Ninja Blog | Zenformation for the Modern Shinobi 忍術
Martial Arts Posture: Walk Like a Warrior, Unleash Unstoppable Power
Dec
Gait refers simply to the way a person walks. It is one of humanity’s most intriguing motor skills, enabling us to move from one place to another. Although bipedal locomotion appears uniform at a glance, closer observation reveals that each individual’s gait varies significantly based on factors like mood, skeletal structure, environmental conditions, learned behaviors, injuries, or health conditions.
For martial artists, mastering gait is fundamental. A good stance, critical in martial arts, allows practitioners to move swiftly and powerfully forward, backward, sideways, and diagonally, efficiently absorbing and generating force. Developing a powerful martial arts posture requires a deep understanding and refinement of one’s gait, making it a fundamental skill in martial arts training.
Moreover, gait is a powerful form of nonverbal communication. It can disclose personal characteristics, emotional states, and even physical health conditions. Athletes across various disciplines, including martial arts, analyze their opponents’ gait to identify strengths, weaknesses, and potential vulnerabilities, strategically using this information to gain competitive advantages.
Anatomy and Mechanics of Gait
The basic structure of gait comprises two primary phases: the stance phase, when the foot is in contact with the ground bearing body weight, and the swing phase, when the foot moves through the air to its next ground contact. Together, these phases constitute the gait cycle.
Gait patterns typically fall into three categories: neutral pronation, overpronation, and supination.
NEUTRAL PRONATOR
Neutral pronation is when the foot naturally rolls inward but not more than15 percent. This allows the foot and ankle to absorb shock and still remain in alignment with the legs. This gait pattern generates the most speed and power.
PIGEON TOED
Overpronation, often seen in flat-footed individuals, is when the foot rolls too far inward when walking. Overpronation can cause the arch of the foot to collapse (flat feet), which can lead to pain in the arch, heel, shin, knee, hips, and back. It can also cause the pelvis to tilt forward, which can further aggravate these problems.
DUCK FEET
Supination is when the foot rolls to far outward. Supination can cause the heel to strike the ground first when walking, which can put stress on the knees and ankles. People with high arches have increased chances of being supinated and can be affected by achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains, shin splints, iliotibial band syndrome and other shock related injuries. It can also cause the spine to curve excessively, which can lead to back pain.
Factors Influencing Gait
Numerous internal and external factors influence gait. Internal factors include emotional states like confidence or anxiety, skeletal differences like varying leg lengths, muscle imbalances, and health conditions such as Parkinson’s or arthritis. Externally, gait can be altered by environmental variables like terrain, footwear, and carrying loads like backpacks or heavy objects.
Poor posture significantly affects gait by altering it’s natural alignment and joint mechanics. For instance, misaligned posture changes hip angles and leads to inefficient movement patterns, similar to how a misaligned wheel affects an automobile’s performance. Persistent poor posture exacerbates physical stress, potentially causing chronic pain and increasing injury risk.
There is a term Kamae (構え) in Ninjutsu referring to the stances used in combat, martial practice, and daily life. It’s a Japanese term used in other martial arts and traditional theater that roughly translates as “posture” or “base”. If Kamae is misaligned so will the reception and application of force. Upon learning new techniques the practitioner often overcompensates for a misaligned Kamae by exerting more force, which quickly exhausts primary, secondary and tertiary muscles in addition to ligaments and tendons.
Postural Alignment & Gravitational Influence
The continual force of gravity profoundly influences posture and gait, making proper postural alignment crucial for efficiently counteracting gravitational stress and minimizing muscular strain and joint stress. Ideally, the body’s center of gravity shifts with changes in posture, movement, and physical conditions.
Maintaining this gravitational alignment is essential for balance and stability, requiring muscular support in active equilibrium and structural support in passive equilibrium. Misalignment generates gravitational torque, leading to increased muscular effort, fatigue, and potential injury if not corrected.
Regardless of profession, physical activity level, age, or body type, poor alignment can compromise overall performance and health. Overcoming postural imbalances demands a comprehensive understanding of biomechanics, which includes skeletal adjustments, neuromuscular retraining, supportive aids, therapeutic exercises, and sensory-motor education.
Despite its critical importance, the concept of body mechanics and its relationship with gravity has historically been overlooked in traditional clinical evaluations, primarily due to insufficient biomechanical training within medical education. As a result, advancements in understanding gravitational effects on posture and gait have largely been driven by physical educators and biomechanists, highlighting an ongoing need for broader recognition within healthcare practices.
