Multiple types of research conducted at the University of Oregon and Stellenbosch University, South Africa claim that jogging backwards is actually a better way to stay fit. Jogging backwards improves the overall fitness of the body, betters the cognitive skills, better coordination and it also accelerates cardiovascular fitness.
For the study, researchers monitored the physical development of a group of females jogging backwards for thrice a week for a period of six weeks. They found that the women who jogged backwards had lost 2.5 % of their body fat and their oxygen consumption had also gone down. The other advantages of jogging backwards other than staying fit include increased the strength of the toes because the forefoot is used to propel one’s self. Reverse running is also more efficient because 1 lap of jogging backwards is equivalent to 6 laps of jogging forward. A backward jog also protects the knees and joints against injuries.
Jogging backwards to stay fit is not a new phenomenon. It has been practised for decades by professional athletes to overcome injuries. This new study has also strengthened the well-established fact that sports and fitness are directly related and that physically active people are bound to stay fit.
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