Walking backwards seems to have some benefits. Here are some articles:
_http://www.onlinebraingamesblog.com/brain-fitness/walking-backwards-may-be-good-for-your-brain
_http://www.backward-running-backward.com/STUDYPDF.Dufek%202005.pdf
_http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=78022
_http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20090508/walking-backward-may-sharpen-thinking
Sounds interesting...
_http://www.onlinebraingamesblog.com/brain-fitness/walking-backwards-may-be-good-for-your-brain
Walking Backwards May be Good for Your Brain
Tis true.. Walking backwards may be good for your brain. This is because it fits the criteria of a neurobic activity. And remember, neurobic activities can causes new neural connections to grow in your brain – and that’s a good thing!
Recalling an earlier post I wrote, in order to be a brain building neurobic activity it must have one or more of the following going for it:
1) Involve one or more of your senses in a novel context.
2) Engage your attention.
3) Break a routine activity in an unexpected, novel way
I’d say walking or running backwards fits the neurobic criteria quite well.
Exercising backwards is also called retro-exercise. Retro-running has been popular for many years in Europe. In fact, they have races which vary from sprints to the 26.2-mile marathon. Additionally, I have personally witnessed numerous people walking backwards as a form of exercise in public parks in China.
Here are a few of the many benefits of walking or running backwards:
* Running backwards burns a fifth more calories than traditional jogging
* 100 steps backward walking is equivalent to 1,000 steps conventional walking.
* Your balance increases
* Your hearing increases
* Your peripheral vision increases
* Helps people recover from knee-joint surgery and injuries ranging from the ankle to the groin
* Your tummy becomes your back and creates a nice reaction for your abdominals
* An athlete who can walk forward at a given pace that enables his heart rate to rise to 106 bpm will see it soar to 156 bpm while walking backward at the same pace.
* Running forward at a 10-minute mile pace may raise the heart rate to 151 bpm, while running backwards at the same speed raises it to 174 bpm.
The drawback, of course, is a lack of hindsight. Because of this it’s recommended that newcomers to backward walking or running do it gradually on a flat track or treadmill to avoid potholes, signs, cars and other hazards.
_http://www.backward-running-backward.com/STUDYPDF.Dufek%202005.pdf
Summary
Several documented differences between forward and backward locomotion have been reviewed.
When comparing retro walking and running to forward walking and running, it has been shown
that foot contact patterns differ, range of motion at the lower extremity joints is reduced during
retro, stride rate increases in retro, physiological demands increase during retro, and firing
patterns of lower extremity musculature differ between forward and backward. These factors can
lead to use of retro activities to enhance training regimes and improve / enhance rehabilitation
and injury prevention programs.
_http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=78022
There are a number of reasons why people walk and run backward on the treadmill or use other machines backward. They are:
1. Rehabilitation (postsurgical or after muscle injury) of the hip, hamstrings (back of thigh), quadriceps (front of thigh), knee, ankle (sprain or Achilles rupture), low back, or shin splints
2. Balance training
3. To improve the pattern of muscle firing (the neural network) between the brain and the legs (via the nervous system), particularly the hamstrings
4. To improve performance in sports where backward walking or running is necessary
Rehabilitation
Walking or climbing backward helps rehabilitate joints and muscles because:
A. It is gentle on the knees since it decreases the maximum knee range (angle) of motion of the knee, particularly as speed increases during walking.
B. According to some studies, backward walking shows almost a 95% reversal of the use of muscles as compared with forward walking. This means that if the hamstrings were in need of strengthening, then backward walking at moderate intensities would be an excellent way to do it.
C. There is less force when landing because the toes land before the heels, and the toes can absorb more shock than the heels. In forward walking, the heels land first, and there is greater shock.
Balance Training
Walking or climbing backward improves balance because of the challenge that it provides. It's important not to hold on to the side rails when walking backward if you want to maximize the balance effect. It is important to start off very slowly (less than 1.0 miles per hour) until you get the hang of it.
Neural Network
Walking or climbing backward helps challenge the brain to activate muscles in different patterns.
Specificity of Training
Like it sounds, specificity of training means that you train for a particular activity by doing that activity specifically. Walking and running backward is a complex task, and athletes who need this skill for their sport can benefit by training specifically for it.
Doing It
Start out at slow speeds if you decide to try backward walking or climbing. Also, as mentioned, try not to hold on to rails if balance improvement is your objective. You can start by holding on if you're afraid you'll fall, but if you can, try starting slow enough so that you don't have to hold on. As you practice, you will get better. If you decide to try backward walking or running outdoors, make sure to check frequently by looking over your shoulder and ask a friend to walk or run alongside you and be your eyes. You don't want to trip over an object.
_http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20090508/walking-backward-may-sharpen-thinking
Walking Backward May Sharpen Thinking
Facing a Challenge? Backing Yourself Out of It -- Literally -- May Help
May 8, 2009 -- The next time you're facing a challenge, you might not want to stand your ground. Maybe you should try walking backward instead, Dutch researchers suggest.
"Whenever you encounter a difficult situation, stepping backward may boost your capability to deal with it effectively," Severine Koch, PhD, and colleagues write in May's edition of Psychological Science.
Koch's team works for the social and cultural psychology department at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands.
They were interested in the effects that "approach" movements, like walking toward something or pulling something toward you, and "avoidance" movements, such backing away from something, have on mental functioning.
The researchers reasoned that the body and mind are on higher alert when they're in avoidance mode. So they put that theory to the test by studying 38 students at Radboud University Nijmegen.
Each student took word tests in which they read a color word -- like red -- that was sometimes displayed in matching ink (like "red" written in red ink) and sometimes shown in another color (like "red" written in blue ink).
The students had to name, as quickly as possible, the color of the ink. And, they had to do that while walking forward, backward, or stepping sideways.
When the test was easy -- and the color names and inks matched -- reaction times for correct answers were just as good while the students walked forward, backward, or sideways.
But when the test was tough -- and the color names and inks clashed -- reaction times for correct answers were quickest while walking backward. Reaction times while walking forward or stepping sideways were similar.
Based on the reaction time advantage, Koch and colleagues write that "backward locomotion appears to be a very powerful trigger to mobilize cognitive resource."
But do look to see where you're going -- safety first.
Sounds interesting...