Center of Gravity
The center of gravity is the point where the body’s mass is evenly balanced. Ideally, in a standing adult, this point is located slightly in front of the second sacral vertebra. Its exact position shifts with changes in body mass, posture, movement, or even conditions such as muscular weakness or fat accumulation. In a healthy individual, these shifts are smoothly compensated for by muscle activity and joint stability.
Line of Gravity
When viewed from the side, the vertical line of gravity ideally passes through anatomical landmarks such as the earlobe, shoulder, spine, hip, knee, and ankle. From behind, it should fall along the midline through the skull, spine, and pelvis. Deviations from this ideal suggest postural misalignment and potential for joint stress or muscular compensation.
Analyzing and Improving Gait and Posture
Various analytical methods are used to assess gait and posture, ranging from visual assessments using plumb lines and transparent grids to advanced technologies like motion-capture systems, force plates, and pressure-sensitive insoles. Such detailed analyses help identify gait irregularities and potential injuries early, allowing targeted corrective interventions.
When performing visual inspections, practitioners should observe key body regions, including the head and neck, shoulders, thorax, abdomen, spine, pelvis, legs, knees, and feet. Observations of these regions inform therapeutic and strategic decisions, helping address structural imbalances, muscle weaknesses, and postural fatigue.
Analyzing Posture Through Biomechanical Observation
Chiropractic philosophy has long emphasized the connection between spinal health and upright posture. According to this view, misalignments in the spine—referred to as subluxations—manifest visibly in the way a person stands and moves. To better understand these patterns, a variety of tools and methods have been developed to evaluate posture in relation to gravitational norms. These include plumb lines, foot alignment plates, transparent grids, bubble levels, silhouette imaging, posturometers, digital weighing platforms for body quadrants, and moiré contour mapping.
While these instruments provide valuable insights, interpretation can be subjective. Still, systematic documentation of posture helps guide therapeutic decisions and offers insight into a patient’s overall musculoskeletal health, including muscle tone, postural endurance, structural imbalances, and even indicators of nutritional status. Tracking changes over time also allows for better evaluation of progress.
Correcting for Eye Dominance in Postural Assessment
One subtle but significant source of error in postural evaluation is the examiner’s own eye dominance. Visual perception, particularly peripheral vision, plays a large role in judging bilateral symmetry. For instance, an asymmetry in rib cage motion during breathing or spinal alignment may appear distorted if viewed predominantly through one eye. To reduce this bias, practitioners should assess with their dominant eye centered over the midline.
To determine eye dominance:
1.Extend your right index finger at arm’s length in front of your nose, at eye level.
2.Form a circle with your left index finger and thumb and hold it a short distance in front of your face.
3.Center the tip of your right finger inside the circle while keeping both eyes open.
4.Close one eye at a time. The dominant eye is the one that keeps your finger centered in the circle.
Guidelines for Postural Inspection
To perform a visual inspection of posture, use both a lateral plumb line (falling just in front of the ankle) and a vertical line bisecting the heels to evaluate structural alignment. Assess the following regions:
Head and Neck: Check for tilts or rotations by observing ear height and chin direction. Uneven muscle development in the neck may signal upper cervical spine misalignment.
Shoulder Girdle: Look for shoulder height discrepancies and scapular rotation. Scapular winging or uneven distance from the spine may suggest muscular imbalance.
Thorax: Examine the chest shape and rib angles if possible. Differences between scapular and pelvic heights may indicate spinal curvature.
Abdomen: Observe the degree of muscular relaxation. Normal abdominal prominence varies by age and sex.
Spine: From the side, note curvatures (lordosis, kyphosis) and sacral tilt. From the back, look for asymmetries or lateral deviations in the spinous processes.
Legs and Knees: Assess for bowlegs or knock-knees and signs of tibial torsion based on patella positioning.
Feet: Check for arch collapse, Achilles tendon deviation, and toe deformities such as bunions or hammer toes.
Balance, Stability, and Energy Efficiency
When the body’s gravitational center lies directly above its base of support, balance is maintained with minimal effort. However, because the human body is segmented, each section must maintain its own balance. Every time we raise our arms, lean forward, or shift weight, the center of gravity moves. If not properly counterbalanced, this can lead to tipping or falling.
