If you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for ways to spruce up your workouts to avoid boredom. Walking has become one of my go-to forms of exercise—and when something works, you stick with it. I love tackling new trails and varied terrain; since I work from home, I look forward to taking a brisk one-hour walk around my neighborhood. It gets me out in the fresh air with other walking enthusiasts who are working towards their own step goals.
Walking is an excellent routine—until the dead of winter brings snow, frigid temps and icy sidewalks to the Northeast. My backup plan? Hitting the treadmill in my fitness room. I can adjust the heat, turn on the TV and get in a solid cardio workout. Eager to switch things up this winter, I recently decided to try walking backwards on my treadmill, because I was intrigued by the benefits.
“More and more frequently, we notice people walking backwards on the treadmill at the gym! I think it’s gained such popularity in the general population just because of how abnormal it appears and how mentally stimulating it can be compared to backwards walking,” explains Justin Mendes, ATC, Certified Athletic Trainer at Cape Concierge Physical Therapy. “When you see 10 people at the gym on the treadmill, and one of those ten is going the opposite direction, it sparks interest. Then, with a quick Google search, you realize just how many positive health benefits retro walking can provide.”
The results of backwards walking—also known as retro walking—really surprised me, and I’m excited to share my experience.
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What Are the Benefits of Backwards Walking?
CAlexa Mellardo (CAlexa Mellardo)
Backwards walking is chock-full of benefits for both the mind and body. It’s not only about boosting cardiovascular fitness; it also puts your brain to work by reversing your normal movement pattern. After all, you don’t have eyes in the back of your head, so your brain has to work extra hard to make decisions at each step.
Personal trainers and physical therapists favor retro walking because it improves balance, coordination and strength while being low-impact on the joints. In fact, Josh York, Certified Personal Trainer, Founder & CEO of GYMGUYZ, puts it this way: “It’s a smart way to help people move better, not just work harder.”
When compared to walking forward, retro walking is actually much easier on the knees. It gets your heart pumping, fires up and strengthens the legs and serves as an invigorating challenge, keeping your workouts fun and sustainable for the long run. (Because, let’s be honest: Consistency is king if you want real results.)
How I Started Backwards Walking
I reached out to trainers to learn the best way to get started. Safety is key, so I wanted to make sure I avoided any potential risks. I learned top-recommended techniques, speeds and more from the pros.
York recommends starting very slow, assuming a pace of 0.5 mph. Take short, controlled steps.
“Keep your posture tall and don’t rush it,” he adds. “Once it starts to feel comfortable, you can gradually increase the time before worrying about speed.”
Because I was new to retro walking, I began with a quick warm-up walking forward for a couple of minutes. Then, I straddled the belt of the treadmill with my feet on the sides, facing the console, holding onto the handrails. Next, I set my backward walking speed, and, with control, turned around and stepped backward onto the treadmill using the balls of my feet. I kept using the handrails for support. Note that using a harness system to further reduce the risk of falls is also an option available at most gyms.
I then started walking backward on the treadmill, keeping the incline set to 0%, as recommended by Mendes. Using proper hand placement on the rails is an important factor.
“Hand placement should be close to the body, with a relaxed grip and keeping the tops of your shoulders relaxed,” Mendes explains. “The rails should just be used as guidance, not to be pulled on or to put all of your weight through.”
Once you get used to balancing, you can easily progress by taking your hands off the rails, revving up the speed or adding an incline.
Related: ‘I Tried Tai Chi Walking—and Was Honestly Surprised by the Results’
Here’s What My 3 Weeks of Retro Walking Looked Like
Mendes recommends retro walking three days a week while gradually building up your time, so that’s exactly what I did. Before I began each session, I completed a quick warm-up walking forward for a couple of minutes.
“After a few weeks of consistency, you will start to notice a difference in stability, gait and posture,” Mendes says.
Week one
During week one, I walked backwards for 10 minutes, lightly holding onto the handlebars and maintained a speed of 1.0 mph, as 0.5 mph felt a bit too slow to start with.
By the end of week one, I definitely felt my muscles working in a new way. In fact, retro walking activates different muscles than forward walking—especially the glutes, calves and quads. I felt the burn mostly in my quads, which gave me the motivation to continue, because clearly I was engaging muscles that don’t get worked enough!
Related: How Long Should Your Daily Walks Be To Stay Fit After 50?
Week two
Week two, I increased my walking time to 15 minutes and the speed to 1.5 mph. Fifteen minutes may not seem like a long time, but it is when learning how to walk backwards.
Week three
During week three, I retro walked for 10 minutes at 1.5 mph, then increased the speed to 2.0 mph for 10 more minutes each day. Increasing the speed from 1.5 to 2.0 mph was very noticeable—although faster, it was still doable while providing a solid challenge.
By the end of the third week, I felt more confident that my brain was getting conditioned to the movement.
Related: Are Nordic Poles the Key to a Stronger Walking Workout? Here’s What Experts Say
My Experience With Backwards Walking
CourtesAlexa Mellardo (CourtesAlexa Mellardo)
Walking forward is so ingrained in the brain and quite effortless. I usually have the same walk routes, with minor variations in terrain, so I always know what to expect and walk on total autopilot.
Retro walking, however, proved to be a great workout for my mind as well as my lower body. Rather than streaming my go-to reality TV flick and moving through the motions, I had to shift my focus to every single step and take my time progressing. I was surprised by the amount of coordination backwards walking entails.
Heel-toe gait was something I was constantly mindful of—hitting the treadmill surface with the ball of my foot, carrying the movement out through the heel and keeping my toes lifted. I also maintained good posture and braced my core.
“When you walk backward, your body can’t rely on habits or momentum,” explains York. “You’re forced to slow down, stabilize and engage muscles that don’t usually do the heavy lifting, especially your quads, glutes and the muscles around your knees.”
Since retro walking is a gradual effort—as experts emphasize nailing down technique above all else—I didn’t think I’d get as great of a workout compared to walking forward at my typical brisk pace. I also knew it would take me much longer to achieve daily step goals with this method because I was so focused on safety and foot placement.
That said, once I become a more advanced retro walker, I think it will be an incredible addition/switch-up to my regular workouts. I won’t look at it as getting my steps in, but rather a productive cardio session for both the mind and body.
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Sources:
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Justin Mendes, ATC, Certified Athletic Trainer at Cape Concierge Physical Therapy
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Josh York, Certified Personal Trainer, Founder & CEO of GYMGUYZ
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Wellness section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.