What muscles get used when youre walking?

This muscle is responsible for pulling your toes up, Stanten says.

But the waist is not where the effort stops.

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What those are doing is really supporting your body, Stanten says.

As you pick up the pace with walking, you start to get some of the hip swivel.

So there is a little bit of rotation with walking.

Two young women practicing ballet with a teacher in the dance hall.

physiotherapist, master Pilates instructor, and founder ofGo Chlo Pilates

So the abdominal muscles are also working in that capacity.

The lower and middle back muscles that are part of the core also keep you supported.

And the upper back in particular activates when you swing your arm muscles, helping with walking momentum.

Woman doing hip exercises

That nice powerful arm swing can help topower your walk.

However, walking alone actually does not necessarily build additional muscle strength, though it does buildmuscular endurance.

Is there anything you’re free to do, other than walking, to strengthen your gait?

Cropped image of woman doing lunge yoga pose

Building strength in your body through bodyweight or weighted workouts can help.

You also need to mobilize your jointswhich involves helping them move through their full range of motion.

So check that you stretch and strengthen.

Woman in leggings and bra doing Lunge with Arm Extended Up pose hip opener stretch during yoga session in morning at home.

physiotherapist, master Pilates instructor, and founder ofGo Chlo Pilates

Thats what were going to do today.

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Woman doing arm exercise without weights while sitting on mat at home.

A woman in sports clothes does yoga or gymnastics at home. Daylight. She smiles