leaves contact with the ground at a time. This gait starts at one of the hind legs, then propagates forward to the mid and front legs on the same side before starting at the hind leg of the contralateral side. The wave gait is often used at slow walking speeds and is the most stable, since five legs are always in contact with the ground at a time. In a tetrapod gait, two legs swing at a time while the other four legs remain in contact with the ground. There are multiple configurations for tetrapod gaits, but the legs that swing together must be on contralateral sides of the body. Tetrapod gaits are typically used at medium speeds and are also very stable. A walking gait is considered tripod if three of the legs enter the swing phase simultaneously, while the other three legs make contact with the ground. The middle leg of one side swings with the hind and front legs on the contralateral side. Tripod gaits are most commonly used at high speeds, though it can be used at lower speeds. The tripod gait is less stable than wave-like and tetrapod gaits, but it is theorized to be the most robust. This means that it is easier for an insect to recover from an offset in step timing when walking in a tripod gait. The ability to respond robustly is important for insects when traversing uneven terrain. See also Arm swing in human locomotion Duckwalk Footpath Gait training Hand walking International charter for walking Kinhin Obesity and walking Preferred walking speed Student transport Tobler's hiking function Walkathon Walking audit Walking bus Walking tour References External links European Local Transport Information Service (Eltis) provides case studies concerning walking as a local transport concept. Hiking Private transport Articles containing video clips