Active vs. Passive Equilibrium
When muscles are required to maintain alignment, the body is in active equilibrium. Passive equilibrium occurs when the joints and support surfaces alone resist gravity, a state more achievable when lying down. Upright posture always involves a degree of active muscular support.
Torque and Postural Strain
Because many body segments lie outside the central line of gravity, gravitational torque is created at various joints. This force must be offset by the contraction of antigravity muscles. If the gravity line falls behind a joint’s axis, the upper segment tends to rotate backward, and vice versa. These imbalances, if unchecked, contribute to fatigue, inefficiency, and injury over time.
Toppling Dynamics
The farther the center of gravity moves from its base, the harder it becomes to recover balance. A taller individual, for example, is more susceptible to falling due to a higher and more mobile center of gravity. In all individuals, sudden or unbalanced movements shift the gravitational load unpredictably, challenging stability and coordination.
Bad Posture Effects on Gait
Bad posture can have an adverse effects on hip angles which affect movement patterns and moments during the gait cycle. If you build a soap box car with one wheel larger than the other and a warped axle it would be impossible to get the best performance for racing. Or think of an automobile tire worn more on the inside or outside which is usually an indicator of misalignment.
Bad posture can influence our gait which determines our level of performance on any given task.
Causes of Bad Posture
Sedentary lifestyle: This is the number one cause of bad posture. Spending long periods of time sitting or lying down can weaken the muscles and ligaments that support the spine, leading to poor posture. Solution: Stand up and move around more often even if you sit with good posture.
Muscle imbalance: When certain muscles are weaker or tighter than others, it can cause the body to compensate by adopting a poor posture. For example, if the chest muscles are weak, the shoulders may hunch forward. Too much sitting makes muscles in the back long and weak while shortening the surface abdominal muscles and weakening the deeper transverse abdominal muscles pulling your posture down and affecting your breathing. Solution: Weak muscles will need strength/endurance training, shortened muscles can be restored with fascia training combined with stretching exercises.
Injury: An injury to the spine, neck, or back can cause pain and inflammation, which can lead to poor posture. Depending on the severity of the injury damage can be permanent but the human body is resilient and will find a way to thrive. Solution: Consult a doctor and/or physical therapist for a regular stretching and exercise routine. The path of physical therapy from injury is a tough but rewarding one. The most important things to remember is that it must be done and you will get better.
Degenerative conditions: Conditions such as osteoporosis and arthritis can weaken the bones and joints, making it difficult to maintain good posture. Solution: Of course stretching and exercise should be considered if at all possible. For more severe cases, epidural injections, hot or cold therapy, pain medication, or surgery may be in order.
Repetitive stress: Activities that involve repetitive movements, such as typing or using a computer mouse, can put stress on the muscles and joints, leading to poor posture. Solution: Support braces for the affected areas may be used for short periods, but these shouldn’t be used as permanent solutions. A more permanent solution would be to strengthen and stretch the muscles in repetition so they can handle the stress.
Genetics: Some people are more prone to poor posture than others due to their genes. Solution: From a young age find the determination to work on correcting posture. If could take years but eventually good posture will be automatic.
Age: As we age, the muscles and ligaments in our spine weaken, making it more difficult to maintain good posture. Solution: Exercise and remain as strong and flexible as possible. Support this lifestyle with a balanced diet and vitamins and supplements like vitamin D and Calcium. Limiting alcohol use and not smoking can help avoid the negative effects of both. Purposely pursue good posture.
Bad posture can cause a variety of problems, including:
Pain: Poor posture can put strain on the muscles, joints, and ligaments, leading to pain in the neck, back, shoulders, and other areas.
Injury: Poor posture can increase the risk of injury, such as a slipped disc or a muscle strain.
Disease: Poor posture can contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Appearance: Poor posture can make you look hunched over and tired.
Additional Effects on Gait
Gait can vary greatly depending on factors such as mood, skeletal structure, environment, learned habits, injuries, or health conditions. For example, a person’s gait can change when they are in a hurry, tired, or carrying something heavy, compared to when they are relaxed. Gait can also vary according to the person’s skeletal structure, such as leg length, or any injury they may have sustained, such as a broken ankle. Additionally, the environment plays a role in the gait, such as walking on a flat surface or a hilly terrain.
