Have you ever wanted to walk in a forest without being heard or to be able to surprise people without warning them of your presence? Walking silently is an art that takes little time to master. Read this guide to learn how to move without making any noise.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Move Carefully
Step 1. Watch where you walk
Moving quietly is much more difficult if you are stepping on gravel and leaves than walking on soft grass or dirt. To walk silently, evaluate the terrain and determine the least noisy path. Outdoors or indoors, you can spot materials that can help you make less noise and decide to just walk on them.
- If you are walking in the woods or another outdoor area, try to move on soft grass or dirt. Walk on wet leaves, not dry, noisy ones.
- When walking outdoors, look for rocks and roots, which won't break like leaves or twigs. Slowly put your weight on the rock or root to make sure it doesn't shift and make no noise. When you are sure, load up the rest of the weight.
- In an urban environment, avoid wooden walkways, areas with gravel, crushed stone and other materials that make noise.
- Indoor, walk on rugs if possible.
- When climbing trees and cliffs, be careful where you step. Try to put your toe between two branches or in the crevices of the cliff. If you are forced to place your foot in the center of a branch or push against the side of the cliff, do so slowly and carefully. With too much force, you could stir up a shower of debris or break a twig, making a noise.
Step 2. Look carefully at your surroundings
The space you have to walk through can create noises as well as the ground you step on. If you want to walk silently, it is important to be aware of your surroundings, to avoid touching anything that may reveal your location.
- Avoid twigs and branches that could get caught in your clothes and break.
- Avoid gates and fences that can creak or creak.
- Avoid rubbing against piles of noisy objects and fabrics.
Step 3. Get down
Walk in a slightly squatting position, using all your muscles as you move. This will reduce the force that hits the ground every time you touch it with your foot and you will be able to move much more quietly. Keep your body compact and distribute your weight evenly so you don't make a dull thud when you put your feet on the ground.
Step 4. Walk with your heels on the ground first and then your toes
Put your heel on the ground first, then turning your foot slowly forward brings the toe towards the ground. As you walk, rotate your hips slightly to better control your steps. Walk on the outside edge of your shoes if possible.
- If you need to move quickly, get down and run using the same heel-to-toe technique.
- When moving backward, first put your toe on the ground, then lower your heel.
- Running on your toes can allow you to be faster and quieter, but be careful; it requires more strength in the feet and lower legs, as well as greater flexibility in the ankles and joints of the foot. Better balance is also needed and creates a deeper footprint on soft surfaces (due to weight distribution over a smaller area).
- Land softly. Running or jumping silently is difficult, but it is possible to master the art of knowing how to land silently. Land in a crouched, balanced position, without hitting the ground too hard.
Step 5. Keep your arms close to your body
Try not to use your hands and arms to balance against walls and the like, as you could drop something and reveal your presence. Instead, keep them in a position that makes you feel comfortable and balanced.
Step 6. Shift most of the weight and pressure off your feet
Of course, you can't transfer all your weight. While it cannot be proven theoretically, you should try to feel empty (but not numb) feet and head under pressure. Shifting the weight and pressure to your head can make you be more aware of your surroundings, improving your attention. This is useful in many respects, but mostly for jumping. If you notice a thick carpet of dry leaves, you should skip it. When jumping, look for a free spot that isn't wet (like a puddle) and isn't covered in dry leaves or grass. Land on your toes. Wear sneakers, the rubber sole of which will muffle the noise.
Method 2 of 3: Wear the Right Equipment
Step 1. Put on soft shoes
The harder the shoes, the louder the noise. The best choice is leather socks or loafers, but tight-fitting boots or trainers will also do. Avoid stiff-soled shoes, heels, and those that are difficult to walk in. Choose comfortable, soft shoes.
- Sweaty socks can make noise when you walk. If you sweat too much in your socks, wear two pairs to mask the sound.
- Walking barefoot can be the quietest way, but also the loudest - if you step on a sharp object and scream in pain, you will reveal your location. Also, if your feet sweat, you may stick to the floor coverings and make a ripping sound. You can avoid this noise by reducing contact with the floor and walking on the outer edges of your toes, but be careful, as it will take more strength and balance to achieve this. Decide whether walking barefoot is the wisest choice for the environment in which you need to move.
- Make sure you have completely dry shoes; otherwise, not only may they creak, but damp footprints on the ground may reveal your presence. When wet footprints dry, they will leave noticeable "clean footprints" with the shape of your shoes, especially on surfaces such as concrete.
Step 2. Make sure you have tight shoes
If your foot slips into your shoes, it may make a squeaking noise, especially when your feet are sweaty. If you wear shoes with laces, tuck them into the shoe. If you don't, the laces may hit your shoe or floor as you walk.
Step 3. Put on tight fitting clothing
Baggy pants can rub against your legs when you walk, making noise. With tight pants you will reduce this possibility. Also, wearing very soft clothing, such as a light cotton jumpsuit, will help you make as little noise as possible.
- Tuck the shirt into your pants and the hem of the pants into your shoes or socks. This will prevent them from fluttering.
- Short pants move and make more noise than long ones, and you won't be able to slip them into socks. If you have to wear shorts, try tying a lace or elastic to secure them at the knee, not tight enough to stop circulation.
