How can i add weight to a 2D walk cycle without it looking floaty or clunky?

[Jonathan48]

I've been trying to get my 2D character's walk cycle to feel more grounded and heavy, but no matter how I adjust the timing chart, it still looks floaty. I think my issue might be with the spacing on the contact and passing positions, but I'm not sure how to add more weight without it looking clunky.

[Luke.C]

I spent weeks fiddling with the contact and passing spacing, and when I finally tried letting the stance hold longer before the weight shifts, the foot plant felt heavier. I slowed the arc a bit after contact, increased the vertical drop on the heel, and added a tiny dip in the torso through the load phase. It helped, but it looked stiff if I kept it running.

[Nathan_J]

I thought spacing was the culprit too. I shaved a little off the time between contact and passing and kept the weight more on the leading foot during the next contact. It helped a bit, but the hips still read as too telegraphed.

[GregoryH]

Honestly, I tweaked the timing chart and still ended up with a floaty feel. Maybe I'm chasing the right thing, or the problem isn't timing at all.

[Donald66]

Could it be the ground plane or camera speed? I kept swinging the same cycle through the editor and nothing felt grounded.