Backwards Walking

Muscle Groups Involved

Calves - Primary
Tibialis - Primary

Highlights

Use a turned off treadmill and push against the resistance of the motor.
Step toe to heel.
Your toe should be about 1-3 inches behind your other heel for each step.
Lean forwards if you don't feel your legs working hard enough.
Perform all 10 minutes for best results.

Description

Backwards walking on a treadmill is a beneficial exercise for strengthening the knees and surrounding muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. This exercise helps improve balance, coordination, and proprioception while minimizing impact stress on the knees compared to forward walking or running. This has been shown in studies to heal and regenerate cartilage if performed for 10-15 minutes per day. To perform Backwards Walking on a treadmill,, stand tall with toes facing forward, hands placed on supports for balance. Brace your core enough to stabilize your trunk and minimize side-to-side sway. Start by taking a step backwards with your dominant foot, making sure that you make contact with the ball of your foot. Shift your weight onto the back foot as you lower your heel towards the tread. Once you have successfully placed your weight on the back foot, lift your front foot and place it behind you, again landing on the ball of your foot. Be sure to take a full step back so that your back foot is completely behind your front foot. Repeat this pattern back and forth for the desired amount of time.

Common Mistakes

Do not land on your heels or toes. Aim to firmly place the ball of your foo

Do not land on your heels or toes. Aim to firmly place the ball of your foot down as your first point of contact. Do not scuff your feet. Do not take small steps. Do not take loud steps. Aim to walk as quietly and fluidly as possible. Hold on to the supports to maintain balance and positioning.

Pro Tips

Experiment with different foot placement and work on the parts that are the

Experiment with different foot placement and work on the parts that are the weakest. Try walking on the outsides of your feet or putting more pressure on the big toe side. Try crouching down while walking and keeping your knees bent. Vary the incline to change the stress placed on your muscles. Trying different patterns will build strength and prevent injuries from multiple different angles.

Purpose

Walking Backwards places more emphasis on the quadriceps, specially the low

Walking Backwards places more emphasis on the quadriceps, specially the lower quadriceps and VMO to increase development preferentially in these areas. This can improve the health of the knee joint over time as well as increase muscular development in this hard to target area.

Form

Use a mirror, camera or friend to ensure that you are taking full steps bac

Use a mirror, camera or friend to ensure that you are taking full steps backwards while placing the ball of your foot down first before shifting to your heels. You should not scuff or shuffle your feet or bounce on the treadmill.