Tips And Tricks On How to Practice Weightless Walking in the Water

While we all know what walking is and how to do it, the truth is that we rarely pay any special attention to this activity. Then again, walking becomes your primary concern when you are injured or when you try out a new pair of unfitting shoes or pants. To compensate for the lack of balance due to the injury, most people will swing their arms forcefully and unnaturally.

Walking in water

The effects of water resistance and buoyancy have a similar effect on the walking experience as in the situation when you suffered an injury. Because some people don’t swing their arms naturally or alternatively with their legs, one might even go as far as to state that walking in water is an entirely new experience. The fun part of walking in water is that you don’t need to lift your foot anymore; simply release the knee and let it float upwards then actively push it down again to take a step.

Tips and tricks on practicing weightless walking

Regardless of whether you practice weightless walking to recover from an injury or re-establish a normal walking pattern, here are some tips to help you make the most out of your experience:

• Let the buoyancy work for you

  The buoyancy constitutes the upward force of a liquid that opposes the weight of the immersed object. While it may seem simpler to lift your knee, make sure you shift your weight to the leg standing flat on the floor. Moreover, don’t push yourself too much and lift the knee too high, as this action can cause a loss of balance.

• Keep both your feet flat on the floor

  The best way to describe the correct method of practicing weightless walking is a march. Therefore, when attempting to press your foot down, do so actively until both feet are firmly flat on the floor. Remember to keep an upright stance as your foot presses down.

• Constantly pay attention to your posture

  Before taking another step – and until you learn how to perform this movement correctly –, it is advisable to constantly check your posture. Use the water buoyancy to stand tall and make sure you keep your head, neck and back aligned. In addition, don’t forget to use your arms to help counterbalance the feet’ movement. Although you are using your arms to facilitate the movement, let your feet guide the way.

If you’re a beginner, then it is highly recommended to walk slowly, meaning that you should take small steps, leading with your toe and placing the heel down first on the floor. Once you learn how to maintain your balance and how to correctly utilize your postural muscles, you can start walking faster.

Everyone can benefit from weightless walking

Walking in water doesn’t only aid you in working on your balance and posture, but because of the effects of resistance, your movement requires higher energy expenditure. Therefore, if you’re looking to shed a few pounds then weightless walking can help you burn more calories. In addition, the practice has been used in therapy with outstanding results for quite some time now. Because it puts less pressure on the joints, it’s a godsend for patients with arthritis or people who experience difficulties walking on land.

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