soliders who stand still on gaurd?

Question

you know the soliders that stand outside of buildings on gaurd, when they stamp down there feet what do they do it for, i have thought for years that its because there feet hurt as they are stood still for hours,so they stamp out the pain

Answer 1

yes actually. after about your 4th day in a row of 12 hour shifts standing in full gear the feet and knees can get pretty miserable. its good to stamp, i found myself doing that alot to send some shock through the legs, stir the blood etc.
I find its actually healthier to keep busy and move around. Healthier indeed to walk around all day than just stand there. this is because you are carrying your weight in your muscles with minor joint friction, whereas just standing there, your muscles tend to relax much more and the friction is on your bones mostly.
I always tried to find some busy work to do like sweeping around my gatehouse or flexing into a squat for a while, practicing kicking or doing some chair dips etc....of course when nobody is lookinig that is.

Answer 2

When it comes to Canadian ceremonial guards, such as those at the Citadel in Quebec City (Home to elements of the Royal 22nd Regiment, colloquially known as the VanDoos), stamping of the foot is to give a sign to the other guy that one of the guard needs to move to get the blood flowing again. Upon the first stamping, the second soldier stamps his foot as well after a standard pause, at which point both guards will shoulder arms and march foward, execute a turn inwards on the march, go past each other, perform an about turn on the march, and get back to their positions.

The idea is the get the blood flowing and the muscles to loosen up a bit. I know exactly how they feel, and I didn't have the joy of being able to stretch my legs that way.

Answer 3

The stamping of the feet as the soldiers make turns about during the patrol of their beat is just normal foot drill as practised by every British soldier, with maybe the exception of the light infantry.

It is rare for them to be stood still for hours, if not almost impossible, even on ceremonial duties certain drill movements are carried out to keep blood flowing round the body and to stop them fainting.

But after a lot of standing yes your feet hurt, just imagine how much that stamp hurts as well !!!!

Answer 4

If you are referring to the red-coated fellows with the tall fuzzy black hats in England, you are referring to the Royal Footguard.
The exaggerated strides and stamping is a 'cheat' to keep a cadence, or pace, during a change or tother formation. On extended duties the feet are stamped to keep healthy circulation going, otherwise guards can become blood deprived and in time pass out. And in a formation it looks darn snappy.

Answer 5

They stamp out the sleep and the cold. Also fear resides in the feet and they stamp out the fear. What else can you do to maintain some sense of control over their selves?

Answer 6

discipline. Most of us have been there. My first night in the army I stood at parade rest for an hour and a half. I would rather stand at attention. If you get an itch you just pray it goes away fast. The worst is when you feel a mosquito crawling on your face, because you know what's coming.

Answer 7

Apart from the ceremonial aspect (think of all the different silly walks military all over the world have, like in Greece and some other places), it keeps them from locking their knees, which would eventually cause them to keel over in a dead faint as it blocks blood flow.

Answer 8

Sorry, but about some words in your question - do you mean soliders for 'soldiers', gaurd for 'guard', there for 'their', they are stood still for 'they stand still' !

Now to the answer, it seems they are trained to do so!

Answer 9

Beefeaters

Answer 10

Cold feet and to keep the blood flowing!