Why Gait Is the Foundation of Everything

Humans are bipedal organisms.

The fact that humans walk upright should determine the way in which we train, and in most gyms it doesn't.

Human movement patterns, especially walking, running, and throwing, have shaped our

evolution and form the foundation for all other activities. This is why FP principles focus on standing in a neutral position, walking, running, and throwing.

Training gait promotes alignment, resilience, and strength, while traditional methods often undermine these qualities. Sports injuries are rising, and hip and knee replacements are increasingly common among those who just train to be healthy.

How asymmetry compounds into injury

The process is straightforward: conventional training introduces and reinforces asymmetry, causing misalignment that worsens over time.

As weight increases, compensations often lead to problems. The body may adjust hip or rib positions to move the load, but adding weight to a compromised structure accelerates breakdown rather than building strength.

In bodybuilding, especially with performance-enhancing drugs, athletes may develop muscle capacity that exceeds the supporting tissues' integrity. This often results in tendon ruptures, such as the latissimus tendon tearing at its insertion, where tissue fails before the load does.

Most people do not train at such high intensities, but the same principle applies at lower loads over time, often resulting in “joint wear” or “too much mileage” years later.

What training gait actually looks like

Gait training is not simply treadmill work; it involves integrated movement.

Each exercise is designed to replicate the body's reciprocal movement during walking,

emphasizing the opposite relationship between the upper and lower body. For example, a row is paired with a backward step, and a cable press with a forward step. The limbs move in opposition, as they do in natural gait.

Various tools can be used, such as kettlebells, maces, dumbbells, and cables. The key is

whether the movement replicates the reciprocal pattern. Training one muscle at a time does not reflect how the body functions in practice.

All training is based on the four Functional Patterns principles: standing neutral, walking,

running, and throwing. These patterns organize both human structure and the training

approach.

What clients feel, and when

Clients often notice immediate effects after one set, commonly describing a sense of improved alignment, feeling lighter, or feeling taller.

While this sensation is genuine, lasting change requires time. The body must develop tension and sensitivity to maintain new alignment. Correcting long-standing asymmetries demands consistent, repeated effort.

The immediate improvement is only a preview; lasting change must be earned through ongoing effort.

The hardest thing to change is mindset

For those with years of traditional gym experience, the most challenging habit to change is mental, not physical.

The challenge lies in redefining strength and moving away from the belief that training should focus on individual muscles for appearance. Having trained for aesthetics myself, I understand this mindset.

The shift occurs when you view the body as interconnected through myofascial slings, as

described by Tom Myers in Anatomy Trains. Recognizing this structure makes isolating

individual muscles less logical.

The true barrier is not learning new movements, but being willing to reconsider the purpose of training.