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Running backwards may be the key to fast-forwarding your fitness journey.

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When marathoner and two-time Guinness World Record holder Chantel Gaston Hilde goes out for a run, she is often greeted with a puzzled look.

Some even go so far as to say, “Love, you’re going the wrong way.”

No, Gaston Hild isn’t challenging direction. She simply runs backwards.

Interestingly, she’s not the only one. More and more runners and athletes are choosing to run in reverse to fast-forward their performance.

Reverse running, also known as retrorunning, is basically reverse running. “All the principles of running apply, but it’s just a step backwards,” explains Gaston Hild, who is currently training to become the first woman to complete an ultramarathon distance in retrorunning.

“I started reverse running in 2013. It was a fun mile run that I did as part of a team building exercise with the roller derby team,” says Gaston Hild. Soon, the 35-year-old decided to retrofit her running into her fitness routine to make it more fun and rewarding. But when she started noticing that it improved her triathlon and running times and led to fewer injuries, she decided to switch to retro her running completely.

Here’s why running backwards improves fitness.

It may seem counterintuitive, but running backwards has a variety of proven benefits that make it a challenging, but rewarding workout to add to your training. Let’s take a quick look at what

• You can improve your posture. Most posture problems are caused by muscle imbalances. This imbalance causes compensatory patterns (improper movement patterns that overstress the body), leading to pain in the lower back, hips, shoulders and neck, explains Gaston Hild. “To improve your posture, it’s not enough to sit straight at your desk. You need to incorporate strength training into your daily routine to keep your body in shape and maintain good posture. Otherwise you’ll lose the battle.” It’s going to happen,” she adds. Retrorunning can be a great strength-building workout that you can easily incorporate into your training program, she suggests.
• My knees are comfortable. Forward running is a great workout with many benefits, but it puts a lot of pressure on your knees and can be even worse if you have bad knees. The asymmetry of the knee joint is reversed, reducing the load on the knee joint. “Retrorunning is great for those with knee injuries to take the stress off the body,” admits Aaron Yoder, head athletics coach at Bethany College in West Virginia.
• It burns more calories. “I worked with Manchester Metropolitan University to study the difference between running forward and running backward. In comparison, we found that we used 30% more oxygen in the back,” reveals Gaston Hild. “This means that the backward movement was 30% more intense for her compared to the forward movement at the same pace,” she notes. During running, large muscle groups are used, such as core muscles, glutes, hamstrings, and calf muscles. However, most people don’t use their glutes and core muscles correctly because they tend to dominate their quadriceps. When you’re reverse running, those big muscle groups are used differently and your body has to work harder, which ends up burning more calories, says Retro. running world record holder explains.
• It trains your proprioception. Proprioception, also called kinesthetic sensation, is the body’s innate ability to sense the movement, position, location, and orientation of limbs and other body parts without actually seeing them, to determine their spatial orientation, and to maintain balance. refers to Improved by locomotion training. Running backwards challenges your movement patterns, thereby improving your proprioception. “At first, you feel like Bambi on ice as your nervous system overdrives and coordinates your limbs. will feel normal.”
• It increases your peripheral vision. “Reverse running trains your eyes, brain and body in ways other exercise patterns can’t,” says Gaston Hild. By training both proprioception and peripheral vision, you can improve your body awareness and reaction time, she adds. This helps athletes level up their overall performance.
• It can improve muscle balance. “Running backwards strengthens the posterior chain, which is all the muscles in the back of the body,” says Gaston Hild. “Strengthening the posterior chain means that the muscles at the front of the body, the anterior chain, don’t have to work as hard. This muscle balance improves overall endurance,” says Gaston. explains Hild. “Because the back of your body is doing its job, you can run longer because the front of your body isn’t doing double the workload. It’s a way to make things better,” she says. Note.
• It can boost your mental health. “I think reverse running is a great exercise for the right side of the brain,” says Yoder. “It definitely helps improve creativity,” he adds. This is also a form of mindfulness. “When you’re retrorunning, you don’t want to fall, so you’re aware of your movements and your surroundings, so people don’t notice you. Yes, later,” says Gaston Hurd. This intense awareness helps you stay in the present without distractions, interpretations, or judgments. This will help you better regulate your emotions and control your thoughts.

Who benefits from reverse running?

“Anyone who does sports that involve repetitive motion, like cycling or running, will benefit from retrorunning,” says Gaston Hild.

“I also think that if an amateur runner is doing nothing but running forward, it can benefit because it helps balance the body,” says Yoder.

Additionally, “I’ve noticed that some runners with a rare condition called runner’s dystonia find it easier to run backwards than forwards,” says running coach and Boston Marathon veteran, Run. Farther & Faster co-founder Julie Sapper says.

Additionally, “People who suffer from knee pain, shin splints, and hamstring injuries can also benefit from retrorunning. Faster turnover rates and better posture can reduce pain in these areas.” Because it helps reduce it,” Yoder says.

How to safely practice backwards

Here’s what the experts want you to keep in mind before you put on your running shoes and hit your local park.

• Choose open space. “The biggest factor to consider is where you retrorun,” says Yoder. He recommends choosing a flat, clear, and wide surface to run like a truck. Large grassy spaces like soccer fields are also great, says Gaston Hilde.
• Watch your posture. “Always stay upright when running backwards, don’t lean back,” warns Yoder. Also, be careful not to over-rotate when running backwards. “Keep your hips and shoulders facing forward,” says Gaston Hild. “I do what’s called a ‘retro flirt’. Rotate your shoulders slightly and glance behind you to see any obstacles that might get in your way,” she adds. If the inside of your knee hurts when you twist it to the side, it’s a sign you’re over-rotating, retrorunning experts say.
• Start small. “Your body isn’t used to that movement pattern, so sudden changes to running form aren’t recommended,” says Lisa Levin, certified running coach and co-founder of Run Farther & Faster. If you’re interested in running backwards, start slowly with 30-second intervals between runs and walks, she suggests. Alternatively, he can run two miles in front and half a mile in the back, and from there he can adjust his body to adjust, says Yoder.
• Please don’t do it alone. “Not only does the inability to see what’s in front of you increase the risk of tripping over potholes and other obstacles, but running backwards also increases the risk of tripping over potholes and other obstacles that fellow runners may encounter while facing the opposite direction. It’s also dangerous for riders and cyclists,” says Sapper. “It’s best to have a friend run forward, run backward, and then change direction,” says Gaston Hild. “The key is to trust yourself and don’t turn around too much. Alternatively, you can run on the treadmill. I start by walking with the side rails. Then I start picking up the pace to jogging. , and rise from there,” she suggests.

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