Also one foot must be in contact with the ground at all times. A racewalkers stride is short and asymmetrical. The forward action of the leg is kept short to reduce braking force as the heel contacts the ground. The rear part of the stride is much longer and is used to push the walker forward forcefully. High speeds in racewalking are achieved by a very short, high speed turnover rate and by correct training of the muscular and cardiovascular systems.
Most walkers bend their leg at the thigh joint as their leading leg goes forward.
Racewalkers use the hip joint to swing the leading leg forward and in line with their forward progression. This adds up to 6 additional inches to a walkers stride. Besides the additional speed gained by employing the hips in walking, the benefits in increased coordination and flexibility are great. I'm adding to this page almost every day. If you have a question please e-mail me and see the answer here soon after.