Walking
Well
A New Approach for Comfort, Vitality, and Inspiration
in Every Step.
Walking Well
The Book
There is an easy, more natural way to walk, and we are passionate about helping as many people as possible learn how to walk more comfortably. Once walking gets easier, every step generates more energy, and with more energy comes more inspiration.
Walking is a quintessentially human experience. It can be a way of experiencing a strong sense of being alive in the world. We don’t take walking for granted. We are grateful to be able to walk in relative safety and we are devoted to bringing about a world where everyone can enjoy this freedom. If we are fortunate enough to be able to walk, safely and freely, then regardless of our religion, nationality, race, age, gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic background, let’s walk together! Let’s walk together in comfort, in kindness, with vitality, with dignity, with purpose, and in peace. Let’s walk well.
Walking Well
Testimonials
This is an absolutely brilliant work that integrates a huge amount of spiritual, scientific, cultural, and, most importantly, practical information.
Gelb and Fertman unlock the profound mental and physical benefits of mindful walking, merging ancient wisdom with modern science. This book isn’t just about improving your stride; it’s about enhancing every aspect of your life by tapping into the natural rhythm of your body
Going beyond conventional understanding, Gelb and Fertman share an original approach, grounded in a practical understanding of biomechanics and living anatomy, to making every step more comfortable, energizing, and inspiring. This book will unlock the full potential of your walking life.
In Walking Well Bruce Fertman and Michael Gelb deliver a cornucopia of surprisingly effective, immediately applicable, practical wisdom. This original, compelling, and creative book will show you how to make every step more comfortable, energizing, and inspiring.
This is an important, page-turning book. I love the way the authors have integrated timely, timeless quotes, wisdom, and science with prescriptive how-tos and joyful first-person stories.
This book is like a walking prayer.
Walking Well has made me a better biped. It taught me how to best inhabit my body and how to move forward. I’d broken my foot stepping off a curb, and Walking Well made peace between me and the ground beneath my feet. The authors have written an enchanting, instructive, and stabilizing book. It’s terrific, vital, and effective.
Walking Well helped me to relearn a fundamental skill that’s been diminished by multiple surgeries over the past two years. This has improved my confidence and balance while offering me a pathway to more robust health. I especially love the animal imagery — so vivid and practical. A huge thank-you to the authors.
Walking Well is the key to living well. Bruce Fertman and Michael J. Gelb, themselves masters of a variety of somatic disciplines, have synthesized those disciplines into a beautifully written book that encourages us to look more deeply into the mysteries to be explored in walking.
The way we walk affects every element of who we are. We can uplift our moods, transform our feelings, and improve our thinking by changing the way we walk. In this truly original and transformational book, you’ll discover a surprising new approach that will help you feel more comfortable, connected, and inspired as you walk through life.
Walking Well
Online Course
In our Walking Well Live Online Course you’ll learn how to deepen your application of the lessons in the book. We will answer your questions and help you accelerate your learning. Course size is limited. Register now as this program will sell out quickly!
What you’ll get:
- 180-minute live class
- Access to Replays for a month
- Bonus 1: Inlets to the Soul – Recorded course with Bruce Fertman
- Bonus 2: Masters of Mind Mapping – Recorded course with Michael Gelb
About
Bruce Fertman
Bruce brings 60 years of training as a movement artist and educator to his work having trained in gymnastics, modern dance, ballet, contact improvisation, the Alexander Technique, Tai Chi Chu’an, Aikido, Chanoyu, (Japanese Tea Ceremony), Argentine Tango, and Kyudo (Zen Archery). He founded the Alexander Alliance in 1982, Grace of Sense in 2019, his online community-school, and the Walking Way in 2022, which offers 9-day Immersive Trainings in walking as a way of life both in Northern New Mexico and in the UK.
