Subway grates, uneven cement, killer curbs. As any woman who has navigated New York’s streets in sky-high stilettos can tell you: Walking in high heels is hard work. Victor Chu wants to help. He has launched a class called “How To Walk in High Heels New York City” at an NYC dance studio where he is determined to teach women the rudimentary skills of walking in heels.
For $50, the former shoe designer for Reebok and Ugg, will teach women how to walk correctly in stilettos. “Ninety-five percent of women don’t know how to walk in high heels,” Chu told the New York Post. The hour-long class – the first of its kind according to Chu – was designed to teach women in a group workshop format how to navigate tricky terrain and to walk heel-to-toe, engage abs, take long strides, relax hips and knees and remember to stretch calves and ankles to avoid cramping up, all while pitched forward on their heels.
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“Women think heels are sexy because men think they’re sexy,” Chu said. “But you see women wear this pained expression and shuffle. I’ve seen guys giggle at them — it’s not sexy. Bottom line is, you need to be fit to walk in heels with stability.” Chu recommends that stiletto owners practice walking in their shoes before hitting the city streets. He also doesn’t recommend the sky-high heels that appear in fashion magazines and on runways. “Most women do not want to hear this, but anything above 3 inches is really, really dangerous,” says Chu. While Chu says he has never worn heels himself, his expertise in the field stems from his time as a shoe designer as well as from devising a high-heel fitness routine called Legworks.
According to a recent study released by the UK’s College of Podiatry, serious foot pain kicks in for most women after wearing high heels for one hour and six minutes.
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