Heel-to-Toe Walk

The heel-to-toe walk is a bodyweight balance drill. You walk a straight line so that the heel of your front foot touches the toes of your back foot. It mainly trains the ankle and hip stabilizers, with help from your core and calves to keep you upright.

Stand tall with your feet together and your arms relaxed at your sides or slightly out for balance. Pick a straight line on the floor or imagine one in front of you. If balance feels shaky, set up next to a wall or counter you can reach for support.

Step forward and place your heel directly in front of the toes of your back foot so they touch. Keep your eyes looking straight ahead, not down at your feet. Take short, controlled steps, landing each foot on the line, then repeat for the prescribed distance or reps.

Breathe normally and keep your ribs stacked over your hips as if you are standing tall. To make it easier, take slightly wider steps or keep one hand on the wall. To make it harder, slow down each step or reach your arms overhead.

Fault: Looking down at your feet while walking. Fix: Keep your eyes forward and trust your peripheral vision to feel where your feet land.

Fault: The front heel misses the back toes or drifts off the line. Fix: Shorten your steps and focus on placing each heel directly in front of the opposite foot's toes.

Fault: Rushing through the steps and losing balance. Fix: Slow down, use a wall or counter for support, and only speed up once you can stay steady.