You probably don’t need a reminder that walking is good for you — if there’s an exercise that doesn’t call for a gym membership, requires zero equipment and is accessible to all, it’s walking. From counteracting the toll of sitting at a desk to supporting heart health, hitting your daily 10,000-step goal, is a move in the right direction. Now, a new trend called posture walking is taking this everyday habit up a notch, highlighting that how you walk can be just as important as how far.
The wellness buzz around walking has been growing momentum for quite some time, with various walking workouts causing a stir on social media. Earlier this year, the 6-6-6 trend, (a routine which encouraged going for a 60-minute walk every day at either 6am or 6pm to help stack up daily wellness habits) was making waves. Since then, walking yoga, urban walking and even silent walking have all gained traction – and now posture walking is the newest contender, with online searches for the term increasing by 38% in the past quarter, reaching an all-time high worldwide of 30,000 searches last month.
“Posture walking is a natural progression of walking, particularly as we move into autumn and the colder months when we’re indoors more and our muscles are often hunched from the cold. Posture walking resonates because it not only supports our step count goals, but also incorporates mindfulness and muscle form”, expains Noemi Nagy-Bhavsar, a physio-based Pilates instructor and founder of Beyond Move Studio.
It’s easy to forget good posture while rushing from one place to the next
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According to research, Brits walk 600–700 more steps a day in autumn compared to summer as cooler weather and seasonal routines encourage us to get outside more often. The crisp air, and changing scenery make daily walks not just a form of exercise, but a chance to slow down and soak up the transition of the season.
How to be posture perfect
Posture walking helps elevate your daily stroll, but getting enough steps is just as important as how you walk. You may be mindful of your posture at the gym or notice yourself slouching at your desk, yet it’s easy to forget when you’re rushing from one place to another. By paying attention to alignment, breathing, and pace, posture walking transforms an everyday habit into a mindful movement practice. Beyond the physical benefits, it can boost mood, reduce stress, improve digestion and even sharpen focus throughout the day. It also increases confidence. “When I teach Pilates I encourage my clients to have conscious awareness of their body’s alignment and engagement during the movement sequences. Posture walking is similar — but done whilst walking”, says Nagy-Bhavsar. And the benefits don’t end there — good alignment when you’re walking will also help when you’re carrying out daily activities, making it easier to lift, bend, or reach without strain. If you suffer from neck and back niggles, being mindful of your posture when you walk can naturally ease any pain by reducing the load on your joints.
When I teach Pilates, I encourage my clients to have conscious awareness of their body’s alignment and engagement. Posture walking is similar
Josef Pilates once said, you are only as strong as your spine. “Humans were not designed to sit as a desk all day, so when you do get a chance to move, its a brilliant opportunity to reset and strengthen the spine which will improve posture”, says Nagy-Bhavsar.
There are a few simple ways to get the most out of posture walking. First, stretching regularly helps release areas of tightness, making posture walking easier and more comfortable. Try incorporating neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, and arm rotations to ease tension before you set off. Second, engage your deep core muscles—even while sitting at your desk. One easy way to do this is to imagine an invisible thread gently pulling your spine upward, from your lower back all the way to the top of your head, be careful not to let the shoulders tense and rise and try to stay relaxed.
Posture walking: How to do it, three top tips
Unlike a yoga or Pilates workout, posture walking can be done anywhere at any time, you just need to be mindful to align and hold your body correctly. Here are Nagy-Bhavsar’s top tips.
To practice walking with alignment begin by setting yourself up so you are standing neutrally but with intention.
2 Be mindful of your body
Think about standing tall, shoulders relaxed but open, head stacked directly about the spine, core engaged but with a neutral pelvis (not sticking out or tucking under), and start to draw your breath deep into the diaphragm. This will flood the body with oxygen and cleanse you of any stagnant energy we get from sitting for long periods.
You should be rolling from heel to toe as you stride, not landing flat-footed with a thud. And don’t reach your leg far out in front of you. That increases impact on your joints and actually slows you down. You want a smooth, quiet stride to reduce your risk of injury.