Gait can also be affected by learned behavior and habits. This can include how a person’s gait may change when they are wearing certain types of shoes or carrying a backpack. In addition, certain medical conditions can also affect the gait, such as Parkinson’s disease, which can cause shuffling and freezing of the gait.
Analyzing gait can be done using a variety of techniques, such as motion capture, force plates, and pressure-sensitive insoles. These techniques allow for the quantification of various gait parameters such as cadence, step length, and speed. Additionally, gait analysis can be used to identify potential injuries or conditions that may affect the gait, allowing for early intervention and prevention of further complications.
that will influence gait in the model.
How a Person’s Natural Way of Walking Tells a Lot About Them
Just like we use words in language, gait is another form of body language that tells a lot about a person when you know what to look for. Understanding gait is not only important for martial artists, but also for athletes, coaches, and anyone looking to gain insight about themselves and others. Athletes use this technique to size up opponents before engagement in sports to spot weaknesses to gain an advantage in competition.
Gait is also a form of nonverbal communication. It can reveal a lot about a person to those who know how to interpret it. Movement is a process and not just a series of static positions. The process of identifying irregularities in your gait may also uncover the root causes of these irregularities allowing you to heal the non physical and physical causes for irregular movement.
The way we walk is often a reflection of our personality and physical condition. For example, people who are confident and outgoing tend to walk with a brisk, purposeful stride. People who are shy or introverted may walk more slowly and hesitantly. Our gait can also be affected by our physical health. People who are overweight or have muscle weakness may walk with a shuffling gait. People who have pain in their joints or muscles may walk with a limp.
In addition, our gait can be affected by our environment. People who live in cities may walk with a faster pace than people who live in rural areas. People who walk on uneven surfaces, such as gravel or sand, may have a more cautious gait.
Gait Analysis
In any sport it’s possible to see which athletes will be more prone to injury simply by the way they walk. Supinated athletes will be more prone to shin splints, calluses, or bunions on the outer side of the foot, hamstring and knee injuries. Overpronated athletes will be more prone to heel and arch pain, ankle sprains, knee, hip, and back injury. Quarterbacks who are either duck-footed or pigeon-toed have a hard time planting their feet firmly to deliver a pass which often results in incomplete passes or interceptions.
Patrick Mahomes is no exception to this rule. His foundation in baseball affords him options in throwing mechanics, but his pigeon-toed gait mechanics opens him up to high ankle sprains. This overpronation turns the feet inward putting more pressure on the achilles tendon, anterior and posterior talofibular ligaments , anterior inferior tibiofobular ligament, the posterior inferior tibial ligament, and the calcaneofibular ligament.
Dak Prescott has traditionally trained quarterback throwing mechanics that rely on a firmly planted foot to throw. Dak is duck-footed and tends to walk on his toes which makes the firmly planted throwing-foot elusive when striving for increases throwing inaccuracy. This supination stretches and puts pressure on the anterior ankle ligaments which can cause ankle sprains, shin splints and fractures.
Saquon Barkley is slightly supinated but it’s possible that his ACL knee injury was a combination of things. Running backs absorb a ton of force during he course on the game and naturally their knees take a ton of abuse. But if you look at Barkley’s 600lb + squatting quads, you will notice that his hamstrings when he played with Penn State and New York they were disproportionate to the size of his quads which could’ve created a slightly irregular gait pattern ultimately leading to injury.
Likewise as a martial artist one should be able to look at an opponent’s gait and determine their strengths and weaknesses with just one glance. This initial glance should help to form a loose combat strategy. For example, a person who walks with a wide stance is likely to be more stable and balanced than someone who walks with a narrow stance. A person who walks with a stiff gait is likely to be less flexible than someone who walks with a relaxed gait.
By observing the way their opponents walk, martial artists can gain valuable insights into their fighting style and strategies.
Improving Performance in Martial Arts
A good stance is crucial for martial artists, as it enables them to move, advance, retreat, absorb, and generate power. Whether striking, grappling, or defending, having a solid stance is essential for martial artists. It not only improves their balance and stability but also allows them to deliver more power in their strikes and throws. Achieving a good stance takes years of practice, but it starts with understanding and perfecting gait and body mechanics.
Martial artists are particularly susceptible to problems with gait and martial arts posture. This is because they often have to perform repetitive movements, such as kicks and punches. These movements can put stress on the joints and muscles, and can lead to misalignment. To avoid these problems they should do exercises to strengthen and stretch the muscles in their legs, hips, and back.
