Your walking style goes beyond just getting from point A to point B. It’s a silent language that communicates volumes and plays a big role in how others perceive your age.
Though we subconsciously guess people’s age or general state of health based on the way they walk, we often forget to think about what our walk tells others about us.
Start with observing yourself. Check your posture in the mirror from the front and from the side. Then check your walk in the mirror or maybe ask someone to take a video of you. Noticing your reflection in the glass surfaces that you are passing by is a good test because it often catches you unprepared.
Just simply bringing your awareness to the way you walk may allow you to notice the elements that increase your perceived age and, with practice, to switch to a more youthful movement style.
If it does not come easily to you, here are a few checkpoints to consider.
Start with your posture.
Position your shoulders:
Start with relaxing your shoulders. Move them to the front, then up, then back, and relax. Move your shoulder blades down and towards each other – imagine that you want them to touch their lower edges.
It helps to visualize a helium balloon (choose your favorite color) tied to the middle of your sternum (the bone in the front and center of your chest). Imagine this balloon flying up and pulling your sternum up and a bit forward.
Position your pelvis:
Check your pelvis motion range by moving it forward as much as you can and then back as much as you can. Your ideal pelvis position when you walk (or sit) will be in the middle of this range.
Slightly tighten the muscles in the lower part of your belly (under the belly button) to keep the belly in.
Position your head:
Keep your head high and chin parallel to the ground or slightly tilted down when you walk. The proper shoulder position will help with this.
Now your posture is set, and you are ready to walk!
Imagine a single line on the floor or ground in front of you and keep your steps on this line or close to it. Older people tend to keep a wide distance between their feet for balance and make small steps. Placing your foot in front of the other and walking with a longer stride will give your walk a youthful flair.
Make sure you don’t shuffle. Add a bit of extra spring and alertness to your walk – similar to what models do during a fashion show.
If you find that it is hard to follow these instructions regarding the posture and the walking movement, your muscles might need some strengthening. After all, older people walk the way they do primarily because of a loss of coordination and muscle strength.
Regular workouts or other physical activity will condition your muscles, and this will automatically translate into a more youthful walk.