Here are 8 benefits of walking backwards
Walking may be the simplest of workouts - all you do is put one foot in front of the other. But have you tried taking it in another direction, literally, and walking backwards? While there are endless ways to log your steps, whether on an incline or in timed intervals, this TikTok trend, also known as 'retro walking', certainly tests your coordination on a different level. And while walking forwards, as an easy, low-impact way to move, has many benefits, you may be pleased to find out that walking backwards can also give you the same health mileage. James Barr, PT at Fitness First, shows us why this way of moving has got legs.
Meet the expert: James Barr is founder and director at Impulse Fitness and educator and course director at FASTER Health and Fitness.
Meet the expert: James Barr is
8 benefits of walking backwards
'There are many benefits of walking, including walking backwards,' Barr says. These include:
1. Improved balance and coordination
'This type of activity engages different muscles and challenges your coordination, thus enhancing your balance and proprioception [your sense of movement, action and body positioning],' Barr explains. You'll be using your core, glutes and legs in ways you're probably not used to! One study suggested that walking backwards did indeed improve balance and reduced the risk of falling over.
2. Improved cardiovascular fitness
Turns out, walking is cardio! Walking significantly improves your cardiovascular fitness. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that walking briskly for at least 75 minutes per week can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 17% and overall mortality risk by 23%, and a meta analysis of 32 articles found that walking increased aerobic capacity.
In turn, this reduces your risk of cardiovascular risk factors - the same meta analysis showed that walking lowered blood pressure, cholesterol levels and body mass index.
Moreover, according to a 2018 observational study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology analysing over 90,000 participants, walking at least 40 minutes two or three times a week (average or brisk pace!) was associated with a reduced risk of developing heart failure in postmenopausal women.
3. Strengthens muscles
Barr notes that walking backwards 'targets muscles that are not typically used during forward walking, such as your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. This can lead to better muscle balance and overall strength.' Research published in the Indian Journal of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy examining osteoarthritic knee patients found that walking backwards along with conventional physiotherapy improved quad strength.
4. Reduced impact on joints
'It’s gentler on the joints compared to forward walking or running, as it involves less impact on the knees and ankles,' Barr says. The same Indian Journal of Physiotherapy study explains this: walking backwards is unique because of 'the toe-heel' movement, 'versus the heel-toe foot contact pattern' of walking forwards, so 'there is less shock transferred to your knee joint'.
5. Builds bone density
Despite its low impact, walking can increase bone density in the whole body, especially in your legs and trunk. Research found that women who walked more than 7.5 miles per week had a higher mean bone density than women who walked less than a mile, slowing the rate of bone loss in the lower body. Supporting this, another study found that perimenopausal women who took brisk walks for 30 minutes per day, three times a week, had higher bone density than women who did not.
6. Enhanced cognitive function
'Walking backwards requires heightened attention and concentration, which can help improve cognitive function and spatial awareness,' explains Barr. As one study in Gait and Posture pointed out, global cognition - five cognitive domains comprising attention, memory, verbal fluency, language and visuospatial ability - was associated with walking backwards, not forwards, probably due to its challenging and unfamiliar nature.
7. Posture improvement
'It can actually help with proper form can help improve posture by engaging your core muscles and encouraging an upright position,' advises Barr.
8. Protect your brain against dementia
'As we get older, our brains shrink. If that sounds a bit scary, you can use walking to slow the process down,' notes Barr.
'A 2020 Frontiers study showed that when obese and overweight people walked, their areas of the brain associated with memory and processing information - the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus - correspondingly increased in size. Adding to this, research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) showed that exercise increased hippocampal volume by 2%, reversing age-related volume loss by one to two years.'
2 drawbacks of walking backwards
'Walking backwards is a skill and does take time to get used to, especially if you've never done it before,' explains Barr.
There are some drawbacks to consider, which include:
1. Increased risk of injury
'Walking backwards can be incredibly challenging as there is an higher risk of tripping, falling or colliding with obstacles or other people,' notes Barr.
2. Puts more strain on your neck and back
'You'll be tiring out these areas more as you'll be turning your head to look behind you. It’s important to not miss out your neck and back during your warm-up routine,' notes Barr.
However, if you're looking to manage your weight, you can't 'rely on this exercise alone,' he says. 'As a whole, this type of exercise needs to be done alongside other types of fitness activity in order to see real results.'
How can walking backwards be incorporated into an existing fitness plan?
'It’s important to start slowly when introducing this type of exercise,' Barr suggests. 'You can slowly do it by bringing it into your warm up: practise walking backwards for a few minutes, then gradually start to introduce backwards walking intervals into your cardio day.
'For example, alternate between walking forwards and backwards for set durations or distances. Start with shorter intervals and gradually increase the duration or intensity as you become more comfortable with the movement.
'You can even incorporate backwards walking into your strength training, alongside lunges or squats to further challenge your lower-body muscles.
'However, with any new exercise, start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration.'
Remember: It’s always important to consult a healthcare professional if you have any underlying health conditions or concerns before incorporating backwards walking into your fitness regime.
Can walking backwards be done on a treadmill or outside?
'It can be done on both, however, if you’re starting out it’s probably best to start on a treadmill to get used to it, before going outside,' advises Barr. We agree!
How many times a week should I walk backwards and for how long?
'The frequency and duration of backwards walking can vary depending on your own fitness levels. I would say it’s best to start to incorporate backwards walking into your exercise routine at least two to three times a week,' says Barr.
'Start with short five-ten minutes per session then gradually increase the duration as your fitness levels improve. Set yourself a goal of how long you want to do it for and aim for a max of 20-30 minutes of backwards walking, once you’ve built up your endurance.'
The bottom line
So, what's the verdict? Dubious at first, we were surprised at how manageable - and, dare we say, normal?! - Barr made walkng backwards sound, and how many benefits there were. If done on a treadmill, and you don't mind getting slightly weird looks initially, it might not be too far-fetched an option, and you could actually just be able to work this into a regular gym session. Or, if you're doing this outdoors, just make sure you've got a good deal of empty space behind you!
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