Cape Talk

But if you do want to try it out and you don't want to take the risk of doing it on machinery, you're more than welcome to walk backwards. Like on a normal level ground, you can just have a slight bend in the knee, walk backwards, and you can go at the pace that suits you. Like I prefer to go super slow and it doesn't have to be long. You just have to do it until you feel that activation within the quads, which is the muscle group just above the knees.

You feel the activation there and in your calves, then you know that you're doing it correctly. And obviously, you shouldn't be doing it moving to pain. It should be a bit good bit of activation. Muscles should be a bit tired, but once you feel pain, then you obviously stop and die. Do you burn more calories? I would probably say that it's equal amount of calories walking forward. It also depends on how much load you.

Putting on so if you are walking backwards, but you're pulling a sled, you're definitely gonna burn more calories than if you're just walking forward. But if you're walking backwards, pulling a sled, walking forward, pulling a sled, it's gonna be an equal amount of burning calories. So it just depends how much you load it. Yeah. And how long you alluded to it, Matthew. You said it doesn't have to be long, but in minutes, what sort of length of time are we proposing here? Okay.

Okay, so I would recommend that you do about five sets of 30 seconds if you're just walking on a level ground. So you walk in like a bit of a loop. I normally put cone to cone and I go from one end to the other end and I just like turn around and go backwards, turn around and go backwards once I'm done. And if you're on a treadmill, you can just do like three to five minutes at a very slow pace. And then once you feel that activation,

You can take a break and then go again. But normally, once I feel the activation within the muscle groups that I want to target, then I'm good to go. And just to clarify, level ground at the gym, right? We're not suggesting you do this on the promenade in Sea Point and run the risk of walking into people and walking into polls because you're not obviously able to see where you're going to. 100%. But you never know. Maybe you start like a backwards running club or backwards walking club.

People might worry about you if they see you doing that in public. Matthew, I've learned so much. Thank you very much. As I said, I've seen people doing it in the gym. I've never understood why they're doing it. And now I have a better insight and understanding as to why people might and should be doing it. Awesome. Thank you so much. Thanks a lot. Matthew Cornish, a personal trainer, talking to us about walking backwards on a treadmill, which actually has some benefits. And he's certainly recommending that.