[Harumanbo Harucheonja] Is There a Proper Way to Walk Barefoot?

Generally, walking can be done in various ways, such as walking slowly or quickly, taking wider steps, or walking forwards or backwards. What about barefoot walking? Barefoot walking greatly affects the gait depending on how the soles, toes, and heels are used.

Typical walking refers to evenly placing the entire sole on the ground. It is a method that uses the entire sole without extending the arch of the foot. This causes the impact to be evenly distributed across the sole, differing from the traditional gait where the heel strikes the ground first. Another method mainly uses the toes and the front part of the foot to walk. The heel barely touches the ground, and the front part of the foot primarily absorbs the impact. This is mainly used in barefoot running and can help reduce heel impact and raise the arch of the foot. There is also a gait where the heel strikes the ground first and the foot is placed down. However, since the core of barefoot walking is to minimize heel impact, many avoid this method.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Park Dongchang, chairman of the Barefoot Walking National Movement Headquarters, introduces seven methods in .

The first step is to walk so that all parts of the sole touch the ground simultaneously. You should relax and walk slowly, and the walking appearance or feeling should be heavy, as if a toad is moving its heavy body. The entire sole must be completely in contact with the ground. The second step is to walk with the sole curved like a bow. It involves sequentially placing the heel to the tip of the toes on the ground, resembling a striding walk.

The third step is to walk using only the sole with all the toes stretched upwards. The fourth step is to lift the heel and walk only on the ball and toes of the foot. This gait resembles a magpie shaking its tail up and down while walking. The fifth step is to curl all the toes and walk so that the heel and the curled five toes touch the ground simultaneously. It looks like an overturned spatula. The sixth step is to step down as if stamping. The seventh step is walking backwards. The toes, ball, arch, midfoot, and heel sequentially make rounded contact with the ground.