Walk Silently

Ever wish you could walk through a forest without being heard, or sneak up on someone without giving yourself away? Walking silently is an art that takes a little time to master. See Step one and beyond to learn more about how to move without making a sound.

Steps

Moving Carefully

  1. Watch where you walk. Moving soundlessly is much more difficult when you're walking on crunchy gravel and leaves than it is when you're moving over soft grass or dirt. To walk silently, assess the terrain and determine which path is the quietest. Whether you're indoors or outdoors, you can consciously walk over materials that help you move silently instead of creating extra noise.
    • If you're walking through the woods or in another outdoor area, try to walk on soft grass or dirt. Walk on wet leaves instead of dry, crunchy ones.
    • When walking outdoors, look for rocks or roots, as they won't crunch like leaves or twigs. Slowly put your weight onto the rock or root to be sure it won't shift or make noise. Once you are certain, put the rest of your weight down.
    • In a city setting, avoid wooden walkways, graveled areas, cobblestones, and other materials that tend to make noise.
    • Indoors, walk on carpeting whenever possible.
    • When climbing items trees and cliffs, be mindful of where your foot lands. Try to place your toes and the front padding of the foot in between branches and on crevices of the cliff. If you are forced to step in the middle of a branch or push up the side of the cliff, do it slowly and proceed with caution. A little force may dislodge a shower of debris or break a twig alerting watchers.
  2. Notice your surroundings. The space you move through is as likely to create sound as the path under your feet. When you want to walk silently, it's important to stay very aware of your surroundings so that you avoid touching anything that could give you away.
    • Avoid twigs and branches that could snag on your clothes and snap.
    • Avoid gates and fences that could squeak or creak.
    • Avoid brushing against piles of clutter and rustling fabrics.
  3. Move close to the ground. Walk in a slightly crouched position, engaging all of your muscles as you move. This lightens the amount of force that hits the ground each time you make contact, enabling you to move much more quietly. Keep your body compact, and distribute your weight evenly so you don't clunk your feet noisily against the ground.
  4. Walk heel to toe. Place the heel of your foot down first and roll your foot slowly and gently toward your toes onto the ground. As you walk, rotate your hips slightly to make your steps even more controlled. Walk on the outer edge of your shoes if possible.
    • If you need to move swiftly, keep low to the ground and run using the same heel-to-toe strike.
    • When you're moving backwards, place the ball of your foot on the ground first, then lower your heel to the ground.
    • Running on the balls of one's feet can help with speed and quietness, but be careful; this requires more strength in the feet and lower legs, and greater flexibility in the ankle and foot joints. It also requires a better balance than normal movement, and creates a greater impression on softer surfaces (due to the weight being spread over a decreased surface area).
    • Land softly. Running or jumping silently is difficult, but it's possible if you master the art of landing quietly. Land in a crouched, balanced position without striking the ground too hard.
  5. Keep your arms close. Try not to use your hands and arms by balancing yourself on walls and such, because you could knock something over and give away your presence. Instead, hold them out in a position that makes you feel comfortable and balanced.
  6. Transfer most of your weight and pressure away from your feet. Of course, you can't transfer all of your weight and pressure. Although it can't be demonstrated, theoretically, it could be described as feeling empty feet (but not numb) and feeling a pressurized head. Transferring your weight and pressure to your head might make you self-conscious of your surroundings, building up alertness. This is useful for multiple things, but primarily jumping. If there is a thick spread of dry leaves, you would need to jump. When jumping, aim for a clear spot that is not wet (e.g. puddle) and not covered with dry foliage (e.g. dry leaves or grass). Land with your toes and the front of your feet. Wearing sneakers work best as the rubber will smooth out the noise.

