Sideways Walking (Patreon)

To the left, to the left, to the right, to the right

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In this video, I lean my trunk to the side to propel movement, relying more on peripheral vision and Wayfinding than direct visual perception.

Using gravity, I take a controlled fall to the side while swinging my arms to generate rotational momentum, setting up the next step. As I change direction, I balance on one leg momentarily, allowing my trunk to guide the fall in the opposite direction.

As I speed up, I use a "split step" to quicken up my direction changes. By hopping and stomping in the intended direction, I am shortening the time it takes me to fall and eliminating the need to balance on one leg. This stomp generates ground reaction force—a phenomenon where the ground pushes back against me—helping propel me into the next step. Not only is this a quicker way to change direction, but it also mitigates shear force on my balancing knee.

– Sam