Be kind, rewind: is backwards walking any better than walking forwards?

Walking backwards places less strain on the knees and can help with coordination – as long as you do it with structure and purpose, experts say

I call it “the hill of death”: a steep uphill section of dirt road towards the end of an otherwise pleasant and not-too-taxing walk in the scenic Blue Mountains. It’s challenging enough to get up it walking forwards, but my friend and I both feel pretty cocky about our fitness this morning, so I suggest we try walking up it backwards.

Within a few metres, my quad and calf muscles are burning, my heart is pounding and I’m regretting the idea. But we persist, and with much huffing and whinging we walk backwards up a 30-metre-long section.

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