Female walk

[Shadeauxmarie]

This is a fascinating article and video:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1513658585/bctid1782378417

[Nicole Erin]

the masculine walk looks exactly like this guy I work with.

I notice the hips are not exaggerated on the femme walk.

[tricia_uktv]

Yes, I'm getting coached on this by a dance teacher (lots of funny stories). She has told me to slightly cross my legs, keep my toes pointing ever so slightly out, roll my hips and keep my back straight (pencil between my shoulder blades). She has given me exercises to practice all these things but its very hard work putting them all together. Getting there though!

[ReineD]

My SO sent me a similar link awhile ago. You can adjust between genders for different moods and add lines:

Biomotionlab (http://www.biomotionlab.ca/Demos/BMLwalker.html)

:hugs:

[linnea]

Very interesting--more movement in the hips and lower arms for the female--at least that's how I see it.

[carhill2mn]

The really interesting (and also sad) thing is that so many who were born female walk like a man! Young girls used to be taught how to walk like a lady but, many are not given any such advice these days.
I suspect that many CDs who are "read" are read because of the way they walk, their posture and their movements.

[Jenny J]

The really interesting (and also sad) thing is that so many who were born female walk like a man! Young girls used to be taught how to walk like a lady but, many are not given any such advice these days.
I suspect that many CDs who are "read" are read because of the way they walk, their posture and their movements.

That's an interesting observation, I had a conversation with a GG at my support group and the subject of female deportment came up. She basically said it was dead. I don't know if this is true but she said she thought most CD's give them self away if they try.

I'm not sure if I agree with her acessment but I've seen a lot of woman out there walking and acting like men.

Jen

[Alice B]

Very informative. seem that we must keep our knees and feet close and tight. Makes sense as it makes the hips flow better. Just turn the hands out and elbows close. Easy to do if you do not have to think about staying on your feet in heels.:heehee:

[Angie G]

Gee I hope I walk like the girl.:hugs:
Angie

[Christine XX]

Here's a link to the one you can adjust:

http://www.biomotionlab.ca/Demos/BMLwalker.html

It's fun to play with.

-Christine

[IMJenn]

One thing that I noticed the first (and only) time I went out en femme was that my walking was different. It may have been my mini skirt, but I assumed a female walking stance without so much as a concious decision. Guess I was born to do it ha ha.

[Jenna Lynne]

I had a conversation with a GG at my support group and the subject of female deportment came up. She basically said it was dead. I don't know if this is true but she said she thought most CD's give them self away if they try.
It's more subtle today than it was 50 years ago, but it's not dead! It's more situational too. I sometimes hang out at a coffee place where there are a lot of college kids, and I've noticed that the girls will go more girly if they're with a guy (or trying to interest one) than if they're just with other girls.

In my opinion (need to do more reality testing here...) the giveaway is trying to do it the way women did it 50 years ago.

With respect to the walk, I've found that letting my shoulders move helps a lot. And the wrists, of course.

Not sure about Tricia's comment about turning the toes out. My toes are naturally turned out in guy mode, and I find it helps me walk in a more feminine way if I turn my toes in so my feet are straight. Also take smaller steps.

Now for the final exam: Can you walk rapidly down a hallway in 3-inch heels while carrying a very full cup of hot coffee and never spill a drop?

***Jenna Lynne***

[Sarah...]

This is so timely! I was discussing walking and running with my daughter this afternoon. When she ran into the supermarket in the rain she did the archetypal "girlie" run, so I commented on that, in a jovial kind of a way. She said she always runs like that except when she is doing sports at school, in which case she runs "properly" (her quote).

After some discussion we reckoned that the way of walking is a developed/learnt thing. Look at kids - they all run the same and walk the same. It seemed to us that only when awareness of the fun to be had with the opposite sex / gender was awakened did walking or running become differentiated.

You only have to look at John Travolta at the beginning of Saturday Night Fever or any male or female catwalk model to see what we mean!

That said, I will admit here to practicing my walk regularly. Swing those hips baby!!!

Sarah...

[KimberlyS]

My wife has said several times that when enfemme I walk like a male. And interestingly as a male when walking I catch myself swinging my hips. And in high school I was told I ran like a girl.

just me somewhere in the middle.

[Sandygal]

It looks like the woman walks with more of a one foot in front of another with the elbos close to the body and the more manly the walk, the more the legs come apart and the elbos swing more outward.