Wearing the Right Gear

  1. Wear soft footwear. The harder your footwear, the louder the noise. The best type of footwear is socks or leather moccasins, but form-fitting boots or sneakers also work well. Avoid hard-soled boots, shoes with heels or tough soles, and shoes that are difficult to walk in. Comfortable, soft shoes are the way to go.
    • Sweaty socks can make noise when you walk. If you sweat too much in your socks, wear a double pair of socks to mask the sound.
    • Walking in bare feet can be the quietest way to move, but it can also be the loudest - if you step on a sharp object and exclaim in pain, giving yourself away. Plus, if your feet are sweaty, they might stick to the coating on the floor and make a "stripping" sound. It is possible to avoid making this sound by decreasing contact with the floor and walking on the outside edges of the balls of your feet, but be careful, as this requires greater strength and balance. Decide whether going barefoot is the wisest choice for the environment you're moving through.
    • Make sure your footwear is completely dry; not only can it squeak, but damp spots on the floor can alert someone to your presence. When these damp footprints dry, they can leave obvious "clean prints" in the shape of your shoes, especially on surfaces like concrete.
  2. Be sure your footwear fits snugly. If your foot slides at all in your footwear, it can produce a squeaking noise, especially if your feet are sweaty. If you are wearing shoes with shoelaces, tuck the laces into your shoe. If you don't, they may click against the shoe or the floor as you walk.
  3. Wear sparse, tight clothing. Loose pants can rub against your legs when you're walking, making a rustling sound. Wearing tight pants can minimize this possibility. Wearing very soft clothing, light cotton sweatpants, will also keep noise to a minimum.
    • Tuck your shirt into your pants, and tuck your pant legs into your shoes or socks. This will prevent them from flapping around.
    • Shorts are more prone to moving around and making noise than pants, and you can't tuck shorts into your socks. If you must wear shorts, try tying a piece of string or elastic around them at your knees, but not so tightly that you will cut off circulation.

Keeping Quiet

  1. Prepare your body. If you have time to prepare before you're in a situation in which you need to walk quietly, taking small measures can help you make fewer sounds when you walk. For example,
    • Stretch before you try to move silently. It is common that your joints and bones will click when you first exert them, so stretching before you're in the thick of the moment is a good idea. Stretching will make you feel looser and stop anything clicking and giving away your presence.
    • Don't go on an empty stomach, but don't have a huge feast either. Your body actually gets heavier after you eat, and therefore, louder.
    • Go to the bathroom before you attempt walking silently.
  2. Breathe steadily. You might be tempted to hold your breath, but it's better to take slow and measured breaths from the nose. That way, you won't risk inhaling or exhaling too loudly when you need air. If you're congested, open your mouth wide and take deep, controlled breaths.
    • You may feel your breath quicken as adrenaline moves through your body. If that happens, pause, catch your breath, and take a few deep, calming breaths to ease your anxiety. Make sure you're breathing normally again before you continue.
  3. Match the cadence of another's gait. If you're following someone, you can hide the sound of your steps by walking in time with him or her. As the person steps with his or her left foot, you use your left foot, and repeat with the right foot. This will help mask any noise your feet may make.
    • Be careful not to get carried away when you're matching someone's gait - it's still important to use the proper technique for walking silently. Otherwise, if the person stops abruptly and you keep walking, you'll be caught.
  4. Blend with your surroundings. If you are moving through a wooded area where dry twigs, brush, dense jungle or leaves will make absolute silence impossible, move in small, erratic increments and pause: don't move in a steady plodding, marching, pounding rhythm.
    • Mimic the sounds around you. For example, a forest might be filled with the sound of small animals foraging. They typically move a short distance, pause to sniff for food or predators, and continue to move a short distance.
    • Capitalize on any other sources of noise (gusts of wind, other animal movement, passing traffic) to suppress or camouflage sound.
  5. Be still when necessary. If your aim is to have the ability to move through terrain without making a sound, sometimes you'll see the need to be still. Stand still and observe your surroundings before moving forward. Take as much time as you need to notice the objects around you that could trip you up and give you away.
    • If you're following someone or trying not to be seen, there will be moments when you'll have to practice extreme patience. Be still and wait for the person to pass, or for the tension of the situation to dissipate, before moving forward.

