OK, this threw me. Accuweather reports:
Head into any gym, and you may find someone walking backward on a treadmill or pedaling in reverse on an elliptical machine. While some may be employing reverse motion as part of a physical therapy regimen, others may be doing so to boost their physical fitness and overall health.
“I think it’s amazing to add in some backwards motion to your day,” said Grayson Wickham, a physical therapist at Lux Physical Therapy and Functional Medicine in New York City. “People are sitting way too much today, plus they lack varied movement.”
. . .
Why is backward motion so helpful? “When you’re propelling yourself forward, that’s a hamstring-dominant movement,” said Landry Estes, a certified strength and conditioning specialist in College Station, Texas. “If you’re walking backwards, it’s a role reversal, where your quads are firing and you’re doing knee extensions.”
As a result, you’re working different muscles, which is always beneficial, plus gaining strength. “Strength overcomes a lot of deficiencies,” Estes said.
You’re also moving your body in an atypical way. Most people spend their days living and moving in the sagittal plane (forward and backward motion), and almost exclusively in the forward sagittal plane, Wickham said.
“The body adapts to the positions and movements and postures you do most often,” Wickham said. “That can lead to tight muscles and joints, which leads to joint compensation, which leads to joint wear and tear, then pain and injury. The more we can add in varied movement into our day-to-day activities or in the gym, it’s so much more beneficial for the body.”
There's more at the link.
(Checks article byline and calendar . . . no, the report isn't dated April 1st . . . )
That took me by surprise. I've never heard of it anywhere else. Have any of my readers tried walking backwards? Did it do anything for your fitness and/or health (apart from tripping over everything and everyone you can't see)? If so, please let us know.
It's not a new idea, of course, as The Goon Show demonstrated back in the 1950's.
As our friend Lawdog would say, <Gigglesnort!>
Peter
Been doing it for knee rehab. Very helpful!!
ReplyDeleteSee, https://youtu.be/CiGVPlgAWZE?si=WrYbj0pyBfReS9Gh
I haven't done the 'backwards sprints' in years, but on a paved surface, trying backpedalling for about 50 yards as quick as you can. Run backward, bending forward slightly to keep your balance. Only do it once at beginning, because muscle groups you never felt are now complaining. No reason to go overboard, just getting their attention.
ReplyDeleteA treadmill sounds like the safest way to doing this, as you have a pair of handrails to grasp in case you lose your balance.
Reverse motion on a machine may be beneficial. Walking backwards in the real world is an excellent way to fall on your ass and break something.
ReplyDeleteCheck out Kneesovertoesguy on Youtube. He's popularizing this very thing.
ReplyDeleteI often see this type of thing and think they didn't live in my house. I was an latch key kid with no siblings. My stepfather controlled the TV and NO ONE was allowed to touch or turn it on. So I've never seen most anything that played prior to 5pm weekdays. I did homework, set the table and got out the things for dinner based upon the day. And yes, we even had a schedule for dinner.
ReplyDeleteChinese old people have been doing this forever. Walking backwards uphill is even better.
ReplyDeleteFor extra points, walk backwards up a hill very early in the morning, find a flat spot, practice your Tai Chi routine. Meet up with your other friends doing same thing and walk normal way back down the hill to eat dim sum breakfast in a restaurant whilst loudly dropping casual mentions of your son the doctor (If they have one, you're certainly Cohen to hear about it :P).
I walk backwards all the time in the pool. It definitely works different muscles. I don’t try it anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteWe occasionally did a few backwards drills for PT in the Army. You've got to work different muscle groups, and it helps to build balance and confidence.
ReplyDeleteOne of my former bosses (who had a few +10,000 ft peaks in his log) pointed out that, for my trip to K2 Base Camp I REALLY needed to do much MORE backwards and DOWN HILL walking than "normal" walking. No it isn't an April Fool's thing. It's a real training technique.
ReplyDeleteNight Driver.
I was battling shin splints in college and started after I heard the Soviet’s did this to keep shin splints from developing. I now jog backwards after my longer runs for a 1/4 mile or so as part of my cool down and lo and behold it works! - at least for me.
ReplyDeleteDoes MJ moonwalking count?
ReplyDeleteI think I was doing an extreme version of this movement a couple days ago. I was cleaning the gutters from the roof side. crouch down, put one knee onto the roof, lean forward and run scoop inside gutter and toss scoop contents. Stand up by moving backwards, move forward one step, and repeat. Did one of three roof sections, and I was pretty much done for the day. Barely made it down the ladder, and it took two days to recover. My legs were so shaky after that. Haven't been active for a few months due to a head injury, and this really pointed out how badly out of condition I have gotten. Heading to gym later today!
ReplyDeleteI used to jog backwards as part of a daily workout, but that was so long ago that I don't recall the details. That, and skating backwards, which for me was more difficult. Those skate sets have been collecting dust for so long that one set of plastic wheels (on the inline skates) broke up when I was moving them recently.
Did it a bit back in the day, maybe I'll try at least 'some' now.
ReplyDelete20 years ago this was recommended to me as part of knee rehab after my stint in the army almost destroyed one knee.
ReplyDeleteCan say it definitely helped me. Mostly sprints or short distances-nothing crazy.
Dood! It is like driving in reverse. It melts miles off of your odometer.
ReplyDeleteThat 120k mile Dodge Dart can get you a lot more mulla after you spin it down to 63k.
Just by putting it on jack-stands and dumping the tranny into reverse.
Works for Dodge Darts, you know its gonna work for you!
Excellent for knee joint stability and preventing shin splints. Really just a good idea in general. And if you can't walk slowly backwards on a wide, paved path, without hurting yourself? Well... unless you have other disabilities that affect mobility (spinal injuries, for instance), it shouldn't be a problem. Really. Just *slow down*!
ReplyDeleteDid a ton of this in football practice in the 70's. Up hills mostly - great leg developer.
ReplyDeleteIt looks to me like Monty Python's 'Ministry for Silly Walks' skit is being taken seriously by the doctors now . . .
ReplyDelete