The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-13
THE Art OF WALKING.
FRAMING to Take Long Tramps withou
- Becoming wsarSed.

Training to Take Lons Tramps without
- Becoming wssried.
A gentleman Of this city who Ia famous
~ scholar, and remarkable az q pedes-
trian Of enormous staying powers explain
cd to me recently that the reason why so
many persons seem to be unable TO make
long walks Is that they do not understand
the proper management of their bodies In
such efforts.
IAN ordinary statement CONCERNING the
act Of walking" he said, sis that it con.
sists Of series Of interrupted falls. In
other words, walking depends chiefly ON
the action Of gravity as 1t affects the hu.
man body while In movement. / discov-
cred long ago that walking, N 1t Is ordi.
partly performed, Is by no means series
Of interrupted falls.
"Of course 1t Is fact that walking in
cludes interrupted falls, but there is moth
ing either explanatory OF profound In the
statement OF that reality, The same might
be said Of standing With the same luoidity,
for when one Is standing he Ia subject to
the law of gravity. He would fall were
his fall not interrupted by his legs.
"As matter Of fact, walking Is mus
oular projection Of the body in any dircc.
tion by means Of the legs muscular move.
ments, the two legs never leaving the
walking surface at tho same time AS we
usually walk we stand erect. When that
IL DONE gravity doas not move the body
forward. On tho contrary, its force 1t OK.
ertod downward in perpendicular limo.
Tho movement Of the body forward is &c.
cured by rise and push, as, for example,
when standing on the left leg the right
foot's heel IL raised from the ground, and
the ball Of the foot and Its toes yet touch
Ing push is given whereby the body is
projected forward. The right foot Is then
carried forward and serves as tho body's
turn is raised and the body is moved for.
ward by a second push. Gravity is pres
emit, naturally, but tho walking depends on
the pushes as its source and constant
cause
but while falling Is an inconsidorable
part in ordinary walking as we walk in
the streets erect and dignifled, it may DO
applied to long distance walking with
wonderful success. But he who cultiyates
such walking must BIO prepared to give up
ON elegant appearance for the timo being.
Some persons seem to be able TO walk OK.
traordinary distances without extraordi-
nary fatigue Others seem unable 10 do 90.
For my own part have observed that
while l can walk only few miles in the
city before l look lopgingly on the street
cars, l can take 20 mile walk across
country without disastrous results save to
the larder
my method for long distance walking
is as follows: Assume something of bi.
cycle hump, lean forward, give no push
with the feet; depend altogether for mo-
mentum on the force exorted by gravity,
which, by your interruption Of 1t, serves
to carry your body forward. You must
also bear in mind that short rather than
long steps are the rule and also that tho
advancing foot must never touch the heel
first, but always the toes and ball of the
foot. Indeed your gait has sort of shuttle
in it and is not pretty, but is tremendous
ly effective. New York Herald.