Standing and walking with presence

How you stand and walk is the first thing people notice, before you say a word. Good posture also protects your back.

Standing: Debrett's TIGER method

• T: Tauten (gently tighten) your stomach muscles.
• I: Inhale slowly into your stomach rather than lifting your shoulders.
• G: Grow tall, as if a string is pulling the top of your head upward, with feet firmly on the ground.
• E: Equalise your weight on both feet. Leaning on one leg looks unsteady.
• R: Relax your arms at your sides, or bend your elbows and keep your hands loosely in front of you.
• NHS physiotherapists add: feet hip-width apart, knees very slightly bent, hips and shoulders lined up over your knees.

Walking

• Look ahead (Debrett's suggests about 20 feet in front), not at your feet.
• Keep your shoulders back and swing your arms gently from the shoulder.
• Walk at a steady pace; very slow walking or stopping suddenly blocks people behind you.
• Walk at most two side by side on a busy pavement; go single file in crowds.
• Keep to the side local people use; customs differ between countries, so follow the local flow.

Phones and walking

• Looking at a screen while walking, especially with headphones, can cause accidents and block other people.
• A 2013 Ohio State University study found US emergency visits for phone-related pedestrian injuries rose from about 560 in 2004 to about 1,500 in 2010, and young people aged 16 to 25 had the most injuries.
• Step to the side and stop if you need to read or type.
• Do not hold loud phone calls in the street; stay aware of your surroundings.

Health bonus

• Secondary school students can sit up to 5 hours a day at desks (NHS East Lancashire). Standing and walking well balances this.
• Carry a school bag on both shoulders, under 10% of your body weight, with straps tight.