Today’s article brought up two questions. A
link on the Around Town section of NBC’s local Washington, DC news site about walking lessons
led to an article in the New York Times about walking lessons... in New York City. While some local residents may be interested in taking or offering walking lessons after reading the article, it seemed a little odd to include an article about a class in New York City in a section about the DC area.
The linked article explored walking lessons
in yoga classes offered by Jonathan FitzGordon at Yoga Center of Brooklyn. They sound similar to the classes by Amy Matthews at the
Breathing Project referenced in
an article seven months ago in New York Magazine about walking barefoot. Unlike this earlier article, the New York Times article does not mention one of the most obvious culprits for bad posture and walking-related health problems: shoes. More specifically, shoes that are known to destroy people’s bodies, such as high-heeled pumps.
I thought this was particularly interesting since the picture on NBC’s site for the article includes four women in what could be a dance studio, three of whom appear to be wearing three to four inch heels.
Would you take walking lessons to allow you to continue to wear uncomfortable shoes, or would you switch shoes first? Do you think FitzGordon didn’t mention shoes because he figured it would be easier to get New Yorkers to take lessons without having to convince them to give up their heels?
And, do you think “local” articles should always refer to things happening in and around DC, or is it okay to have one that’s actually for New York City?
2 comments:
The article in the NYT wasn't about walking in Yoga Classes but about a walking program created in 2004 by me, Jonathan FitzGordon (www.fitzgordonmethod.com). The article doesn't refer to shoes because writers write what they need to write to get a good article, and I have to say she represented me quite well.
Regarding shoes and other hindrances to walking- it doesn't seem my job to tell people to go barefoot. If a model that works in five in heels to make a living, I teach her how to walk well and care for herself due to the difficulty of our profession.
Shoes don't prevent people from walking well, not knowing how we are supposed to walk does that. Not to be snarky but when a baby stands up to take his/her first step, no one tells him how to do it, they just clap and leave him to figure it out for him/herself. And then they usually imitate their parents who were never taught how to walk either.
Jonathan -- Thank you for the correction and for providing more information! You make a very good point about professionals who are required to wear certain footwear.
Just to clarify, when you say "The article doesn't refer to shoes because writers write what they need to write to get a good article," do you mean to imply you mentioned shoes and Sara Eckel, the reporter, didn't include your comments on that particular topic?
Also, when you say "shoes don't prevent people from walking well," do you mean that shoes are not the primary reason people don't walk well, or that shoes have no affect on how people walk at all?
-Chris
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