Walk the walk

[Genifer Teal]

Has anyone successfully changed their walk? What we're your experiences? I am currently in the middle of losing what's left of my male way of walking. Muscle memory is so hard to change. It's the fundamental change I am going for, not just something that look's more feminine. Had anyone seriously tried this?

[AllieSF]

Yes, I have almost changed it. I just started taking smaller and slower steps while trying to keep one foot in front of the other more or less. I never exaggerated my walk and never worried about getting that sexy swing to the hips and butt. Even when I run, I take smaller steps, which really helps a lot. What the perfect walk for each of us will vary, Just look at how women walk, try to see 3 women walking next to each other. Each has there own style, which includes how many of us actually walk when in male mode. How I walk (I never had an "ape gate") is not a priority to me and should not be for most. If one walks on the far end of the male spectrum of walking males, then that is when more serious practice may be in order.

[Sami Brown]

I have worked quite a bit on stepping one foot directly in front of the other. It gives the hips a little sway. I don't think about it much anymore. When I do think about it, more often than not I am walking in this fashion.

This is the only aspect of walking I have practiced though. I am quite certain there are other aspects that don't look very feminine yet.

Sami

[Zoeytgtx]

I'm in the gym every other day to walk on the treadmill at least 1.5 miles. I make it a point to practice my walk on the machine. Not only has the rhythm of my walk improved, but the rocking of my butt has added some natural muscle to improve the shape of my hips. With floppy gym shorts on not sure people behind me even notice my girly sway.

[Genifer Teal]

Men tense their core muscles. Women don't. This is your stomach, abs, lower back muscles. Once you let these loose, the rest of the walk falls into place. De programming this muscle memory is what I'm trying to do. I'm making some progress but it is not easy.

[alwayshave]

It depends what I am wearing. My normal male self has not changed his gate. Jamie takes smaller steps one foot in front of the other. Actually the hardest part has been to stop swinging my arms.

[Rayleen]

When you walk holding something in both arm you hip movement come into play, this will be your hip movement for you.

[Elizabeth G]

Hi Genifer,

I have been trying to do this and I understand what you're saying about muscle memory. Because I can't adopt a feminine walk 100% of the time (my wife wouldn't be thrilled) I switch back and forth between the two regularly. Because of that at this point I seem to be in sort of a no man's land (pun fully intended) when it comes to walking and muscle memory. I sometimes need to be mindful of not feminizing my walk in certain circumstances though it is becoming a more natural feeling for me to walk that way.

Hi Jamie,

It's funny you should mention arm movement because I remember reading something saying that women tend to swing their arms more than men. I'll need to look into that more deeply.

Elizabeth

[Stacy Darling]

It can be done, it just takes mind and time. I exaggerated my walking style on evening walks, walked whilst stomach vacuuming and loosened my joints.
We can actually walk/glide across the floor if we are in the moment or just let ourselves flow. My walk is also not just to look more femme, but to walk as if in sync with the world!
Stacy!

[Ressie]

Sounds like you have the right idea. I haven't walked anywhere en fem in quite a while so I'm out of practice.

[CrossKimmy]

I’ve come to a point where I can flip the switch pretty easily though I have been practicing for many years. The secret for me is to own my feminine self and mindset and every slight little movement follows. It’s not just walking but the tiny gestures and talking.

[Devi SM]

I always thought that shoes change my walking like shorter steps, heels mo e my hips easily, if skirts my legs are closer each other because I lo e the feeling of them touching each other, but few weeks ago I went to the beach and had to go down of a big cliff, of course I should go back up. Then I realize that Vanessa has none tennis or flat shoes and the only near to that were a low edged ut when I tried to walk on the sand were very u comfortable so just wear male flat and then I notice that is not the shoes that adapt my walk but the clothes, that day i wear a bikini, no bra just the top of the bikini and on top this small tight jeans short and a tight no shoulder red top, of course I was with make up so my walk, as always in femme, was naturally femenine...

[Teresa]

Genifer,
I'm trying to take smaller strides and walk slower , I'm a very quick walker in male mode and without thinking I'm walking past most people in the High Street , but then sometimes I meet up with female dog walkers and struggle to keep up with them .

Wearing heels with a tight skirt or dress does re-educate you , you have to take smaller more carefully placed steps , many of the movements naturally happen in that situation .

[Ressie]

Lots of women take long steps and walk quickly. More importantly is getting rid of the caveman stance while walking. Stop leaning forward with elbows out. Easier said than done.

[ToniG]

Something we all work on. One of the "tricks" that I use to help with the arm/elbow thing--is to keep both hands "occupied". One hand is always holding the Purse shoulder straps--- other is holding my Girly cane, umbrella, or a water bottle. Concentrating on "elbows-in" so that the telltale armswing is avoided. Concentrating on the shorter steps. Practice, practice, practice. Toni G..