Tips

  • Though not noise-related, if you are walking up directly behind someone, be mindful of the shadow you cast. If there is a light-source behind you, your shadow will precede you, and be perceived instinctively by the subject. Using a crouched walking position will greatly minimize this risk.
  • When walking through a house with wood floors, stick close to the wall to minimize creaking floorboards. The same is true for staircases.
  • When opening doors, apply pressure upwards on the handle to avoid squeaks. Also turn the handle so the bolt is completely withdrawn before applying any pressure to the door. Keep the handle pushed down while passing through the door, close the door, push it against the frame so the bolt will fit without snapping, then quietly release the handle.
  • Do not settle your feet or shift weight in leaves or twigs during a pause. You must freeze in whatever position you happen to stop (when contacting an obstacle in the brush or other necessary pause). Resting down with your body, or even a knee or hand for support, will cause an additional 'post-movement' "brushing, crushing, continually settling" sound that is both unnatural among the small sounds and also reveals your body weight/size to be much larger than a small animal. Try to pause in a body position that is somewhat comfortable and can be maintained for an extended period if you are potentially compromised.
  • Stay away from animals that will react to you.
  • Again, though this isn't related to movement, if walking/running/creeping in the night toward a group of people around a fire or any other kind of light, although this may seem contradictory, the ring of darkness right outside of the circle of light is actually the darkest. When people inside the circle look out, their eyesight can't adjust well when it's bright close to the place they are trying to see.
  • If you are sneaking around, stay down-wind. There are animals and people with very good senses of smell.
  • Tense your thighs. This not only minimizes noise from your legs brushing against each other, but it helps you step lightly.
  • If someone looks at you while you are hiding, don't move. Any movement will alert them to your presence. If they look away, count to thirty before moving again as they might try to look again quickly to double-check. Even shifting of the eyes can give you away. The saying, "If you can't see them, they can't see you" isn't really true, but if you pretend they don't really see you, your mind and body will be less likely to rest or move in any way and give you away.
  • Avoid shifting your weight until your forward foot is quietly and firmly on the ground. This will require a considerable degree of balance and practice.
  • Also when opening squeaky doors, place forward force on the door while pulling it open. If it still squeaks, then open it really quickly to minimize the duration of the squeaking.
  • When you walk, you don't just walk with your foot; your entire body is involved, from arms and head for balance, to hips and torso for driving the leg movements, to the legs themselves for creating the distance. Play around with your stealth movements so that you build a picture of what works for you and what doesn't.
  • When using stairs, it might be more effective to skip steps, but don't skip so many that you will put extra pressure on them, or they may make more noise than usual.
  • Before you start your walking, roll both of your feet around at the ankles a few times. This will make sure to get any 'pops' from your ankles out of the way. These 'pops' are the result of synovial fluid moving under the joints, similar to the action and sound that your knuckles make when you crack them. If you don't make sure to crack your ankles first, you may end up making some noise later on when you need silence.
  • If your clothes make noise that cannot be helped, wait a moment before you walk, and try to take advantage of another distracting noise. Choose to move when another sound is more present, to mask your own noise.
  • Don't giggle, chuckle, stifle, or even laugh under your breath; be dead serious! Be the sneaky snake; move like a breeze, not a storm.
  • When walking with pants that make sounds when brushed on the other leg, walk with your legs spread apart so the legs can't touch each other.
  • Wear rubber-soled shoes as they do not make noise. Select a very common sole pattern so even if you leave footprints it won't cause much harm.
  • If you have problems with dragging your feet, then discipline yourself by walking around slowly with your shoelaces untied and dangling, creating noise if you don't raise and lower your feet. Warning: Do not attempt to do this quickly or carelessly, as you could trip and fall. Keep it slow, steady and measured.
  • On stairs and in corridors, slide your feet on opposite ends so that you can maintain balance and walk quietly. Also, one may need to slip off their shoes, if wearing heels.
  • Depending on your situation, walk in a crouch with your knees bent.
  • If you must make noise, perhaps because of loose clothing, try to make it as "natural" as possible. Short, sharp, or repetitious noises that characterize human movement can be broken into unrecognizable segments by varying your cadence or by dragging out the noise, making it more fluid and less human. This may be more applicable in urban environments where frequent background noise can mask your movements, allowing you to, in-effect, hide in the "shadows" of ambient noise.
  • If you are sneaking around a house or building, pay attention to how old it is. With older houses, you may make a lot more noise staying crouched to the wall, as most have meter-long floor boards. (Staying about 1 m away from the wall whilst moving may be more useful.) For newer houses, walking against the wall should not be a problem.
  • Try zig-zagging as you walk: step with one foot, then step forward and to the side. Step the other direction. This method helps you keep more of your balance by equalizing your weight. Maintain calm:
  • When inside, try to lean on something sturdy nearby that won't creak to avoid putting heavy pressure onto the floor and making it creak.
  • Try to train yourself by testing focus and concentration. Move your eyes constantly from one object, then quickly to the next for practice. Lifeguards use this method to spot danger quickly.
  • If you are tailing someone and they get suspicious of you, remain calm. Act inconspicuously as though you don't know they are there. The worst thing you may do is to panic and draw attention to yourself.
  • If unable to wear tight clothes, try to step without your pants rubbing together or rubbing against your skin as this can create noticeable noises in quiet situations. Wool clothing is the quietest.
  • If you are attempting to sneak around your own home or elsewhere that you frequently go, practice in the daytime, don't be obvious about it, but just take notice of what makes a lot of noise. Such as certain steps that always creak on a staircase.
  • Wear light shoes to decrease the amount of noises.
  • Do not wear slippers to walk silently as slippers have a high chance of you slipping and tripping easily if you are walking silently a little quicker.
  • Avoid crunchy surfaces such as: gravel, twigs, stones, creaky floors, etc.
  • If you are spying on someone you don't know and get caught, try to act naturally like you are normal person walking by.
  • Never walk on creaky floorboards, especially in the night.
  • Never wear hard shoes to walk silently, especially if you have a tiled floor. It will create noise.

