This is a very controversial topic....sooooooo.Here is my OPINION and some
info to back it up.
Most everything Louis said is right on. Except for the bigger step part. In
my opinion, bigger steps do not work. Shorter and more steps work. I'll
explain in a minute.

Balanced, graceful soft movement is a function of getting in touch with the
intrinsics, really knowing who you are in the world. From this place of
groundedness and certainty we can relax into our weight and body.....graceful or
full of grace looks like someone is no longer fighting with gravity so much.
Goose stepping or any kind of locked knee approach is a fight with uncertainty
and or domination. Four legged animals start out that way..deer, horses, cows.
When they are first born they will stand with locked joints out of fear and
uncertainty. It is comical and endearing when we see it..remember Bambi? But
we never see an adult animal with locked joints. There is too much weight
that needs the spring of bent knees to avoid injury.......
There are a lot of grown people that still walk and stand with locked joints.
This is very difficult on knees and hips. So we have some very well paid
people who replace the knees and hips..that's another story.
The sterotypical little old Asian woman only looks like she is shuffling.
She is not. She is walking on her forefoot with knees always bent and soft.
The soft knees are the key. When she needs to walk faster she doesn't take a
bigger step, she takes more steps and stays on her forefoot. Rather than wear
out her joints she bounces a bit.

Hellerwork teaches a gait training whereby the heel-toe is caressed to the
earth and rolled through. I am not so sure this is the best way. It seems to
work for walking sometimes but not for running at all....If you go to
www.posetech.com you will find a great book and video that describes what I am
talking
about. This technique has made a difference in me both as a runner and a
bodyworker. The concept of increasing speed through increasing frequency rather
than stride length is explained well here. And the jolt of pressure that comes
up through the ankles, knee and hip when you land on your heel whether walking
or running is demonstrated to be formidable.

It feels weird to begin to walk this way, with bent soft knees, however with
your client the results are proving to be helpful. The keys are to always
have soft, bent knees and not be able to hear your heel hit...............weird,
yes, but so is your clients situation. If your client really wants to run
then get this book and dvd and begin practicing....it's simple but not easy.
Like most of what we do........Session Four in Hellerwork is our pelvic floor
session. After this session is a great time guide the client into feeling what
happens when you let go of the base of your core and sink into your feet...This
is the beginning of surrendering to being alive here, where we are, right
now..exhales happen naturally and different thoughts begin to appear...and our
walk and our talk begins to get a little more graceful and a lot less goose
steppy.........
Thanks for asking.....
I love our work.
Dr. Jim


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]