Is 'Backwards Running' a Worthwhile Fitness Trend for Runners?

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Earlier this month, we saw a new running world record—more specifically, running backwards. In heels. Christian Roberto López Rodríguez claimed the fastest 100m backwards in high heels with an impressive time of 16.55 seconds.

I may not be setting that sort of record, but I do see running backwards crop up time and time again as a trendy idea for the average runner. Sometimes called "reverse running," it's exactly what it sounds like: runners literally turning around and jogging backwards. But does running backwards genuinely help improve forward running performance, or is it simply another fitness fad destined to fade?

Does running backwards actually help?

From a physiological perspective, backwards running fundamentally alters how your body moves and which muscles bear the workload. Physiotherapist Alex Lee explains the dramatic shift that occurs when you reverse direction: "Your quadriceps do the majority of the job of slowing your body down. Your hamstrings work differently too because they aren't pushing you forwards. This variation alleviates stress from the knee joint, specifically the ACL." He further explains how running backwards also causes your ankles to "move with greater dorsiflexion," which trains balance and body awareness, known as proprioception.

As any runner can attest, going easy on the knees is a major draw. Lee notes additional advantages when he trains athletes, explaining how he incorporates running backwards to "shield their knees, develop leg strength, and enhance coordination."

Supplemental, not essential

While the biomechanical benefits are real, running coach Will Baldwin offers a more measured approach to backwards running's place in training programs. "I think the biggest benefit from running backwards is it helps you engage some of your posterior chain and muscles that aren't typically recruited in forward running, like your glutes, some hamstring, and it helps with your pushback a little bit," Baldwin explains.

However, he's quick to temper expectations about performance gains: "I don't think it makes runners faster. It's probably a good supplemental tool. I don't even think it's a necessity in training, but it definitely can wake some muscles up and can be a fun, different type of coordination skill to work on that's still similar to running."

Baldwin's perspective highlights a crucial consideration in training philosophy—the principle of specificity. "The law of specificity applies here. If we want to get better at a skill, we need to practice that skill in the specific way we want to compete. We've got to be careful with how much time we waste, especially for busy people. That could be time better spent doing core work or some specific strength training."

For most recreational runners juggling work, family, and training, Baldwin suggests backwards running falls into the "nice to have" rather than "must have" category: "You'd really have to be someone with a lot of extra time to experiment and play around with things like this."

Getting started safely

Running backwards is awkward at best, and genuinely risky at worst. You could fall, and it's easy to twist an ankle or pull something because you can't see where you're landing. If you'd like to experiment with backwards running, start conservatively. Baldwin suggests beginning with walking: "If someone wanted to try it, I'd start with walking backwards. Especially uphill, on a treadmill or outside, it can really engage, work, and stretch certain muscles. It can be a fun skill to play with, but I'd definitely start with walking before running backwards."

This gradual approach allows your body to adapt to the different movement patterns while minimizing injury risk. Treadmills provide an ideal controlled environment for initial backwards movement practice, eliminating the hazard of unseen obstacles.

The bigger concerns, according to Baldwin, relate to training efficiency: "Wasted time and lack of specificity are probably the bigger ones, but again, not major." For time-strapped runners, the opportunity cost of backwards running sessions might outweigh the supplemental benefits.

The bottom line

Backwards running offers legitimate benefits—improved proprioception, reduced knee stress, enhanced muscle activation patterns, and increased coordination.

However, for the average recreational runner seeking to improve their forward running times, backwards running is more of a fun bonus activity, rather than a true game-changer. The time investment might be better allocated to proven training methods like tempo runs, interval training, strength work, or simply building up more forward-running mileage.

Backwards running sits comfortably in the category of "helpful but not essential" training methods. It's not the revolutionary breakthrough some social media posts might suggest, but it's also not entirely without merit. Like many fitness trends, the truth lies somewhere between.

So, for runners with specific needs—such as rehabilitation from knee injuries, athletes requiring enhanced proprioception, or those simply seeking variety in their training routine—backwards running can serve a valuable purpose. For everyone else, it remains an interesting option worth considering if time and safety conditions permit, but not a priority that should displace more fundamental aspects of training.

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