Retro Walking

Have you ever walked backwards in a public space for a few minutes?

It is really quite liberating! I am sure the two gardeners working on the flower beds must have thought we were a little bonkers but we had a lovely time. In today’s Woolwich walk for the Stride on Time project with Greenwich Dance¹, we set out walking forwards along the river from Clockhouse Community Centre, followed the cycle path through Thameside Studios and found a quiet green space tucked behind the Thames Barrier on the south side of the river. Picture a circular path around a green centre with benches framing the outer circle.

Starting with the a simple set of choreographic rules; walk, sit and stand, borrowed from the contact improvisation pioneer Steve Paxton and his work Satisfyin’ Lover (1967); we set about exploring this little space for a few minutes, and spontaneously started experimenting with walking backwards. As we passed each other one of the participants commented that in Chinese culture walking backwards is a regular pastime and connected to wellbeing. So we did it for a bit longer and noticed it was working different muscle groups, required more concentration and was actually very mindful…mainly to avoid tripping over or bumping into something/someone.

After a little more digging on the internet at home, I found out that its connected to Traditional Chinese Medicine and karmic reversal or correcting mistakes from your past.

“100 steps backwards are worth 1000 steps forwards”

And there are studies that have shown the benefits of retro walking, including boosting short term memory², health and wellbeing³.

I am left questioning…

In the act of walking backwards are we more connected to our self as a body moving through space and time, more so than walking forward?

Are we therefore less connected to the space as a ‘place’ since retro walking requires our senses to be more heightened in prioritising safety and avoiding potential obstacles?

If we practice retro walking and get better at it does that mean we can do other things while retro walking (like we do when walking forwards)?

The mindfulness element of walking seems to be experienced very differently when walking backwards, compared to forward motion. What are we mindful about in both experiences?

Will I get funny looks if I do it in Woolwich?

Does anyone else walk backwards regularly? Would love to hear from you!

1. https://greenwichdance.org.uk/whats-on/filter/classes/
2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/can-you-boost-your-memory-by-walking-backward
3. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/walking-backwards#Why-walk-backward?-