Align Your Step
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Based on the science of Biomechanics
Coordination training
The Moving Body
Walking Gait Analysis For Animation (Part 1)
Taking the first step
We generally start our walks from a standing position. From there, we start tipping our body forward, disrupting the balance we had on our two feet. While leaning forward gravity starts acting on the body pulling our hips and center of gravity down, and our body starts falling. You can picture this first part as a tree trunk or a domino piece falling.
Falling lets gravity accelerate our body down and forward, which is half of what we are trying to achieve. This part is mostly passive. The next step is to stop our fall to the ground by putting our legs in front to catch ourselves. This begins the active phase where we use muscle contraction to resist falling, while we keep our forward momentum. In the same movement, as the leg passes behind us, we keep contracting our muscles to push our foot backward and into the ground, pushing our body up.
(Technically our muscles don’t directly push ourselves forward. Our leg and its muscle contraction are trying to shove the ground down, but since the ground is often stable and impossible to move, the result of that reaction is that our body moves up instead.)
This active part of the walk uses muscle contraction to neutralize the force of gravity, bringing our center of gravity upward past its normal height so that we can fall again. Gravity and muscles are constantly battling and canceling each other’s vertical forces, while our leaning forward makes sure that we constantly advance. Conceptually, you can think about the walk as a rolling egg.
The rest of walking functions by advancing one leg forward and pushing the ground backward in alternation. While one is pushing and supporting the weight the other one is advancing.
Loading Response
It marks the moment when the weight is transferred to the front foot. It’s the moment the foot reaches a fully flat position on the floor. Generally, the lower part of the leg is perpendicular to the ground. The hip in this pose has the highest flexion – hip flexion describes the thighs lifting closer to the chest. So at this point of highest flexion, the hip and the knee are getting closer to each other in level. The hip is also at its lowest position in the movement arc – it drops slightly as the body “falls” forward.
HEEL OFF
In the passing position of the foot holding the weight of the body, the body is slightly leaning to the side of the weight-holding foot. Hips and chest are parallel (with regards to the left-right swing rotation) in this position. The hip and knee generally retain a slight bend. It marks the end moment of the foot being flat on the floor.
TOE OFF
The leg is now in the opposite position of the contact pose. The heel, knee, and hip are in full extension backward. The hip is rotated backward on the same side while the chest is rotated in the opposite angle. The same side arm swings forward. The weight of the body is positioned in the middle at this moment while shifting to the opposite leg.
Matches the loading response on the opposite foot. At this moment the final toe is detaching from the ground leaving only the opposite leg supporting the weight of the body. The hip and ankle remain in extension while the knee bends to start lifting the foot.
FOOTWEAR
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