About
Michael Gelb
Michael J. Gelb is the author of 18 books including the international bestsellers How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci and BodyLearning. He is a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s MG100 group of executive leadership coaches. A fifth-degree black belt in Aikido, Michael is also a gifted teacher of Tai Chi and Qigong and is the originator of the acclaimed Super Qi Summit at The Omega Institute. He is also a professional juggler who performed with the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan.
Walking Well
Illustrations
We wrote Walking Well so that you can apply the lessons without illustrations. And, illustrations may help further enrich your understanding. We will be adding new illustrative material so please sign up for our newsletter so we can keep you informed when new pictures, videos and references are posted.
Illustrations
Walking
Receiving Support
Walking is not an action; it is an interaction. We can only interact and interrelate, no matter what we are doing. How can you interact with the ground to receive more support and power as you walk? Listen to this.
Feet First
Walking is instinctive and natural. How can we get out of the way and just let our bodies do what they know how to do? Here is the first step:
What Would Happen If…
Without noticing it, most adult humans do something with their feet that stiffens their ankles, tenses their legs, and causes their lower backs to tighten with every step, something other animals do not do. Find out what that is so that you too can stop doing it. It will change your walk forever, for the better.
Illustrations
Vitality
It Don’t Mean a Thing
if it Ain’t Got that Swing
Robyn Avalon is a great swing dancer and Alexander Technique teacher. She is also the Founder and Director of the Contemporary Alexander School. Here she shows how to rediscover your natural swing as you walk.
Calming Down & Waking Up
The Kinesthetic Questions practice will help you relax and revitalize. All you need is a half hour and a quiet space.
Subjective Vitality Scales
Positive psychology pioneer Richard Ryan developed the Subjective Vitality Scale. Learn more here:
Illustrations
Lying Down,
Sitting & Standing
Resting in Peace While You are Still Alive
Silvia naturally integrates eastern and western approaches to resting well. Listen to Silvia and learn how to rest deeply. Silva is both a yoga teacher and an Alexander Technique teacher living and practicing in Florence, Italy.
Perching
Galen is the perfect person to teach us how to perch on a chair the way this child is perching upon his Dad’s shoulders. She is Professor Emerita of Architecture at the University of California at Berkeley and a founding member of the Association for Body Conscious Design. She wrote a book entitled, The Chair. She knows how to design them and how to sit on them!
We Don’t Stand On Our Own Two Feet. We Stand On The Ground.
Standing on your own two feet connotes the commonsense advice to develop the wherewithal to support yourself through your own initiatives, without inappropriate dependence on anyone else. But when it comes to actual physiological standing, it is impossible. We cannot stand without support from the ground.
Illustrations
Breathing
Breathe Like an Enlightened Master
Monks who have been meditating 8 hours per day for 30 years breathe in for 5.5 seconds and breathe out for 5.5 seconds. If you’d like to experience the inner state of peace and calm of an advanced meditator then explore Coherent Breathing.
The Art of Breathing
Each breath is like a wave in the ocean. We don’t have to make the waves. There is always another one coming. Enjoy this video made by a Disney animator and narrated by Jessica Wolf, Alexander Technique teacher, professor Emerita at the Yale School of Drama, creator of the Art of Breathing.
Horsing Around
Breathe through your nose 24/7. Mouth breathing is inefficient and detrimental to our health and well being. To be able to breathe well through our noses, it helps to know how to open our nasal passages. Horses are great at flaring their nostrils. So, let’s horse around.
Illustrations
Inspiration
How To Think Like Leonardo DaVinci
Renowned as history’s greatest all around genius, Leonardo Da Vinci generated many of his ideas while walking in nature. In addition to painting the Last Supper and The Mona LIsa he also invented the pedometer! In this video you’ll gain insight in the principles that guided his process of inspiration.
Mind Mapping PDF
Mind Mapping is one of the 7 Habits of Highly Creative Walkers. This PDF guides you how to do it, step by step.
The Healing Organization
We are inspired to make a difference by helping organizations cultivate a higher purpose.