← EXERCISE LIBRARYBalance
Tandem Walk
Walking heel-to-toe in a straight line under control. Trains the weight transfer and lateral hip control needed for narrow-base walking such as turning in a hallway.
- 01Choose a clear stretch of hallway or a wall you can trail one hand along for the full distance.
- 02Place one foot directly in front of the other so the heel touches the toes of the trailing foot.
- 03Step the back foot through to the front, again heel to toes, pausing a second on each step.
- 04Walk ten steps forward, turn around holding the wall, and repeat for three passes.
- 05Regression: walk with the feet on two parallel lines about four inches apart, one hand on the wall the whole way.
- 06Progression: walk the line with the arms folded, then add a slow count backward from thirty out loud.
- 01One hand trailing the wall — light contact, not a grip.
- 02Plant the whole foot before you unload the back one.
- 03Look ahead down the hallway, not at the floor.
- 01Practising in the middle of a room — there is nothing to catch when a step goes wrong.
- 02Rushing the steps — speed hides the balance deficit rather than training it.
- 03Widening the feet without noticing — the base gets bigger and the drill quietly becomes normal walking.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.