How to Be Light on the Feet

How to Be Light on the Feet

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Being light on your feet is a way of moving that prevents you from making a noticeably heavy sound like clopping when you walk. Runners, dancers and athletes in several areas of sports need to have light feet so they are not impeding movement and minimize potential injuries by lowering the amount of bounce to their walk. Anyone can become light on their feet with a little concentration and practice.

Remove your shoes to walk barefoot. Shoes can make noise when walking that has nothing to do with how lightly you step. For example, a high heel will always make sounds when it hits a hard surface, even if you walk lightly.

Take a few steps forward in your normal pattern. The best floor to walk on is a hardwood floor, which will make noise if your tread is too heavy. Listen to the noise your feet make when they hit the floor and notice how you step. If you step with your full foot down at the same time, you'll hear a dull clop sound. If you put your foot down heavily, you will notice a sound regardless of the way you set your foot.

Practice walking starting with the heel and rolling the foot onto the toe. Notice the way the sound decreases by the rolling walk. It also helps alleviate any jerk in the knees from walking. Most people naturally hit the floor with the heel first, but might not roll the foot, resulting in a heavy step.

Practice setting your foot down lightly. Once you have mastered walking with a rolling step, start lowering your foot gently and lightly.

Start walking on your toes. A light step on the toes is not only useful in building up the calf muscles in the legs, but also ensures that a woman wearing heels can walk lightly or a sprinter can make the most of their run.

Vary speeds of walking. Once the basics of a light step are mastered, you can practice different speeds. In general, a slower movement will allow a lighter step due to the better concentration.

Practice in shoes. The shoes you wear make a difference in how light or heavy you are on your feet. A heavy boot will result in a heavier step while a light weight sandal will allow you a lighter step. Wear several different shoes to get used to a lighter step in them. If you are wearing a heavy shoe, control your foot fall more. If you are wearing a lighter shoe, you can put your concentration into the way you carry yourself.

Tips

  • Keeping your back straight and moving with good posture will help improve your ability to be light on your feet.
  • Alternate your stride size. Walk with a shorter stride sometimes and a wide stride other times. This variation will allow you to adapt to various situations depending on the need.
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