The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1882-08-10
How to Walk.

1t m&y seem ut first ridiculous to pre-
tend to teach grown people how 10 walk
as though they had not Learned this in
infancy. But we arc willing to venture
| the assertion that not one person in
,, twenty knows how to walk well. How
few people there are who do not feel
Slightly embarrassed when obliged to
walk dcrtsS large room III which are
many pcrSons seated SO as to observe
well each movement! How many pub
lie speakers there are who appear well
Upon the platform SO long as they re-
main standing still, or noarly 80, but
who become almost Ridiculous as soon
as they attempt to walk about. Good
walkers are scarce. As we step along
the street, we are often looking out for
good walkers, and we find them worry
seldom. What is good walkingP We
answer, easy, graceful, natural walking.
Nearly all the good walkers there are
will be found among gentlemen. since
fashion insists on SO trammeling a wom.
I'm that she cannot walk we'll, can scarce.
ly make q natural movement, i'll fact
10 walk naturally, requires the harmo-
nious action of nearly every muscle in
the Dody. A good walker walks all
over; not with q universal swing and
hwaggcr, as though each bone was q
pendulum With its own separate hang
ing, but easy, gracefully. Not only the
muscles of the lower limbs, but those OF
the trunk, even Of the neck; as we'll as
those Of the arnis, afe all called into ac-
tion rs natural walking. A person who
keeps his trunk and upper extremities
rigid while walking, gives one the inn
preston of an dutOmaton with pedal
extremitics set OH hinges. Nothing Q
could be more unGraccful than the mine
ing, wriggling gait which the majority
of young ladies exhibit in their walk.
They are scarcely to be held response
lt(b, h6wcvbr, since fashion requires
them to dress thcihselv6s iii stich d way
rs to inakc it impossible to walk other.
wise than awkWa.dly and unnaturatly.
We tafilidt dtttit1pt to describe the
numerous varieties of unnatural gaita
and will leave the subject with few
suggestions about correct walking.
l. Hold the head erect, with the
shoulders drawn back and the chin
urawh III. Nothing looks more awkward
md disagreed lie than pGls6ii Walking
with the head thrown back and the nose
and chin elevated.
2. Step lightly and with elasticity
not with d ttctGritig gait setting the
| foot down squarcly upon the walk ihCl
raising it sufficiently high to clear the
walk i'll swinging it forward, A shut
fling gait denotes 4 sRiftltsa character.
But dc not go to the other cNtrrnie,
stepping along like Il horse with '5strng
halt.' A person with u firm, light,
elastic gait. will walk much farther
without wearinCss tiit one who shuf.
tlcs along A kind of measured tread
or rhythm in the walk also seems to add
to tie power Of endurance, although,
for persons who have long distances tc
travel. an occasional change in the time
Will be Advantageous:
8. liz 4Fdlkih$, do hot attcttipt to keep
any part Of the body rigid. but leave all
| free to adapt themselves to the varying
| circumstances which n constant change
of position occasions. The arms natur-
ally swing gently, but not violently.
| The object Of this is to maintain the
balances Of the body, rs also bv the gcit-
Tic swinging motion III did i'll bfopell.
ing the body along.
Correct walking should he cultivated
1t ought to &c taught along with arts
md sciences. In our military schools
1t IS taught; but these schools can lc at
tended by bit idw. tnvhlids. espccialA
ly, should take great pains to learn to
walk well; lis by SO tloiiig they will ghin
more than double the nmiouhC Of benefit
they will otherwise derive from the cX-
ciSc.-HO1nc Ua'l-BOOh