6 Reasons to Include Backwards Movement in Your Training/Workout Routine:
1. Enhances overall cardiovascular fitness
2. Increases metabolic demand (burns more calories) compared to forward movement at similar speeds and inclines
3. Engages and activates muscles differently than forward movement
4. Backwards training puts less stress on the knee joint
5. Improves balance
6. Injury prevention
You can read in-depth about the science of backward walking and running in the Exercise Sports Science Reviews- 2014, Volume 42, No.1, pages 23-29. The journal article is entitled “Steps Forward in Understanding Backward Gait: From Basic Circuits to Rehabilitation”. The authors are Wouter Hoogkamer, Pieter Meyns, and Jacques Duysens.
Access the abstract for this article at (and abstracts of similar articles): pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24188982/
Access the full journal article at: journals.lww.com/acsm-essr/Fulltext/2014/01000/Steps_Forward_in_Understanding_Backward_Gait__From.5.aspx