said the knee pain went away. Also, not sure if you have the hiking sticks, even just one, will help to bare the weight of the joints, particularly the knee joint as you come down. I really hope this helps you, please let me know if you do it and it works better for you. Gemma

[@devilsadvocatetrolledition3183]

Thanks I can stop watch endless videos of other people talking garbage. This is by far the best video out there 👌

[@Escalated401]

Seriously, it’s literally so confusing

[@lucindalaree9265]

Awesome ❤

[@michaeltroke7239]

Fascinating, thankyou

[@GStrength]

Thank you, Michael

[@user-jb7zc3th4d]

Thanks great video

[@angievasconcellos6609]

Thank you so much. You explained a lot in such a short and dynamic video. Hope there’s more. 👏👏👏

[@GStrength]

Thank you Angie, I appreciate your message. I have many ideas for videos but if there’s any topic in particular you would like to see please let me know

[@lukben746]

I didn't know that it is so problematic. Thanks.

[@ILexe]

Thank you. I need to learn how to breathe now.

[@lilianawebb8687]

Gracias.

[@MichaelCorrente]

Incredible! So simple to understand. Fantastic! Thank you so much.

[@GStrength]

Thanks for the kind comment, did you find this useful?

[@MichaelCorrente]

@@GStrength Yes, very.

[@aaronmarygreenwood2868]

Very polite. Another walking surface maybe? Many useful tips.

[@josephdawson7852]

Thanks eally helpful

[@mohitsinghtanwar9717]

thank you so much, mam ........i was in search for this material

[@Boogiehill]

Great video

[@davehill5539]

Excellent

[@TruLight-Sujato-Damita]

Nice!

[@kristasmith6358]

This a great video. Mohave lots of hardware in my right leg which has given me issues the several years (fused ankle, patella has pins with a screw in the tibia for the cabling enclosing my patella. Fused L2-L3-L4. Left hip has had pain in it and some weakness…several docs have looked at it and usually end up with steroid injection but I have stoped those because of my osteoporosis. As my grandson said several years ago, “NaNa your a hot mess!

[@deptisingh3760]

Great bro 🙏🏻🙏🏻🕉️🚩🚩🚩

[@mushaffiqshareef8162]

Nice, soo nice ,love for you,i wish you live strong and prosperous life.

[@user-ow9jy8ss8u]

very helpfull!

[@SunShine-ge3yj]

I accidentally came across this video and I am glad I did. I have duck feet, so will try to use your suggestions. Also could you please also do a video, on how to prepare for jogs, run if one suffers from herniated disc, neck Spondilosis and knee pain? I sadly suffer from all these and I am in late 20s.

[@ignoramusmagne7525]

I have duck feet too 😂

[@r8chlletters]

Its worth mentioning some people land on their toes or mid foot. Also be sure to lift your sternum up and drop your shoulders 😉 remember you don’t lead with your upper body, you lead with your “middle” which is why you must lift it up! I still think dance is the best way to learn posture 🤍

[@rosaliamontes8438]

Clear explanations

[@GStrength]

Thanks! I hope you found it useful :)

[@farmwife7944]

flat feet is a physical deformity which causes the particular gait. It is not a “mistake” that the person is committing. It requires careful attention to shoes as shoes with arches are painful and do not address the problem, orthotics may help if money allows for that option as most insurance plans do not cover them and surgery may even be necessary. My husband inherited flat feet from his mother complicated by golf ball size tumors that form on the soles of both feet. He walks with pain and at age 70 he has had surgery on the tumors but walking is challenging, certainly not a mistake he is making.

[@swati6848]

Wow so well explained. Thank you. 🇮🇳❤️

[@johnarrow3354]

Very helpful, though you did ‘tick tock’ when stepping off, but then slipped back in to the natural ‘opposite arm and leg’. A common mistake for soldiers learning to march when the drill sergeant is shouting at them! I am teasing - this was very helpful, thanks.

[@mhk7735]

thanks

[@donaldtrumpet3094]

Besides helpful also entertaining bcos can identify people I know who walk some of the ways shown. Had a good laugh 😆

[@GStrength]

Haha I love pointing it out to my friends. They've become a bit conscious of their duck walking. But its all in good jest.

[@gontsekganyago4079]

This is spiritual stuff... She has a very balanced root chakra... Thanks for the tips

[@GStrength]

Thank you, yes I've always felt like my root chakra is my best chakra. Very grounded. And I'm very proud of it. However, some work needs to be done on the crown area and I was told my third eye needs opening.

[@ragdapattis4943]

Your personality is very good

[@denniperez8028]

It’s easy to do that transition but it’s not easy to go back to right arm and right leg in order to slow down, at least for me. I know how to accelerate but don’t know how to desaccelerate.

[@ArshdeepSingh-no1wn]

Will this help to get hip bones stronger as it is all the matter of weight we are putting on right part of it?

[@stevenhoward3358]

Great apart from the tick tock at the end, but well explained.

[@cpodgorelec]

Bravo. Very well explained.

[@climbingearlgrey]

Great video thanks. (Softly not softely by the way)

[@secretariatgirl4249]

You explain really well the "soft heel touch" and starting the midfoot nearly at the same time. min 6:23 Not a real sharp angle and hit of the heel as I've seen other places..OR...just coming into the midfoot at the outer edge of the foot.

[@andrelane37]

Fantastic explanations. I think my walk is pretty good however I'm trying to lessen my heel strike to reduce the effects on my lower back. Is there anything that you can detect from looking at the souls of shoes that have been used for a given period of time?

[@GStrength]

Hello Andre, yes of course. Take a look at both soles - where is the most wear? Is it towards the inside of the arch, toward the heel, what does the pattern look like? For example, really worn at the heel, nothing near the toes or outer surface and worn on the inner part would indicate that you are heel striking and overly pronated. Also, are both shoes evenly warn or is there an asymmetrical difference. This will give you an indication on your foot mechanics. Also heel striking tends to happen a bit more with an elevated heel- that’s because it’s thicker than the front - so naturally it’s going to touch the floor first, favoring a hard heel hit. 0 drop shoes or barefoot shoes could be something to look into but if you decide to go for it- break them in slowly.

[@andrelane37]

@@GStrength I have a barefoot type shoe that I was recommended a few hrs ago ( I over did the break in and paid the price) so now post Low Back Surgery I were them on short slow calculated walks, then when doing longer walks I do tend to wear a thicker cushioned shoe to take some impact. I'll have a closer look into my Soles. This is a very informative posting, Following and liking :0) Thanks