[Nicole Erin]

I practice my femme walk but I think I concentrate too much on the hips. I have that motion down if I concentrate. problem is, my right knee starts hurting after a while. I have bad knees anyways.


It looks like the woman walks with more of a one foot in front of another with the elbos close to the body and the more manly the walk, the more the legs come apart and the elbos swing more outward.

The guy I work with who has the epitome of the masculine walk, he is even leaned back. Tomorrow I am going to walk like him and start singing "macho macho man". He won't care, we crack on each other all the time. :heehee:

[Kimberly Marie Kelly]

I need to take smaller steps, keep the legs closer to each other with the knee's almost touching and the feet pointing straight ahead. I also slightly step my feet over the center line (left to right) so my steps are almost in front of each other, this causes my hip to have some wiggle on each step. I swing my arms and keep them close to my body without swinging my upper body to much. And keeping a good posture, abdomen forward, chest out and shoulders back. This seems to provide a reasonable feminine walk. :battingeyelashes: Kim

[joann07]

When I'm out, whether in guy or girl mode, I am constantly observing and studying women in how they walk, as well as their mannerisms.
One thing that the typical women doesn't do is walk with one foot in front of the other and flair their hips. I mostly notice this when supermodels walk the catwalk because they want to look hot and sexy, but with most women I don't see that.

They walk with both feet at their sides, their backs is straight (not slouching), and head up. Also, they walk a little slower, and more gracefully, and their movements are more fluid. They wave their arms a little more with their hands facing slightly more outward.
They always seem to have a smile on their face and are just brimming with confidence.

I have practiced this time and time again, no matter where I've gone, and I can't recall the last time I've ever been read. I've been around many GGs (i.e. teenagers, college aged, 20s, 30s, etc, etc.) countless of times and I'm not scared of being around them because I present and conduct myself appropriately.
If you can emulate what the typical GG does, you'll blend in perfectly.
You know what they say, practice makes perfect. :)

Hugs!

[Karren H]

Well I have the gender neutral walk down pretty good with a little bit of fem tendencies.... I don't know if I could do the guy walk any more!!! lol

[heidi99]

Very interesting thread.

I'd say I'm using moving in gender-neutral mode. It would be cool to get better at the female mode. Practice, right? Just so many things to concentrate on all at the same time, not to mention as someone said being read. :D

[ElaineB]

She has given me exercises to practice all these things but its very hard work putting them all together. Getting there though!

So... what are these exercises?

[Shadeauxmarie]

Does wearing high heels help or hurt? In my case, I feel like I look lilke a man in high heels. Not at all feminine.

[tricia_uktv]

So... what are these exercises?

Ok I'll try to explain.

They essentially are to strengthen my back (so I stand up straight) and my calves (so I can properly walk in heels) and my hips (obvious reasons)

Every morning and evening (it takes about five minutes each time)

- Put your hands on a shelf, windowsill will do, legs together then gently roll your hips for about twenty seconds. This loosens that part of the body. I also do it before I start dancing in clubs.

- Sit on the bed lift each foot up in turn and do twenty full circles (start off with five) in the air using your foot

- Lie down on the bed and do press ups without using your hands. Put them behind your back. Its like arching your back backwards if you know what I mean. Start with ten and move upwards

- Stand on you toes twenty times quickly to start with

- Be a fairy, go on I dare you, imagine you are twirling just like one. But one arm at a time with your wrists turned out raise your arm as high as you can then lower it, ten times to start with should be good enough

- Look pliet up on the Internet, I can't explain but now you are learning to be a ballerina

On all these exercises you should feel you muscles just slightly straining. They are muscles men don't usually use or care about.

Above all practice your walk whenever you can. Tara told me to stride confidently, not in a prissy way and emphasised the importance of a straight back, do think about holding a pencil in your shoulder blades.

I think the toes thing was more specific to me as I broke a foot skiing many years ago and need to open that foot out otherwise everything else doesn't matter. Read my blog about the fun (or not) I have had with that :(

One last little tip, when getting out of a chair, move your legs sideways, slightly cross them, and get up by pushing your knees together letting them take the strain not your arms or your back, but keep your back as straight as you can. It can look very elegant and feminine.

On my next lesson we are going to look at pole dancing ha-ha, but they are really about deportment and I am gradually changing

Enjoy yourselves!

[ElaineB]

Thank you!