Exclusive | I found out Ive been walking wrong my whole life this scientists method can improve your BMI, posture and even mood

It’s the easiest exercise in the book — but chances are, you’re walking wrong.That’s according to sports scientist Joanna Hall, who told The Post that most people unknowingly sabotage their bodies and fitness goals every time they hit the pavement.Determined to help, Hall developed WalkActive, a science-backed method that promises to turn a basic stroll into a full-body tune up, improving posture, joint health and overall well-being.Already a hit across the pond, WalkActive recently launched in the US.Curious about the buzz, I laced up my sneakers to see if Hall could teach me to walk smarter (not harder) in just two weeks.When Hall first told me she could improve the way I walk, I was skeptical.

As a New Yorker without a car, I easily rack up over 10,000 steps a day.How bad could my gait really be?But the moment I saw her glide down a crowded street — head high, shoulders back, and stride confident and smooth — my usual sidewalk shuffle suddenly didn’t seem so sharp.“Anybody and everybody can walk better,” Hall told me as we took our first lap.

She quickly noticed that I was guilty of the same four mistakes most people make while walking.First off: my hip flexors were doing all the heavy lifting.“These muscles are like the bullies on the playground,” Hall explained.“We’ve trained them to take us forward, but what we really want is to engage our posterior chain” — the muscles running from the upper back down to the calves.By overusing my hip flexors and neglecting my glutes and abs, I was unknowingly creating a stiff, robotic walk that shortened my stride and strained my lower back.

Worse, studies suggest this imbalance can limit how far you’re able to walk.Next, I was landing flat-footed, relying on what Hall calls a “passive foot strike.”“Wherever we have a joint, we’re meant to have movement,” she said.“When we walk incorrectly — by using a passive foot strike and overusing our hip flexors — we compromise our ab...