Basic Pursuits

Run/walk Backwards

Find yourself a field or track or empty parking lot. Set your course before you start. Walking or running backwards is not a good time to explore. I like to find a big circle, but back and forth will do.

Walk or run (you pick your speed) backwards. Glance over your shoulder from time to time to make sure you chose a good course. Keep our knees slightly bent for extra conditionaing in the knees.

Things to think about:

As with all Tabata workouts, seek to make it the most exhilerating four minutes of your day, not the longest four minutes. Pace yourself so that you leave feeling pumped. The next time you're due for a Tabata, you should look forward to it.

Benefits

• Great for the knees and building quadracep strength and endurance. You can feel like you spent an hour on your legs in a gym. I find it's good knee therapy and has helped me with various knee pains.
• Builds a special coordination. The adaptation of going backwards is good for your brain as it strives to adapt.
• It's low on the boring scale.
• You're outdoors, hopefully for a little long for you northeners.

Disadvantages

•  People might think you're a little crazy.

Tabatas are timed workouts. Work hard for 20 seconds; rest for 10 seconds. Eight work/rest sets for a total of four minutes.

Read more about Tabata.