Why Wiggle?

FTU Walkers, demonstrating the wiggle

A few years ago, when the Foot Traffic University walkers were hitting the 8-mile mark of the half-marathon training, it became clear that people were tired and sore. Let’s face it, a flat half-marathon is a repetitive-stress injury waiting to happen. We needed ways to mix it up. So, as the then-coach, I began teaching the walkers ideas about getting out of their thoughts and into their bodies. I’ll blog in more detail about that concept, but for now let’s just say that on that day in 2007, we distilled it all down to one word.

Wiggle!

And, from there we talked about wiggling our way across the finish line. Truly, when your hips are still, you’ll feel the work of walking in your hip joints and you’ll be plenty sore. Or, the force will be displaced to your knees or ankles, or low back. Who knows? The way stress shows up in your body will be unique to you and your past history.

You need the wiggle to help your upper body be connected to your lower body. You need the wiggle to keep reminding yourself to keep it loose. You need the wiggle to shift the weight on your feet and to use your whole self.

When I began writing a training manual and a book, I decided to call the book, Get A Wiggle On because I remember my mother herding her four children with her to the grocery store, to the strawberry field, to our grandparents house. Always, we’d be lolly-gagging along, and she’d often lose her patience and urge us to “get a wiggle on.” It was her way to get us to hurry.

Mom, this wiggle is for you . . . and now, to the walk.