Nordic walking is pretty bad, in fact

When I first heard Nordic walking, I was skeptical. It looked like I was taking a walk and trying to commercialize it. For real Walk until you do that with these expensive trekking poles. But after examining the research behind it, my mind changed completely.

Nordic walking has many advantages over regular walking, as opposed to simply “walking with a pole”.It burns more calories, exercise It reduces stress on more muscles and joints and enhances stability. It’s beneficial to almost everyone, but especially to the elderly, those who are new to fitness, and those who are recovering from an injury.

What is Nordic walking?

Nordic walking started in Finland.Country skiers have long walked with poles during the warmer months. In 1966, Finnish gym teacher Leena Jääskeläinen first developed an organized pole walking routine. The first off-the-shelf Nordic walking poles were manufactured in the 1990s, and activity has slowly gained momentum ever since.

Nordic walking is a combination of special equipment and specific techniques that results in longer stride lengths and more muscle group involvement than walking with hiking or trekking poles, or without poles at all. increase. It combines aerobic exercise and muscle training into one.

Benefits of Nordic walking

Studies have shown that Nordic walking is more beneficial than regular walking in almost every respect. Nordic walking, if done correctly, combines the benefits of active walking aerobic exercise with leg, shoulder, arm, core and even burn muscle training. More calories than normal walking.. The impact of each step spreads to the pole / arm, reducing the strain on the joint and improving stability. Studies show that these effects are even present in the case of Nordic walkers. Walk slowly Than normal walking.

Like most other exercises, Nordic walking Depression and anxiety, Increased strength, improved endurance and flexibility, but one of the most interesting results from Nordic walking scientific research is due to perceived effort. Objectively, practice requires more energy than normal walking, but in a study of obese women, did not do it Perception More energetic than Walking, and was more likely to continue it compared to other forms of exercise.It also takes you outdoors — a big advantage Exercise in the gym

What equipment do I need for Nordic walking?

To get the most out of Nordic walking, you need the right equipment. In addition to a neat pair of sneakers (or hiking boots, depending on how sturdy), a water bottle, and sunscreen, Nordic walking all means the poles.

Nordic walking poles are hiking poles, ski poles, Or trekking pole. The main difference is the hand strap. Nordic walking requires pressure on the pole through the straps / gloves, which makes the pole thicker and larger. Trekking pole straps are usually simple loops designed to keep you from dropping.

Scandinavian poles also have various “feet”. If you are walking on soft ground, use a pointed one, but on hard ground, for Nordic poles, The pole behind you when you walk.

There are two types of Nordic poles, fixed length and adjustable. For the first time, adjustable is probably the right choice, at least until you know how. They should be for you. They aren’t super expensive either: The most reviewed pole here is $ 130But you can find Basic set less than half of that..

Learn Nordic walking techniques

Worrying about the technique of walking with a pole may seem a bit silly, but it’s actually a sufficiently different mode of transportation that there is a learning curve. It will take some time to get used to it.

In a broad sense, Nordic pole walking is assisted by taking a larger stride than normal walking and “pushing” the pole of the hand. In the downstroke, the Nordic walker releases the pole, swings freely and grabs it in the upstroke when there is no pressure on the hand. Therefore, there are some things to keep in mind when you get started.

There is There are two ways to learn how to walk again. Either teach yourself or hire an instructor. If you go alone, tHere are a lot of useful guides to Nordic walking techniques online, Including video on YouTube It is especially useful because it provides a visual guide. In the same way.

If you’re just starting exercising and you’re feeling sick, especially if you’re starting Nordic walking as a way to recover from an injury, you probably need to talk to your local trainer to understand the basics. I have. If you can’t find a trainer, check meetup.com for a local group in your area. I’m sure a nice Scandinavian professional will show the rope to newcomers. And the pole.