Strutting Your Stuff - observing walking posture and gaits

(Pose) Walking in Schwarzwald

The other day as I walked down a hallway at work I recognized a coworker approaching purely by his silhouette. In late afternoons, the sun shines brightly down the hall making it impossible to see who's coming until you're right on top of them. But I recognized my friend by his gait. There's nothing odd or unreasonable in his gait but I've seen it enough to know him by his stride.

I recall a previous post where I wrote about slouching while walking and straightening up to improve my walking posture. In addition to improving posture, I have also, at times, found myself walking with a different cadence. The cadence harks back to my Army days where I almost feel like I'm marching rather than ambling. It feels very purposeful and at work would likely present the appearance of someone having somewhere important to go with work of import. I recall that I tended to walk like that when I was a manager.

Sometimes lately, I've even found myself almost strutting. Yes, strutting! Not loudly, but I feel good about how I look and people have started commenting - "have you lost weight?" So why not walk with a pep in my step when I feel it?

Watching people walk is a fun way to observe life. Most people have nondescript gaits and paces, yet if you've seen them enough, you know who's coming by their pace. Having lived in Germany for several years, I noticed that most people there walk with shorter, quicker steps, I assume due to more crowded walking conditions. Americans I have watched tend to walk with longer strides and I could frequently spot an American in Europe simply by their gait.

Sometimes, people have walking habits that are annoying too. I worked in an office a while back where every morning one coworker walked by scuffing his heels with every step. Shh-clump shhh-clump, shhh-clump, shh-clump - What an annoying sound! As badly as he scuffed along, I figure he must wear the heel off of his shoes at a prodigious rate! There are people that are a joy to watch walking too. One guy, Rick, is a very confident man and walks that way. I know he's competed in marathons and triathlons (but he's not a beanpole either). I often wonder if he practices martial arts because his walk glides so smoothly across the room it's like his feet are steel wheels on the smoothest track in the world. No clickety-clack there.

Naturally, being a man, I like to observe the female gait as well. Most women I observe walk with efficient, nondescript gaits meant to get from point-a to point-b with little energy expenditure. However, two co-worker's gaits stand out in my mind. One woman represents the consummate professional whose gait speeds her from one meeting to the next with military precision, at almost quick-time speed. I tend to move out of her way when I hear her coming because I don't want to impede her progress. The gait of the second coworker presents a confident (and pleasing) view in that she walks with abundant bounce in her step. I've never seen her walk any other way so it gives the impression of a woman with abundant energy in a small package that uniquely shouts, "I am woman".

Today, I didn't walk Penny because it rained. I still performed the Kettlebell 16 strength sessions and to make up for not walking performed an extra 100 KB swings. Looks (and feels) like I'm back in the groove after the family visit.