In the testing laboratory. Image: BMJ

In times when concerns about physically demanding jobs, such as those common in logistics, lead to the use of exoskeletons and power suits, unusual methods of relief also attract attention. One almost legendary idea came in 1971 from a British comedy troupe including John Cleese and Michael Palin. Now, this unusual proposal has been medically examined. The result: Not so bad at all. 

At the turn of the year, a team of three US professors from Arizona State University (Phoenix), Kansas State University, and Siddhartha S. Angadi, a kinesiology (movement science) expert from the University of Virginia (Charlottesville), tackled the rather grotesque satire by actors Cleese and Palin ("Monty Python"). The satire dealt with the "regulatory mania" in a fictional British ministry called the "Ministry of Silly Walks," which required consultation in order to be allowed to manage daily life .

Despite being overworked, he hasn't lost his sense of humor. Photo: BMJ

A study by the trio of scientists, now published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), shows that the seemingly absurd contortions, some of which appear completely inefficient, could well be effective in stimulating circulation and preventing diseases that occur even when sitting.

This comes at a time when, according to the journal, hospital staff are suffering from chronic overwork and can barely fulfill their regular duties. The strain on the once legendary National Health Service (NHS) can hardly be alleviated even through self-sacrifice.

Despite campaigns to increase health-promoting activities and cardiovascular fitness among adults, the consequences of poor physical behavior and inactivity have remained virtually unchanged over the past two decades. According to the study, published in the Christmas issue of the British Medical Journal, which is published by the British Medical Association in London , adults could improve their health by walking "inefficiently" for just a few minutes each day in the manner demonstrated and much-mocked by actor John Cleese.

Analysis according to the BMJ

In fact, the walking styles of Mr. Teabag and Mr. Putey, played by John Cleese and Michael Palin in the 1971 Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks sketch, proved to be more variable than ordinary walking, but their energy expenditure was never measured.

To close this research gap, the team set out to compare energy expenditure during low-efficiency walking with high-efficiency walking. Their results are based on data from 13 healthy adults (six women, seven men) aged 22 to 71 years (mean age 34) with no history of heart or lung disease and no known gait disorder.

Height and body weight were measured, and each participant was shown a video of the Ministry of Silly Walks sketch before performing three five-minute walking trials on a 30-meter course on a test track.

In the first trial, participants walked in their usual style at a pace of their choosing. For the next two trials, participants were asked to recreate, to the best of their knowledge and belief, the walks of Cleese and Palin that they had seen in the video.

The distance covered during the five-minute walks was used to calculate the average speed. In a rigorous scientific manner, the subjects' oxygen uptake (ml/kg/min), energy expenditure (kcal/kg/min), and training intensity (METs) – the number of calories burned per minute of physical activity – were measured.

The researchers found that only the "silly walk" led to a significantly higher energy consumption – about 2.5 times that of normal walking.

For men and women combined, oxygen uptake during normal walking was 11.3 ml/kg/min, similar to the 12.3 ml/kg/min assumed by Cleese. The "silly walk," however, triggered an oxygen uptake of 27.9 ml/kg/min or 8 METs, which is already considered intensive training among athletes.

In terms of energy consumption, replacing just one minute of the usual walking style with one minute of silly contortions was associated with an increase in energy consumption of 8 kcal/min for men and 5 kcal/min for women.

The researchers estimate that adults could replace 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week by walking in this style—instead of their usual normal walking—for about 11 minutes per day. Replacing their usual step count with the "silly walk" for about 12–19 minutes per day could increase daily energy expenditure by approximately 100 kcal.

According to the scientists, this would increase cardiorespiratory fitness, reduce the risk of mortality, and require no additional time, as it would simply replace the movement that would occur anyway with higher-energy physical activity.

Glenn A. Glaesser, David C. Poole, and Siddhartha S. Angadi emphasize that this is an experimental study based on a small sample size and acknowledge that some people with disabilities, gait disorders, joint diseases, or other health problems may not be able to adopt this gait. "But they could increase energy expenditure in their daily movements in other ways," they say.

Self-experiment with an exoskeleton: Already quite close to the real thing. Photo: klk/MAPO

“Our analysis of the energy expended in different walking styles is intended to empower people to move their own bodies more energetically—and hopefully more joyfully,” writes the team of authors led by Glenn Gaesser. “Efforts to improve cardiovascular fitness should embrace inclusivity and inefficiency for everyone.” The Monty Python troupe has frequently faced harsh criticism and temporary performance bans in the past due to their dark humor, particularly in productions such as “Life of Brian” and “The Wonderful World of Gravity.”.

Press release from the Academy of Medical Science

Research: Quantifying the benefits of inefficient walking

Fact check: Measuring human energy consumption