The Mechanics of Movement

This article is a continuation of Part 1, The Rhythm of Movement. Here, we go over what physically happens when taking that first step.

The Gate Cycle

When we talk about the gait cycle, we’re essentially describing a full rhythmic cycle of walking. Marching is a highly disciplined and stylized form of walking, so when marching, the gait cycle is more pronounced and controlled.

Let’s break down the gait cycle of a person marching, starting from the command “Forward, MARCH!”

The gait cycle is traditionally defined as the sequence of events that occurs from the moment one foot contacts the marching surface to the moment the same foot contacts the marching surface again. It has two main phases: the Stance Phase (when the foot is completely on the marching surface) and the Swing Phase (when the foot is in the air).

Please read Part 1 to understand anacrusis, crusis, and metacrusis.

The First Step: “Forward, MARCH!”

1. The Command: “Forward, MARCH!”
   • This is the anacrusis of the entire movement. It’s the verbal cue that initiates the action. The body is in a state of readiness, and the energy is building.
2. The Preparatory Movement (Initial Anacrusis):
   • For “Forward March”, the first step is taken with the left foot.
   • The anacrusis here is the shift of weight to the right (standing) leg and a subtle lift of the left heel and ball of the foot.
   • The body’s center of balance shifts, and the muscles in the left leg are loaded and ready to propel the limb forward.
3. The Crúsis (The Swing Phase, Heel Strike, and Stance Phases of the First Step):
   • Swing Phase: The left leg is lifted and swings forward with a straight knee and a rigid foot that is lifted just enough to clear the marching surface. This is a very specific, controlled swing motion, unlike natural walking. The goal is to have a uniform, synchronized movement with others.
     • When the left foot leaves the marching surface for the first time, you must transition it from pointing off to the left 22.5 degrees to pointing straight forward as the heel strikes the marching surface. The same transition happens for the right foot when the time comes.
   • The Heel Strike: This is the “downbeat” of the first step.
   • Stance Phase (The Impact): A split second after the left heel makes contact with the marching surface, the body’s weight is transferred to this foot as it rolls forward to momentarily flat. This is the crusis in its truest sense—the main accent, the moment of impact and stability.
4. The Metácrusis (The Follow-through and Transition):
   • The left foot is now firmly on the marching surface, and the body’s weight is over it.
   • The right leg, which was the standing leg, now begins its own anacrusis. It starts to lift from the marching surface in preparation for its forward swing.
   • This follow-through movement sets the stage for the next cycle, maintaining the tempo and rhythm established by the first step.

Subsequent Steps (The Full Gait Cycle)

From this point on, a continuous gait cycle is established, alternating between the left and right legs.

• Left Foot Stance Phase:
  • Initial Contact: Left heel strikes the marching surface (the crusis).
  • Loading Response: Body weight shifts onto the left foot. The right foot is still on the marching surface for a moment (double limb support).
  • Midstance: The body’s center of balance passes directly over the left foot. The right foot is now completely in the air.
  • Terminal Stance: The left heel begins to lift from the marching surface as the body propels forward.
  • Pre-Swing: The right foot makes contact with the marching surface, and the left foot begins to leave the marching surface. This is the anacrusis for the next step.
• Left Foot Swing Phase:
  • Initial Swing: The left foot is off the marching surface and accelerates forward.
  • Mid-Swing: The left leg is moving forward and passes the right leg.
  • Terminal Swing: The left leg decelerates and extends, preparing for the next heel strike.

16^th Notes – Breaking Down Movement

Your approach of breaking down the first step into musical counts of 16th notes is an excellent way to synchronize the movement. However, the gait cycle doesn’t align perfectly with the standard musical counts so, I altered the explanation to help aid in the application of this theory.

Let’s re-align the gait cycle phases with the 16th-note counts, using “1” as the heel strike, which is your anchor point.

To have this apply to taking the first step, we need to start before the first count. That means after “Forward, MARCH!” the counts would be “e-&-a”. However, counting at a service tempo of 116 or 120 beats per minute is very fast and would be difficult to master in it’s application in the field since this is too much detail for the team, but enough detail of the process to understand before heading out to teach or even judge. The best way to use this counting method is to just use “&” as in “& 1” and understanding what happens just before and after the “&” and just before count “1”.

The Count Explanation

Count	Gait Cycle Phase	Action
Start	Pre-swing	The standing (right) leg begins to take the body’s weight as you push down on the heel, allowing the stepping (left) leg to become unweighted. The left heel lifts imperceptibly off the ground.
“e”	Initial swing	The left heel lifts and the leg begins its forward swing, accelerating off the marching surface.
“&”	Mid-swing	The left leg swings forward, passing the right leg.
“a”	Terminal swing	The left leg extends and decelerates, preparing for heel strike.
“1”	Initial Contact	The left heel strikes the marching surface, fulfilling the crusis.

The key takeaway is that the swing phase itself is a fluid, continuous motion, but for the purpose of drill, we can break it down into these four 16th-note segments, with the heel strike (“1”) serving as the definitive downbeat and rhythmic anchor.

The Different Applications of Drill

For the US military, we learn Regulation Drill to march from point A to point B and handle most regularly occurring ceremonies. We have Ceremonial Drill that is performed by ceremonial units in DC and each installation for funerals, and high-level government ceremonies. Lastly, we have Exhibition Drill that is based in Regulation Drill and, because it is for entertainment, goes off in different directions (service drill teams, scholastic, and independent) with the imagination of the individual(s) concerned.

Both Ceremonial and Regulation Drill require smooth and not abrupt, surprising movement. Exhibition Drill is where abrupt movement can be very effective. While the information in this and the previous articles, which were specifically designed to explain smooth movement for Ceremonial and Regulation Drill, you can essentially export the concepts and with some imagination create variations of taking the first step that can entertain your audience.

Wrap-Up

This entire sequence—from the left foot’s heel striking the marching surface, to the left foot’s next heel strike—constitutes one complete gait cycle. The “Forward March” command sets the rhythm, and the body executes the movement in a precise, repeated cycle, a beautiful and complex example of anacrusis, crusis, and metacrusis in action.