Walking backward can have many health benefits, and in Tai Chi we have a specific drill to implement for this purpose.

In the accompanying video, I review how to drill the Tai Chi walk backward. This is a great drill for balance, and it has other benefits as well. Most of us don’t regularly practice walking backward, but doing so will exercise our muscles in a new way, and the activity will help develop new neural pathways for our brain, among other benefits. It is a nice complementary practice to the Tai Chi Walk Forward drill.

When walking backward, we use slow movement and employ a gradual transfer of weight. In the backward walk, the foot stepping back lands toe-heel, as opposed to the forward walk, which lands toe-heel.