Warnings

  • Never sneak into people's homes, especially at night. Even if they are your friend. From a half awake point of view when it's dark you may seem intimidating, thus you could be attacked or killed.
  • Be aware of what you're wearing; chains and keys that jingle could compromise you.
  • Be wary of snow because it can make a distinctive 'crunch' noise, and your tracks will be traceable, which will usually compromise you.
  • Try not to practice this anywhere public at night because if you are seen by someone who doesn't know what you are doing, they could think you were up to no good.
  • Be wary of sand or other particulate matter, as small amounts may stick to your shoes when walking on or through it because of dew or moisture. If you step on a hard surface, the grains will cause a fairly loud noise when crushed. This isn't usually a problem with softer surfaces, but it is probably best to avoid it completely if possible.
  • If you sneak up on a person or an animal, he/she/it might get scared and instinctively attack you, before realizing that you mean no harm.
  • Never use these skills to sneak up on someone in the dark, especially if they don't know you well, because when you get caught, if you get caught, they might take things to a new level with physical force or the police.
  • With knowledge of stealth, one is tempted to test one's skills. Do not use these skills to do anything illegal or harmful.
  • If you need to keep things like change that will jingle and make noise, put it in a tight pocket so that it cannot make noise. You can also minimize any sounds it might make by using tape to hold the items together, preventing them from moving against each other.
  • The sounds of coins or keys held in pockets can also be reduced by keeping each individual coin or other item in a separate pocket, or putting in another safe place.

Things You'll Need

  • Safe, soft shoes
  • Clothes that don't pop in the wind,
  • Fabrics that don't rustle or swish
  • A backpack to carry supplies in

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