When I was first introduced to the idea of walking backward on a treadmill, I thought it was ridiculous. I don’t know how something so bizarre would work if there is any fitness-related use to this at all or if it is just another craze in today’s world.
Nonetheless, after trying it for myself, I came to appreciate just how wrong I was. Walking or running backward on a treadmill is not just a way to break the boredom of practice. It hits neglected muscles, enhances joint mobility, and adds novelty to the lower body workout.
What does walking backward on a treadmill do for your knees? This exercise is very useful even though it is very often overlooked, it will save your knees, activate the core, and provide better stability.
In this article, I’m going to describe my experience with reverse walking with the primary muscles involved. You will see why you should use this simple technique in your Routine to kick it up a notch.
What Muscles Does Walking Backwards on a Treadmill Work
What I discovered with a great deal of amazement is how the backward motion encompasses other important muscle groups, the quadriceps muscles being one. When you do this activity, one of the most surprising things is the attention and the pull of the different muscle groups, or the quadriceps in this case.
Strengthening the Core and Lower Body
With forward walking, you rely quite a lot on your hamstrings and calf muscles. When walking backward, the strain is more on the front thighs. Therefore, it is quite effective if you wish to enhance the symmetry in the muscle development of the legs.
Moreover, I will say that there was a clear difference in the gluteal and abdominal muscle tone. Backward walking also makes one’s core muscles work harder since they have to stabilize the body more than in normal forward walking.
This challenge also targets the calf muscles and the ankle stabilizers. It helps in toning and strengthening the lower legs.
Improved Hip Flexibility
Another area that improved was in my hip flexors. Since forward walking on a treadmill often creates tension on the hip flexors. Reverse walking helps in relieving the tension and strengthens the hip flexors. This has helped me over time to be more mobile and flexible in my hips.
Walking Backwards on Treadmill Incline Benefits
Incorporating backward walking into your treadmill routine is highly effective. It helps improve joint stability and muscle balance. The walking backwards on treadmill knees was one of the surprising benefits that I noticed. [1]
Knee Pain Relief
I’ve experienced severe knee pain during peak loads, but walking backwards on a treadmill has helped ease it significantly. Forward walking puts pressure on the kneecap and joints. Reverse walking, however, shifts the strain from the knees to the quadriceps, reducing the knee’s workload.
This is especially helpful for conditions like patellofemoral pain syndrome or a runner’s knee. If not addressed early, these ailments can worsen. However, backward walking strengthens the muscles around the knee, and gradually reduces pain.
Improved Balance and Coordination
For further refinement of backward locomotion, reverse walking on a treadmill is also an excellent way to improve balance and coordination. Initially, I felt a bit awkward, but after a few sessions, I noticed my body adjusting to the movement, and my balance improved significantly. This has been particularly useful in improving my stability in other workouts.
Increased Calorie Burn
Another good thing about this activity is that reverse walking can lessen your weight. Walking backward on a treadmill has been shown to burn more energy than walking forward. It is primarily due to the different muscle groups engaged and the added challenge of maintaining balance. One of the great benefits is that you burn more calories in the same amount of time.
The Best Incline Treadmill Workout- My Journey to Fitness Success
How Long to Walk Backwards on Treadmill?
You might be eager to know for how long one should walk backward on the treadmill and see the outcome. From my practice, I found that short intervals of 5-10 minutes were perfect, most especially for beginners.
Walking backward requires something different in muscle coordination and stability. So it is always important to start gradually. After a few sessions, I found myself increasing the time up to 20 minutes as I got used to this feeling.
If used as a part of a larger workout, vary walking forward and backward to achieve a well-balanced and complete session. I found this helped keep my workout dynamic while not allowing any one muscle group to get fatigued.
Walking Backwards on Treadmill with Incline
Walking on the treadmill at an incline, besides walking backward, really doubles the profit of the workout. For myself, adding a very slight incline, around 3-5%, meant that the workout was much more intense.
