Could Walking Backwards Be The Secret To Physical and Cognitive Health?

Try it! But be careful!

For many people, walking is one of the easiest, low-impact forms of exercise. Every step can help increase one’s metabolism and, for some of us, help decrease our guilt about eating all those holiday cookies.

But did you know that walking backwards may help strengthen minds, muscles and joints?

One of the benefits of walking backwards is that it can help strengthen your mind and coordination.

Doing something like challenging the body to walk backwards requires actually quite a lot of coordination, and quite a lot of effort, and it’s asking your brain to do something it’s not as used to doing.

Another benefit to walking backwards is when you take a step back, two of the four major muscles in your thighs tend to work a bit harder than if you were taking a step forward. Because those two muscles are working a little bit more, they are becoming a little bit stronger, which helps bring stability to the knee and relieves the knee of some pressure.

This can sometimes mean an increased quality of life and reduced pain for those suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee.

Walking backwards also burns more calories. 

This is because walking backwards works out muscle groups that aren’t typically used when you walk forward. It also involves taking shorter strides and more of them, rather than the longer strides taken when walking forward. More muscles are also activated to keep you upright and prevent you from falling back.

The best way to walk backwards!

Walk backwards for shorter periods of time and drag something while you walk to create resistance!