The title of this Post, “Walking backward”, I do not use it as a metaphor by which we would try to point out -among other things- that we are acting wrongly, but a recommendation we make to invite you to walk physically, moving the body from one point to another, contrary to the normal way we are used to. It is a very important exercise and that is why I have included it as the first exercise recommended in the practices of Brain Gymnastics during the Walks (Post CEREBRAL GYMNASTICS WHILE WALKING). Of course, placing it in the first place does not try to define its generative value in health, creativity, etc., but in my personal experience it does have an important hierarchy in all locomotor aspects (physical, physiological and anatomical) and also mental.
By developing the backward walk, eventually and for a few seconds, we get our senses to direct their attention to other conditions and behaviors, generating a different focus of both our conscious and unconscious (Post THE SENSE OF SIGHT AND THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM, Future Post WALKING WITH EYES CLOSED).
In Post THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM AND HOMEOSTASIS we explained that: “…the human body generates a homeostatic balance in several areas of its functioning, in order to level, stabilize and harmonize both the physical and mental body”; we also mentioned that “…the WALK-RWD System is a mechanism that by its functional structure, forces the organism, to be permanently in imbalance or instability, when reading, writing and drawing, while constantly walking. And this permanent process is precisely the one that forces the organism to use homeostasis to regulate and stabilize the physiological and mental indexes of the body, within certain healthy limits”. Hence, it is imperative and healthy that we walk backward from time to time to self-generate functional Homeostasis which in turn will generate us to use new functional and physical areas of the brain and likewise, put to work all our organs, systems and glands, which will generate physical and mental health, and emotional stability.
The special case of walking backwards is that of Michel Jackson, by means of his great showy way of dancing. It is done with rhythm and in a very personal and natural way (Post WALKING AND DANCING). Another outstanding fact is the one we have pointed out in Ali’s trot when he is boxing (Post THE TROT OF ALI). In Jackson’s case it is an artistic expression, but in Ali’s case it is a mechanism he used to repair his boxing capabilities and potential; in this post we expressed: “It is a very special trot that he performs backward and to his left side. Ali performs this style always jumping on his two lower limbs, to his left side and with slight steps (small and short) backwards. He performs it by circling around his opponent, always rotating around him, and at a constant distance. As we can see, this practice is not natural in the human being’s walk; it is a way to force our body and mind to reach other energetic forms to better develop our functions and also to generate that the mind has other brain areas that have remained dormant”.
This case of Ali is determinant to demonstrate that walking backward generates all that revitalizing process -in a stable imbalance- that we have mentioned in several Posts and that the WALK-RWD System motivates that revitalizing imbalance, by means of its 3 structural activities of reading, writing and drawing, while walking (Posts THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM ENCOURAGES CREATIVE THINKING. PART I; THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE, among others)
The sense most impacted and disturbed by walking backward is the sense of sight, which affects it in such a way that it is also the most interested in exercising and paying more attention to what is happening around it. However, all the senses, both external and internal, are affected and stimulated by this dynamic way of walking (Future Post WALKING AND THE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL SENSES).
So much has been experimented that walking promotes the harmonious functioning of the cerebral hemispheres, that there is no doubt about it. Walking is an exercise that causes effects on the 2 symmetrical parts of the human body, so any exercise that does so, will have similar effects. However, walking backward is not at all common, and therefore there are no scientific experiences to give us feedback.
Therefore, I invite you to try this special way of walking backward and observe the effects it produces. You will have to do it very carefully and for a few seconds, while you go for a walk. We also recommend that, as the case may be, they be assisted by a person holding their hand.
This experience can be very informative according to what we observe in each of these occasions, walking backward.
You will surely gain several specific benefits, both physical and mental, from becoming a RETRITERANT (a backward walker) by inducing your body to walk backward,
RETRITERANT: Backward walker. From the Latin RETRO: backward, ITER: ROAD, ROUTE, PATH. backward path. Therefore: Backward walker or Walking backward.
RETRITERATION: The activity of walking backward.
RETRITERACT: The action or act of walking backward.