My glutes and quadriceps were working much harder, too. The dynamics of the curve will make you engage your core and leg muscles even more. Therefore this is a far more effective workout.
However, regarding the degree, be watchful if you are only starting. It will create a difficult balance if it is steep. Try to retain a low degree initially and then increase the level gradually with your increasing confidence in it.
Treadmill Walking Backwards for Seniors
Similarly, this activity can greatly benefit the elderly. And why? As we age, the ability to maintain balance and coordination is even more crucial. Walking on the treadmill with your back towards the front end of the machine facilitates an easy, impact-free way to enhance such skills. It also trains muscles around the knees and generally supports mobility.
This exercise has been particularly beneficial for elderly fitness enthusiasts at my gym. It puts less strain on the joints compared to high-impact exercises, making it a safer option. However, seniors should begin with slow speeds. They must use the treadmill handrails for support until they feel confident in their movement.
Disadvantages of Reverse Walking
While reverse walking on a treadmill has many benefits, it also has some disadvantages. This may be the fact that most people easily lose balance usually causes them problems especially if one is at the beginner’s stage. When I started, I had to concentrate so much not to stumble. The use of handrails on this treadmill helped me move steadily until I got used to it.
Another disadvantage is reverse walking exercises your hamstrings and calves to a much lesser degree than forward walking will. If you seek to really strengthen those muscle groups, you will have to add other exercises into the mix.
And there is one more psycho-emotional flaw. Reverse walking just feels awkward. You will struggle at first, but it takes a certain amount of time to feel confident enough to walk without looking awkward. [2]
Advantages & Disadvantages of Backward Walking on Treadmill
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Targets neglected muscle groups, especially the quadriceps. | May cause balance issues, especially for beginners. |
| Enhances core stability and lower body strength. | Less engagement of hamstrings and calves compared to forward walking. |
| Improves hip flexibility and reduces tension in hip flexors. | Feels awkward or unnatural initially for many users. |
| Offers knee pain relief by shifting strain to quadriceps. | Requires concentration to avoid stumbling or falling. |
| Increases calorie burn due to higher energy expenditure. | May take time to adjust to the movement pattern. |
| Enhances balance and coordination. | Potentially requires handrails for support initially. |
| Beneficial for seniors, providing a low-impact workout option. | Might lead to discomfort if not performed correctly. |
How to Walk Backwards on Treadmill
When you feel ready, attempt walking on the treadmill in reverse. This is how you should go about it being safe:
Start Slow
Speed the treadmill to a very low setting, say around 1.5-2 mph, and hold on to the handrails till you are comfortable.
Good Posture
Maintain your back straight, and your core engaged, but you will find that you take shorter steps than you would when you walk forward.
Gradual Intensification of Speed
Once you get acquainted with it, gradually increase the speed a bit and try walking without support from the handrails.
Add Incline (Optional)
Once you master walking on a flat surface, add a slight incline to increase the difficulty [3]
Conclusion
Is Walking Backwards on a Treadmill Worth It? I fully support walking backward on the treadmill as it strengthens key muscles, stabilizes the knees, and improves balance and coordination. Sometimes, this is the best addition to any workout you could be doing if you want to improve muscle tone and keep your joints healthy but at low impact.
Source:
Miller, K. (2023, September 15). Why you might benefit from walking backwards on a Treadmill—And how to do it safely. Health.
Marathoners. (2024, June 11). What are the Disadvantages of Walking Backwards : Uncovering the Risks – Marathoners.
Bumgardner, W. (2021, February 6). Walking and jogging backwards on the treadmill. Very well Fit.
Get~Fitness Author
Diego Alcubierre is a Certified Running Coach (CRC) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). With a Bachelor of Science in Sports and Exercise Physiology, he specializes in creating evidence-based content on running, strength training, and fitness. Diego's expertise extends to developing tailored training plans that help runners achieve their goals while minimizing injury risk. His knowledge in sports nutrition and functional training enhances his approach to fitness. I hope to provide valuable information that will inspire and guide your wardrobe choices.
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