[Genifer Teal]

Ty so far. You all have mentioned many things which can alter a male walk to look more feminine. I am trying to lose the male walk completely and train myself to walk with the same basic mechanics as women use. Once the core is loosened, the walk falls into place. Things like arm movement, length of gait ect can be adjusted later. Just really t trying hard to de program those core muscles first.

[Darling Micki]

The women (GGs) at work see me walking in heels and ask how I learned to do it.

Male mode, I consider as lumbering, long rolling strides. I tend to out pace most.

Femme mode I do walk one foot in front of the other, head up, chest out, hips loose, and shorter strides.

The suggestions I give for high heels would work for anyone wanting to develop a feminine stride.

1) Goto Lumber store ( Home Depot, Lowes, etc)
2) Purchase a 4x4 that is not twisted/warped. Length of 8 or 10 feet will do.
3) Lay down lumber in Hallway, patio, garage, anywhere it won't be to much in the way.
4) step onto lumber, balance, walk to other end and step off, WITHOUT staring at your feet or the board. Head up looking at your destination. Back straight, chest out, confidence.
5) Repeat Step 4, ad infinitum.

Balanced on the board you tend to take smaller strides to begin with, in order to maintain balance. Plus the hips get to swinging.

Think grace, think poise. Don't stomp.
Emulate the gymnast on the beam, or a cat.

Be relaxed
Be confident
OMG THE FLOOR IS LAVA!!!!

Once you can do it without thought of the beam, or balance. You should have developed quite the muscle memory for walking in this manner.

[kayla_bayarea]

???
I'm confused why some think swinging the arms doesn't belong in a feminine walk. No woman walks around like she is constantly holding suitcases in both hands. If anything that makes you look even more stiff.

[Patience]

Don’t blame a girl for having the irritatingly feminine trait of wanting to improve the people she likes.

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[Kiwi Primrose]

Teresa got it right. A tight skirt and high heels will shorten your steps and let you concentrate on arm and body movement.

[Ressie]

???
I'm confused why some think swinging the arms doesn't belong in a feminine walk. No woman walks around like she is constantly holding suitcases in both hands. ...that makes you look even more stiff.

Yes, from my observation of women walking, most swing one arm or both as they walk. But I need to do more observing in different places to confirm that. I think swinging the arms is natural when walking faster. Older women tend to walk slower making arm swinging minimal.

[Genifer Teal]

This conversation is going in an expected direction- modifications to a male walk. I've done that a while back. I've got a pretty good walk. I'm looking to take it a step further and walk with the same mechanics as women do. I'm part of the way there. It's a game changer. All your movements change and flow better. It's mostly automatic once you change HOW you walk as opposed to THE WAY you walk. It's very difficult to explain until someone experiences it. I'm trying to figure out how to explain it too.
I'm about a week in of continual effort. I have to constantly remind myself to loosen my core, like every other second. I am making progress and will continue my report.

New post below
------------------
So I randomly found mention of pelvic tilt in the table forums. Thank you Vanessa Grandy :

Loosening the core muscles changes your pelvic tilt. This is what enables the changes to your walking. They come automatically once you get this tilt right. Your belly is completely extended and so Is your but. It is achieved by relaxing your core muscles. Do not try to force them out. You will have muscle fighting muscle.

[Fran-K]

Hi

Since this thread got started, I've been watching what Women In The Wild do.

They seem to be all over the map.
The closest I have to a hypothesis is that the "women's walk" is a combination of mechanics, clothing, and maybe attitude.

Mechanics -- hips are structured differently, height is different, proportions are different. Of course there will be differences in walk (and other movement)

Clothing -- where I've been watching is on the way to work (take a bus through a university area) and around work (lots of nerds (of all genders) and professional people). In the university area there are lots of bluejeans, yoga pants, tshirts, sneakers, and so on. Those women tend to walk "dainty", but not really the "women's walk"; the same for the gg nerds in the area I work. On the other hand, the professional women around where I work ... they seem to have more of the "women's walk" - more sway and bounce -- and they are dressed in dresses/skirts, heels (even low ones) and so on. So it seems that skirts-n-heels emphasize or enable or ... the walk.

The attitude ... well, today I spotted a woman purposely striding up a hill -- she was walking, little in the way of hip sway, etc, just like the part of me that doesn't post here walks ;-/

The other thing I've noticed ... a few girls suggest practicing by walking placing one foot in front of the other. It looks to me like typical women walk with their legs very close together, with each foot going alongside, but not crossing, a line separating them.

Of course, I could also be completely wrong

Fran

[sometimes_miss]

It just hit me, that this thread is the perfect proof that it's not really about the clothes....

[ToniG]

Lots of good ideas! Think I wd go with a 2x6-- for a little more safety. Some of us "older girls" with medical issues have more of a challenge---getting that 20-something sway aint happening for some of us! My arm sway in male mode is extreme-- so I DO try to keep it in check. Have noticed that GGs of diff ages have diff gaits. Since the area that I live is a "senior area' (leisure world is 3 blks south of me) I DO try to go for that style. My presentation is "Grandma"--- so not likely to strut around in stillettos anyway! Toni G..