What is Nordic Walking? Why Do I Need a Lesson (or Two)?

Nordic walking is a full-body workout that is gaining in popularity every year. It is an ideal activity for people of all ages and fitness levels. It challenges almost every muscle in the body while also training cardiovascular endurance and coordination. 

Participants offload weight into the poles, and this has two effects: 1) it takes stress off the hips, knees and back while 2) shifting work to the core, arms and shoulders.

To vary the intensity users simply speed up or slow down. This makes it an activity that people can easily practise for a lifetime.

It isn’t overly difficult to learn, but it’s not easy either. I find the challenge level is just right - challenging enough for super-fit people with excellent coordination and non-intimidating enough for new exercisers.

After many years of teaching Nordic walking, I believe that everyone (even the super-fit with great body awareness) needs at least one lesson. It is important to master the basics and nuances of the technique to ensure you experience all of the benefits. Without one lesson it is typical for the body to default into a hiking technique.

Here are 10 big benefits of Nordic walking:

1. It whittles your waist.
   Your abs tighten each time you push off with your poles. Many people walk 5,000+ steps per hour—that's also 5,000+ pole plants/ab contractions per hour.

2. Your knees and hips will thank you.
   The poles let you offload weight from your hips and knees into your upper body. You can walk further, faster or even pain-free.

3. It revs up the calorie burning.
   Research shows that it burns up to 46% more calories than standard walking.

4. It sculpts your arms and shoulders.
   Nordic walking uses 90 percent of your muscles, especially the underused upper body muscles.

5. It helps balance your blood sugar.
   It helps keep blood sugars in a healthy range.

6. You’ll straighten up and feel more confident.
   Your upper back muscles (that pull your shoulders back) tighten each time you plant a pole.

7. It’s a fun social workout.
   Invite your friends and family members to enjoy all the health benefits with you.

8. It’s a stress buster.
   The smooth rhythmic action provides a distraction from everyday concerns and lifts your mood.

9. You can adjust the intensity.
   Press on the ergonomic handles with more or less intensity to modify your pace.

10. It’s a great running alternative.
    Nordic walking offers the same year-round fresh-air experience as running but without jarring and jostling your joints.

Also see the blog posts: "Are You Really Nordic Walking or Just Walking with Poles?", and “Uh Oh. Are You Making These Classic 5 Nordic Walking Mistakes?”