On walking

There are some specific instructions on walking in F.M.Alexander's book "Man's Supreme Inheritance", Part II, Notes and Instances, pag 172:

"The whole physiology of walking ... it is really resolved into the primary movements of allowing the body to incline forward from the ankle on which the weight is supported and then preventing oneself from falling by allowing the weight to be taken in turn by the foot which has been advanced"

and in "Together we walk", W.L.White (in Curiosity Recaptured, ed J.Sontag). But I didn't find them useful.

There are two issues to consider, the physical and the psychological.

The physical issue is rather simple. We aren't going to teach our legs how to walk, that is inborn. Just don't interfere with it. Keep the body coordinated, which in short means that the head should not lag behind or advance ahead of the feet. Let your neck (and your legs) to be free.


The psychological issue, which is mostly ignored in Alexander Technique, seems to me more relevant. It refers to motivation, to enjoying the physical activity, the view, etc.

Many times, walking is a means to an end, i.e. we are going somewhere, to do something. Then it is mainly how we feel about that "something", what affects our walking.