5 reasons to start walking backward

I've spent my whole life happily walking in one direction: forward. It was, I believed, the only way to go, so I dutifully logged dozens of miles a month looking like every other person out for a morning stroll.

- By Angela Haupt - Illustrations by Brown Bird Design for Time

I've spent my whole life happily walking in one direction: forward. It was, I believed, the only way to go, so I dutifully logged dozens of miles a month looking like every other person out for a morning stroll.

No more. Thanks to TikTok, I discovered a new (to me, at least) spin on walking: backward walking, also known as retrowalking. Though it's trending on social media platforms right now, physical therapists and fitness trainers have been touting its benefits for years. It's a low-impact way to burn calories, strengthen your legs, test your coordination, become more flexible, and even reduce pain, experts say-all of which lured me onto my quiet rural street one afternoon to give it a whirl.

After about 50 steps, I realized going in reverse was no walk in the park. It burned. I could feel the switch-up in my lower legs in a way I don't with ordinary walking unless I'm powering up a hill. There was a mental challenge too (beyond ignoring the strange looks from my neighbors). I had no idea what was behind me, so I had to engage all my senses to ensure I stayed upright and didn't trip over any unexpected obstacles.

When I told a handful of experts about my surprisingly fun retro-walking expedition, they agreed more people should make it part of their routine-starting out slowly, in a hazard-free area, for just a few minutes a day. There's a learning curve, experts stress, so if you're able to walk 1 m.p.h. backward, you're doing well. Here's a look at the benefits.