How to Walk With Power

Robert Odell is the assistant director of a Memphis finishing academy that offers premier charm, etiquette, and modeling instruction.

A Premier Instructor

Carolyn Yancy, a first-rate charm, etiquette, and modeling instructor with over 20 years of experience, teaches the method of "walking with power. "

Yancy's technique of "walking with power" can help you to:

• Walk and get noticed
• Get noticed after you have stopped walking
• Walk a runway (for those who want to model)

Walk in and Get Noticed

Carolyn Yancy states it is essential for aspiring individuals to get noticed as soon as they walk into the room.

Many people with equal qualifications and talents compete for positions and jobs daily.

Walking into a room with power will get you noticed and prevent you from just blending in with the crowd.

Stand Properly

The first step is to stand correctly. Ms. Carolyn begins with what is called "The Right Model's Stance."

According to Ms. Carolyn, "The Right Model's Stance" consists of these steps:

• Ground the right foot
• Prop the left foot

The left foot is the one that will move first when you start to "walk with power." The propped foot, aka left foot, is the lead foot. The lead foot moves first.

The model's stance looks elegant. While standing, always use the model's posture. When standing in line at the bank, in the grocery store, or waiting in line anywhere, always use the model's stance.

The Model's Stance

Flex Your Knees

Once in "The Right Model's Stance," the next step is to flex your knees. Bending your knees allows blood to flow to the top of your head. In contrast, locking your knees can keep blood from flowing to the top of your head. If you find yourself standing for an extended period, avoid locking your knees because it can cause fainting.

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Pull in Your Stomach

Pull in your stomach after flexing your knees. Ms. Carolyn teaches that tightening your stomach helps to achieve a posture that is not slouchy.

Roll Your Shoulders Back

Once your stomach is pulled in, roll your shoulders back. According to Ms. Carolyn, women who roll their shoulders back may never need to have a breast lift. She teaches that, for women, rolling the shoulders back gives an instant "boob job."

Men Also Benefit

Men also benefit from rolling their shoulders back. Men who roll their shoulders back produce an air of confidence, good self-esteem, and healthy posture.

Relax Your Arms

After rolling your shoulders back, your arms must be relaxed to keep you from looking tense and stiff.

Squeeze the Nickel

"Squeeze the nickel" means to stand as if squeezing an imaginary nickel between your buns.

Carolyn Yancy feels that a woman should not "be bouncing along like a bowl of jello." When she "squeezes the nickel" her bottom remains firm.

Level the Book

"Level the book" means acting like you have a book on top of your head at all times.

Standing as if there is a book on top of your head produces a look of dignity.

"Leveling the book" alleviates walking in a low-spirited way or as if looking for something on the ground.

However, the head should not be held back excessively high because that would portray an image of arrogance.

Before Walking

Before walking, you should:

• Get into the right model's stance.
• Flex your knees.
• Pull in your stomach.
• Roll your shoulders back.
• Relax your arms.
• Squeeze the nickel.
• Level the book.

The Lead Foot Moves First

Remember that in "The Right Model's Stance," the grounded foot (right foot) goes nowhere until the left foot moves.

In "The Right Model's Stance":

You ground the right foot.

• The left foot is the one that moves first.
• The propped foot, aka the left foot, is the lead foot.
• The lead foot always moves first.

Walking with Power

"Walking with power" produces proper self-esteem and portrays an air of confidence.

You "walk with power" when you:

• Start with your lead foot. (This gives a graceful gate).
• Step out with the balls of your feet first, and then your heels go down.
• Walk with proper posture.
• Walk as if trying to prevent crushing eggshells that are all around on the floor.
• After stopping, get back into the elegant model's stance.

The Left Model's Stance

You can also "walk with power" by starting from "The Left Model's Stance."

"The Left Model's Stance" means:

• You ground the left foot.
• Have the right foot propped and ready to go.
• The right foot is the lead foot.

Positive Attention

People who use "walking with power " often receive positive and healthy attention.

The technique of "walking with power" produces:

• Genuine self-assurance
• Walking with the best posture

For the Runway

Ms. Carolyn shows how "walking with power" is used to walk like a model on the runway, also known as the catwalk. To walk on the catwalk, you start by getting into one of the model's stances.

If you want to use the right model's stance on the runway:

• Ground the right foot
• Prop the left foot
• The left foot will be your lead foot.

If you prefer to use the left model's stance on the runway:

• Ground the left foot
• Prop the right foot
• The right foot will be your lead foot.

The Catwalk

The catwalk is the platform that extends into an auditorium, and models walk to display clothes in fashion shows. While walking on the catwalk or runway, many female models do the angle walk.

The angle walk begins by getting into one of the model's stances.

As you step off with your lead foot:

• Pretend that there is an imaginary line on the runway.
• One foot goes on one side of the line.
• The other foot crosses over to the other side of the line.
• You will walk in a sort of crisscross movement.
• After stopping, pose in one of the model's stances.

Walking the Catwalk

Used on the Runway

The Angle Walk

The Technique

While standing in the model's stance position:

• Flex your knees.
• Pull in your stomach.
• Roll your shoulders back.
• Relax your arms.
• "Squeeze the nickel."
• "Level the book."

Before Walking:

• Have a grounded foot
• Have a lead foot

While Walking:

• Walk with good posture (do not slouch)
• Walk as if trying not to crush eggshells
• Place the balls of the feet down first
• Heels of the feet go last

Stand out Positively

Needed in Public Schools

The benefits of "walking with power" are a part of the social graces and manners curriculum taught in many charm and etiquette courses. There is a concerted effort to incorporate charm, etiquette, and social graces and manners into the public school system. Until that happens, various workshops and summer camps throughout the United States teach young people excellent life skills and the proper way to walk and stand.

© 2015 Robert Odell Jr

Comments

Robert Odell Jr (author) from Memphis, Tennessee on December 29, 2018:

Thank you. "Walking with power" and other techniques taught through charm and etiquette can be life changing. I am so glad that you enjoyed the article.

Lynn H Johnson from New York on December 29, 2018:

I just wanted to stop

in and tell you how much I enjoyed this article. I always tell my daughter . Walk into a room as if you own it ! Walking with confidence will always put you a step ahead .