What do you think are some of the benefits to backward motion (BM)? On the slide are listed some of the acute benefits. One of the things I found most fascinating was that there is very little elastic storage and utilisation in BM. So, if you want to preferentially target the contractile component and minimise the contribution of the passive (mysial) and series (tendon) elastic components during dynamic cyclic movement, then this should be part of your exercise menu.

BM has also been suggested for clinical purposes because it has been proposed to reduce the mechanical stress on the knee, researchers calculating that the compression of the patella against the femur (i.e. patellofemoral joint compressive force ) is on average 24% lower during BM as compared to forward motion of the same relative speed.

If you want to understand BM from physiology to programming, then head to this Research in Action resource. It took three years to put together (PhD) and it is complete with some of the latest research in this area.