By paying attention to their gait, posture, and body mechanics, martial artists can develop a stance that is both effective and comfortable. However, there are some general principles that all martial artists should follow when developing their stance. The stance should be stable and balanced, and it should allow the martial artist to move freely and easily. The stance should also be comfortable, and it should not put too much stress on any one joint.
Some of the most effective training is outside of any dojo or gym. Every day notice how you walk and make a more conscious effort toward neutral pronation. This dedication will eventually correct bad martial arts posture and increase both strength and endurance while training and living.
Observation
When we watch an athlete perform an incredible task, the movement areas in our brain go to work subconsciously activating and mentally planning and predicting how the athlete will move based on what you would do. We have mirror neurons in the brain that link our own movement to a similar movement watched by someone else.
According a Scientific American Article by Columbia University neurologist John Krakauer:
“some reward-related areas in the brain are connected with motor areas … and mounting evidence suggests that we are sensitive and attuned to the movements of others’ bodies, because similar brain regions are activated when certain movements are both made and observed. For example, the motor regions of professional dancers’ brains show more activation when they watch other dancers compared with people who don’t dance.”
Movement
The most useful tool you have in correcting gait and posture will be your own determination to be “better”. Things like functional resistance training, ankle stretches, electronic stimulation will not work if you don’t consciously make the effort to straighten you feet during movement.
This is not a quick process and it has probably taken years for an irregular movement pattern to become natural to you so don’t think you will correct it in a few weeks.
Music
Music activates the pleasure and reward centers of the brain, such as the orbitofrontal cortex, ventral striatum, and cerebellum. These areas are involved in timing, coordination, and movement planning (rhythm). When music is combined with physical activity, it amplifies the reward signals in the brain. This is because the brain has to work harder to coordinate movement and timing to the music, which makes the activity more challenging and rewarding.
A smart runner will vary the music and the tempo of their run to keep their brain engaged. This will help them to stay motivated and to improve their performance. Additionally, adding visual and tactile cues, such as running with a partner or wearing a weighted vest, can further enhance the brain’s reward response.
By combining music, physical activity, and sensory cues, we can create a powerful learning experience that can help to improve motor skills and cognitive function.
Sleep
It’s recommended that we get between 7-9 hours of sleep daily.
We learn in sequences. First there’s one followed by two and so on. Practice along with visualization and sleep stitches the pieces together to create a flowing seamless automation to the movement. The sleeping brain is able to solve complex problems finding then smoothing friction points in your motor skills.
During REM sleep
Athletes who train intensely are constantly encoding their motor neutrons. While sleeping the brain compares new input with stored input and begins to make connections. While sleeping they sculpt their memories of training by fine-tuning athletic performance. The result is a 20% – 30% increase in a skilled performance than the previous day with a good night’s sleep. This is also true of skill learning and memory outside of athletic performance.
On the other hand, people that get 6 hours of sleep or less decrease their time to physical exhaustion by up to 30%. That’s the equivalent of a fighter being exhausted in round 7 instead of round 10. Other negative effects of 6 hours of sleep or less is increased lactic acid buildup, decreased ability of the lungs to expire carbon dioxide and intake oxygen.
Practice doesn’t make perfect, Practice with a night of sleep makes perfect.
– Dr. Matthew Walker
Strategies for Gait Improvement
Improving gait involves conscious effort combined with targeted exercises. Strengthening and stretching muscles in the legs, hips, and back (illiopsoas and erector spinae muscles) are crucial. Using equipment like treadmills for controlled, whole-foot movement can further refine gait mechanics.
Incorporating music into training routines can enhance gait improvement by stimulating the brain’s reward and motor-coordination systems, promoting rhythmic synchronization and increased motivation. Additionally, adequate sleep significantly boosts motor learning and performance refinement, highlighting the role of rest in gait improvement.
Lastly, PRACTICE!!! As gait and martial arts posture improve, the body will begin to flow effortlessly from Kamae to Kamae with power, speed, and grace.
Conclusion
Understanding and perfecting gait is essential for anyone, particularly martial artists and athletes aiming for peak performance. A comprehensive grasp of gait mechanics not only enhances movement efficiency and injury prevention but also contributes to overall health and well-being. Consistent attention to gait, posture, and alignment, combined with targeted training and lifestyle adjustments, offers significant performance advantages. For another leve of gait dynamics, biomechanics resources and professional assessments are highly recommended.
