Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-10-11
How 10 Walk.

1t may seem at first ridiculous
f pretend to teach grown people how t
walk as though they had not learne
this in infancy. But we are willin
to venture the assertion that not or
person in twenty knows how to wal
well. How few people there are VIII
do not feel slightly embarrassed whe
obliged to walk across large room i
which are many persons seated so d
to observe well each movement
How manypublic speakers there are VIII
appear well upon the platform so lon
as they remain standing still, or nearl
so, but who become almost ridiculou
as soon as they attempt to walk about
Good walkers are scarce. As W.
step along the street, we are ofte
looking out for good walkers, and w
lind them very seldom. What is gool
walking We answer, easy, graceful
natural walking. Nearly all The roe,
walkers there are will he found a.uon.
gentlemen, since fashion insists on S.
trammeling a woman that she cannot
walk well, can scarcely make natura
movement, in fact To walk natural
ly, requires the harmonious action oI
nearly every muscle in the body. A
good walker walks all over; not with a
universal swing and swagger, as
though each bone was a pendulum
with its own separate hanging, but
easy, gracefully. Not only the mus
cles of the lower limbs, but those OF
the trunk, even of the neck, as we'll as
the arms, are called into action as
natural walking. A person who keeps
his trunk and upper extremities rigid
while walking, gives one the impression
OF an automaton with pedal extremi-
ties set on hinges. Nothing could be
more ungraceful than the mincing,
wriggling gait which the majority of
young ladies exhibit in their walk.
They are scarcely to be held response
bic, however, since fashion requires
them to dress themselves in such a
way as to make it impossible to walk
otherwise than awkwardly and unnat-
urally.
We cannot attempt to describo the
numerous varieties of unnatural gaits,
and will leave the subject with few
suggestions about correct walking.
L. Hold the head erect, with the
shoulders drawn back and the chin
drawn in. Nothing looks more awk-
ward and disagreeable than a person
walking with the head thrown back
and the nose and chin elevated
2. Step lightly and with elasticity
not with teetering gait-setting the
foot down squarely upon the walk and
raising it sufficiently high to clear the
walk in swinging it forward. A shuf-
fling gait denotes a shiftless character.
But do not go to the other extreme,
stepping along like horse with "string
halt" A person with firm, light,
elastic gait will walk much farther
without WEAKNESS t an one who shut
fes along. A kind of a measured
tread or rymth in the walk also seems
to add to the power of endurance,
although, for persons who have long
distances to travel, an occasional
change in the time will be advantage
GUS.
In walking do not attempt to keep
any part of the body rigid, but leave
all free to adapt themselves to the
varying circumstances which a con-
slant change of position occasions
The arms naturally swing gently, but
not violently. The object of this is to
maintain the balance of the BODY. as
also by the gentle swinging motion to
aid in propelling the body along.
Correct walking should be culti-
waited. 1t ought to be taught along
with arts and sciences. In our mill
tary schools it is taught; but these
schools can be attended by but few
Invalids, especially, should take great
pains to learn to walk we'll, as by so
doing they will gain more than double
the amount of benefit they will other
wise derive from the exercise.--Home
Hand Book.