Are you able to do at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity a week according to the World Health Organization? Many of us tell ourselves that walking to work or carrying shopping bags from the supermarket is “playing sports“. It’s not exactly like that. Sure it’s better than nothing, but there are very simple ways to activate your body that you can tackle every day without necessarily becoming a super fitness professional.
Walking is usually an extremely automatic activity, does not require conscious effort and does not activate our brain properly. Now several studies have found that the best way to exercise is: walk backwards.
It seems strange but walking backwards engages our body and our brain in much more sophisticated ways than expected: it requires concentration, attention, changes of direction are more difficult, it requires coordination between our visual, vestibular systems (sensations related to movements such as twisting, turning or fast movements) and proprioceptive (awareness of where our bodies are in space).
It has been studied that this type of activity brings many benefits, improves stability and balance, can help individuals with knee osteoarthritis, intensifies muscle endurance and reduces the load on our joints.
If you want to try this technique, simply get used to it for a few meters, get to know your body in this strange position and test your coordination level. Those who feel safe going backwards can also try the treadmill, always being careful to keep to the sides. For those who want to start introductory sessions, it is advisable to start with 20 meters at a time, trying to change direction and speed.