When I waxed lyrical about the life-changing magic of getting a treadmill to walk while I work, I was hit with a lot of questions. 

“Can you really type and walk at the same time?”

“How do you not just fall over?”

“Are you secretly walking in all of your meetings?”

“Can you walk backwards on it for 10 minutes a day and write about it?”

That last one was courtesy of Miranda Larbi, editor of Strong Women, and it wasn’t just for a laugh. Walking backwards, it turns out, is becoming a bit of a thing in the world of fitness. Health experts reckon that it could deliver a load of health benefits, from improved balance to working underutilised muscles. 

When Miranda says something is good for you, it’s usually well worth doing, so I agreed to give it a go. For one week, I committed to walking backwards on my treadmill for 10 minutes a day. Here’s how it went. 

First, let’s talk practical bits. I agreed to walk backwards predominantly on my treadmill, because for one thing, it’s already there in my house, and secondly, it seems a lot safer than going for a reverse stroll out in the world where all sorts of obstacles could be in my path (and people could see and laugh at me). 

I also decided not to attempt to backwards walk while working. I’ve just about mastered typing and walking, but I’ve learned that does require some coordination. Doing it backwards seems like asking for a stumble. Also, I’d need to move my standing desk or swivel the treadmill, which feels like a lot of effort. 

I kicked things off by turning around and slowing the speed on my treadmill way down. I’m glad I did that, because while going forwards I’m usually ambling at a 4.5km per hour pace, even a 1km per hour walk backwards felt tough. 

The focus required made my brain hurt a little, and I definitely wasn’t able to focus on anything apart from putting one foot behind the other. The motion didn’t feel remotely natural, so each step was considered and deliberate. 

Within a minute, muscles in my leg were burning that have never burned before. I was pretty stunned by how quickly I felt tired. I stopped after four minutes, hopped off the treadmill, and had a sit-down. 

Look, I’m going to be real. I couldn’t be bothered to give walking backwards another go today. I barely walked forwards. In my defence, I was working in the office rather than at home with my treadmill desk, and my step count reflects that, at a measly 6,252. 

Miranda, don’t hate me. 

Another day in the office, but this time I made sure to do 10 minutes of backwards walking when I got home in the evening. I did the same thing as before: slow pace, no distractions. Again, muscles were active that I feel never usually get any use, but what was interesting is that my feet felt super comfortable. Normally if I’m walking forwards for a while, my arches will start to ache a little. That didn’t happen at all when walking backwards. Weird. 

I stayed on board for the full 10 minutes this time, and it flew by. I thought I’d get bored without any TV in the background or work to get on with, but because I was so concentrated on maintaining my balance, my mind was super engaged. I ended the 10 minutes feeling like I’d had a proper workout, simply because of the slight soreness in my legs. Pretty cool for 10 minutes of walking at a slow pace. 

I’m back to working from home again, so it’s easy to set myself a reminder midway through the day to turn around and get walking backwards. I’m clearly feeling a bit cocky, because this time I did it not entirely focused on the task at hand (I tried to scroll on my phone). I quickly learned my lesson when my foot somehow veered off the side of the treadmill and I had the kind of stumble that makes you stop breathing for a second. Horrible. 

Lesson learned: this is not something to do while on social media, watching TV or doing anything other than focusing on what you’re doing. 

Could walking backwards be considered a form of meditation? It certainly felt like it to me on this day. When your mind is so focused on where you’re placing your feet, you can’t really think about much else – including the anxieties that usually pound through my head like a constant drumbeat. I know there’s power in doing nothing to unlock your creativity, but I might propose that walking backwards does the same thing. When I bounced off the treadmill after 10 minutes, I felt raring to go and full of ideas. 

I felt daring today, so decided to do it: let’s up the speed. I was shocked at what a difference it made to go from 1km per hour to 2km. 2km per hour is still very slow… so why did it feel so scary? I managed it, though, and felt absolutely exhausted – both mentally and physically – by the end of 10 minutes. 

I didn’t really want to do my backwards walking today, especially knowing I had a day of decorating, cleaning, and writing ahead of me. But I was glad I pushed through and did it. There’s something about walking backwards that really gives you a sense of accomplishment – probably because it feels so bloody difficult. 

By this point, I definitely felt more comfortable walking backwards, and could happily do the full 10 minutes.

A week of walking backwards for 10 minutes a day wasn’t radically life-changing, but I did enjoy it. I feel like my balance and coordination has improved… as long as I’m focused and not watching YouTube videos at the same time. My legs don’t feel magically stronger (they couldn’t, really, in the space of a week), but the sensation of different muscles working has convinced me that there’s something in the benefits of backwards walking. The same goes for the slight tiredness I felt after each 10 minutes. It’s certainly not a class of HIIT, but for a mixup of my usual focus on low-impact exercise, I’m a big fan. 

I’ve also, unexpectedly, found a way to give my brain a break. Next time I’m feeling the Sunday scaries and catastrophising about the future, perhaps I’ll hop (backwards) onto the treadmill. 

Want to put these tips to the test? Bring your friends and join us for a scenic half-marathon hike at the Strong Women Trek in Surrey Hills on Saturday 20 July. It’s the perfect way to tick off a mini-milestone in 2024 while enjoying a day of walking, fresh air and fun. Book your place here.

Images: Getty