Method 3 of 3: Remain Silent
Step 1. Prepare your body
If you have time to prepare before you have to walk silently, you can follow these tips to make fewer sounds when you walk. Eg:
- Stretch before trying to move silently. Joints and bones often creak when you haven't moved in a while, so stretching before testing yourself is a good idea. As you stretch, your muscles will feel looser and prevent any pops from revealing your presence.
- Don't go on an empty stomach, but avoid overeating. Your body gets heavier after eating and, as a result, louder.
- Go to the bathroom before trying to walk silently.
Step 2. Breathe regularly
It may be tempting to hold your breath, but it is best to take slow, controlled breaths through your nose. This way you won't risk breathing in or out making too much noise when you need air. If you have a stuffy nose, open your mouth wide and take deep, controlled breaths.
You may feel your breathing quicken as the adrenaline rises. If this happens, pause and catch your breath, taking a few deep, relaxing breaths to relieve anxiety. Make sure you breathe normally before continuing
Step 3. Follow another person's step
If you are following someone, you can hide the sound of your footsteps by walking at their own pace. When the person takes a step with their left foot, do so too and imitate them with their right foot as well. This will help cover the sound of your footsteps.
Be careful not to get distracted when you follow someone's pace - it is still important to use the correct techniques to walk silently. Otherwise, if the other person suddenly stopped and kept walking, you would be found out
Step 4. Blend in with your surroundings
If you are moving in a wooded area where dry branches, bushes, dense foliage or undergrowth make it impossible to move in absolute silence, move with short random movements, then stop: do not follow a regular, constant and predictable rhythm.
- Imitate the sounds around you. A forest, for example, might be filled with the sounds of small animals foraging for food. They typically move short distances, pausing to smell for food or predators, before continuing to move for another short distance.
- Use all other sources of noise (wind blowing, movement of other animals, traffic) to cover or disguise yours.
Step 5. Stand still if necessary
If your goal is to be able to move quietly, you will need to know when to stay still. Stop and observe your surroundings before moving on. Take the time to study the elements around you that could trip you up and reveal your location.
If you are following someone or trying not to be seen, there will be times when you need to be very patient. Stand still and wait for the person to pass, or for the tension to drop, before proceeding
Advice
- Train your brain to improve attention to detail and concentration. Constantly move your eyes from object to object to practice. Lifeguards have been using this method for years to learn how to quickly notice dangerous situations.
- Stretch before trying to move silently. Bones and joints are likely to creak as you try to move silently due to the strain you are putting on them, so stretching aims to avoid this, as well as make you feel looser.
- If you are following someone and the person being followed starts to get suspicious, stay calm. Pretend you don't know that person was there. The worst thing you can do is panic and draw attention to yourself.
- While it has nothing to do with making noise, if you are walking directly behind someone, beware of your shadow. If you have a light source behind you, your shadow will precede you and be immediately noticed by the person you are following. Walk curled up to greatly minimize this risk.
- If you are inside an old building or an old house, be careful. In old houses, walking flush with the wall will make more noise.
- Toe walking helps you move quickly and quietly, but be careful; it is a technique that requires a lot of strength in the feet and lower legs, and excellent flexibility of the ankles and joints. It also requires more balance than normal, and you would create deeper footprints on soft surfaces (due to the weight acting on a smaller surface). Also try to keep your knees bent at 90 degrees, you will lower your center of gravity, helping you to stay balanced.
- If you are outdoors, look for rocks or roots in the path and make use of them, as they won't make any noise unlike dead leaves or branches. Put your weight down slowly so you are sure you don't slip and make no noise. Once you are sure, put the rest of the weight down.
- Don't follow someone on an empty stomach, but don't binge either. Your body becomes heavier after eating and therefore louder. Go to the bathroom before you try to walk silently.
- When walking on the parquet, stay close to the wall to minimize the creaking of the wood. For the stairs the situation is the same.
- Do not put your feet on dead leaves or branches during a break. You have to stay still in the position where you stopped. Lowering yourself, or even just lowering a hand or knee to help you stay still would make an unnatural noise and could reveal to the person being followed that you are certainly not a small animal living in the woods. Try to stop in a "comfortable" position that you would be able to maintain for a long time in case you arouse suspicion.
Warnings
- Be aware of what you are wearing; the rattle of keys and chains could jeopardize your mission.
- Beware of sand or other similar terrains, as they may stick to your shoes. If you then walked on a hard surface, you would hear the sound of trampled grains. On soft or cushioned surfaces this shouldn't happen, but it's best avoided in any case.
- Never sneak into people's homes, especially at night. Even if they are your friends. You could be mistaken for an attacker.
- If you are following a person (or animal) and get caught, you may scare them to the point of attacking you before they realize you are not a danger.
- If you can't do without noisy, rattling objects, put them in a tight pocket so that they move as little as possible. If you want you can also tie them with adhesive tape.
- Watch out for the snow. In addition to leaving obvious traces, you will produce an unmistakable noise, revealing your location to everyone.
- Don't practice in public at night, anyone who sees you may think you have bad intentions.
- Never follow someone in the dark, especially if they are people you don't know well, as if they see you, they may attack you or call the police.
- The rattling of coins in pockets can be reduced by keeping only one coin per pocket, or perhaps by putting them in another place.
- If you learn to be stealthy, you may be tempted to test your skills. Don't use them to do something illegal or harmful.
