After a few thousand miles, you develop whatever stride will naturally work best for you. I tend to walk a rolling heel-toe stride, slightly off the mall-walker sway due to using trekking poles.

On flat ground, I walk continuously and comfortably. My increased heart rate does everything I need to oxygenate my legs.

On uphills, I use the "rest step". I step up and straighten the lower leg. This allows me to rest for an instant (or a few seconds if needed) by using my skeleton to hold me up, rather than my muscles. It's the closest I come to using the techniques you mentioned.

This technique DOES help on an extended uphill. On the AT, this is pretty much every day from Georgia through central Virginia, and Massachusetts through Maine. Give it a try. It's well worthwhile.