Why do some people look awkward?

[Luke Skywalker]

So, I was having a somewhat cognitively compromised conversation with a friend the other day, and this topic randomly popped up. I'm not talking about social awkwardness; I'm talking about the clumsy, frail manner that some people walk, sit, open things, etc. It can be difficult to pinpoint why this is the case...sometimes the answer is pretty obvious, like poor body posture or obvious incompetence at the task, but there are people who are doing something they are well experienced at, and doing it effectively and confidently, but look fucking ridiculous doing it. Like, just the way that their hands and feet and body parts are oriented relative to one another doesn't promote a sense of "swagger". Is this just genetics, or something?

PS. The question doesn't have much to do with me personally - or, at least, most of the time. I think I look pretty retarded when I open cans or toothpaste, for example, just because of the way my fingers wrap around the cap and the positioning and bending arc of my arms, but that's a pretty minor thing.

PPS. It's really late over on the East Coast and I might not be thinking very clearly, so I'm sorry if this appears like it was written by a drunk college boy, because I swear I'm completely sober.

[Simon_Jester]

Well, in your case there's a good chance it's self-consciousness: lots of people think they look funny and are wrong.

In general, it's simply that there tends to be a 'stereotyped' way in which people perform a task. Anyone who learned how to do it differently risks looking awkward, even if they get great results. The first example that popped to my mind is the "Cliff Young Shuffle," a technique in long-distance running.