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A Passion For Nordic Walking

By Steve Erickson

“You need more exercise,” could be one of the most common quotes from North America’s doctors.

While almost everyone knows someone who’s received the good doctor’s advice, many put it aside because starting an exercise program is a daunting task.

Yet walking for 30-60 minutes is essentially all you need to improve your physical condition. Some of the benefits are more strength, stamina, agility, while improving your immune system.

It’s not a guarantee to prevent COVID-19, though being more physically fit can’t hurt and if just walking isn’t stimulating your senses, why not head to the trails and try Nordic walking?

Nordic walking can be an excellent option for a change of pace to your routine.

All you need are lightweight poles to start and, of course, some expert advice on how to begin.

Look no further than Director of Education for Urban Poling Inc, Barb Gormley, who is also the owner of CustomFit Personal Training in Toronto.

In a Q&A, Gormley, the personal trainer and author of “The Urban Poling Ultimate Guide to Nordic Walking,” opens up on her favourite activity.

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Q: What was your introduction to Nordic walking?

Barb Gormley: About 15 years ago, Mandy Shintani, the owner of Vancouver’s Urban Poling, asked me if I’d like to try a pair of her company’s Nordic walking poles.

My first experience on my own with them actually wasn’t very positive. But once I took a lesson, it all came together and I loved the feeling of my upper body muscles working as I walked.

It’s fantastic to see so many people out walking with poles, but too many people still think that hiking poles and Nordic walking poles are interchangeable and that their walking techniques are the same!

Q: So what’s the difference?

BG: Hiking poles are designed to minimize walking effort, and there’s no particular walking technique associated with them.

Alternatively, Nordic walking technique maximizes walking effort to make standard walking more challenging.

You’ll recognize Nordic walking (also called urban poling and pole walking) by its longish stride and elegant long-arm swing.

A down-and-back pressure on the handles propels you forward and also helps with balance.

One of the biggest attractions to Nordic walking is that it involves the entire upper body, including the core muscles.

Because it requires more effort than regular walking or casual hiking, Nordic walking also helps fix slouchy posture and burns more calories.

Q: What was the process like in writing your book, and who is it for?

BG: It took a lot more time to write and get published than I thought it would! I wrote my book because not everyone has access to an instructor, and some people just prefer to learn on their own.

The book includes information on how to set up your poles; proper Nordic walking technique; technique troubleshooting (for example, solving slipping and bouncing boot tips); must-do stretches; avoiding rookie mistakes; what to wear; the top 20 FAQs; how to train for a 5km event; step-by-step instructions for using the ACTIVATOR poles (for people with balance issues); and much more.

The book has information for novice Nordic walkers and experienced Nordic walkers alike. I encourage people who are just starting out to work their way from the beginning to the end of the book.

One of my favorite parts is the exercise programs. Many people don’t realize that you can use the poles for stationary stretch, strength and mobility exercises.

Q: Tell us about your fitness routine.

BG: I like to be active in lots of ways. I Nordic walk, run, lift weights, take group fitness classes, and I ride my bike around the city and on longer training rides. I try to log 20,000 steps a day.

I also work from a stand-up desk, which is great for staying focused and productive.

Q: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone. What are some fitness/health tips you could share?

BG: Just doing a few minutes of exercise in nature is a natural mood booster. And medical experts tell us that keeping active helps to boost our immune system.

Right now, public health officials are telling us it’s fine to exercise outdoors if we stay close to home and maintain a 6-foot/2-metre distance from other people.

I tell my clients to exercise outdoors early in the morning or later in the evening when there are fewer people to encounter. Or exercise in your backyard or on your balcony to get some fresh air and sunshine.

Another great option is the online exercise classes that many fitness clubs are offering. {I also teach virtual fitness classes. Details here.] Of course, if you have exercise equipment at home this is an ideal time to use it.

Q: What do you love most about Nordic walking?

BG: It’s a full-body workout that I can do anywhere and anytime. It gives me the same high as running but without stressing my knees and hips.

It’s fun and quite addictive, especially when you’re out with a group of friends enjoying the scenery and fresh air together.

Q: What’s next for you?

BG: I’m continuing to promote Nordic walking as the perfect exercise activity for almost everyone!

You can contact Barb Gormley at www.barbgormley.com.

Thanks to Christine Blanchette for her weekly Fitness Friday features and feel free to contact her on Twitter or Youtube.

Enjoy the read and remember SOCIAL DISTANCING = STAYING SAFE!

Snowshoeing Is An Amazing Workout

In 2011, I wrote an article for Chatelaine magazine about the joys of snowshoeing on a crisp winter day with friends.

All these years later, the story still holds up in terms of the benefits I described and the tips I offered on purchasing the right pair of snowshoes and using them properly.

What’s different ? We’re currently deep into a pandemic, and fitness centres, yoga studios, martial arts clubs, and dance studios are all shuttered.

As a result, home exercise equipment is flying off store shelves.

If you’re keen to try snowshoeing this winter, I recommend you read the Chatelaine article and then rush out to make your purchase while there’s still product to purchase!

Choose the Right Nordic Walking Shoes

If you’re a beginner Nordic walker or if you mostly take short Nordic walking trips around your neighbourhood, running shoes or walking shoes will work just fine.

But if you attend weekly Nordic walking classes, walk on dirt trails or gravel, walk for 60-plus minutes, or walk in cold or rainy weather, your best choice will always be day hiking shoes.

Compared to running shoes, day hiking shoes offer several benefits:

• The lightweight, rugged and slightly wider sole helps with balance and stability and helps to stave off fatigue.

• The gusseted tongue (its sides are sewn to the upper part of the shoe) helps keep out small stones.

• The mid-cut design at the ankle provides ankle support and helps keep out small stones.

• The rubber toe cap acts like a bumper protecting your toes and helps keep feet dry and warm in snow, dewy grass and puddles.

• The breathable yet water-resistant uppers let sweat evaporate while keeping out snow, rain and dew.

For more info, check out this article from Mountain Equipment Coop.

Want to keep active while enjoying the outdoors? My Nordic walking group classes are an opportunity to keep fit, meet new people and explore beautiful Mount Pleasant Cemetery, High Park and other lovely Toronto locations.. Private and semi-private lessons are also always available!

Uh oh...Are You Making These 5 Classic Nordic Walking Mistakes (video)?

Follow these quick tips to polish your Nordic walking technique.

This is Canada's Best Gym!

Late autumn in High Park, Toronto

"You don’t have to go fast. You just have to go."

"Action is the antidote to despair." Joan Baez

Are You Really Nordic Walking...or Just Walking With Poles?

When I'm out leading a class of happy Nordic walkers or teaching a one-on-one lesson, we frequently pass another person or group also cheerily enjoying a workout with poles.

After a friendly hello as we pass by, our conversation inevitably turns to a critique of the other Nordic walkers' (almost always) poor technique:

• bent elbows

• poles vertical and in front of the body

• poles too long or too short

• no propulsion

• hiking poles instead of Nordic walking poles

• schlumpy posture

• short little steps, etc.

These encounters are actually a great learning opportunity for my participants (recognizing errors is a great confidence booster). But I find it disheartening that so few people learn to use their poles properly.

Just one lesson or clinic is all that's required for most people to understand the basics of Nordic walking. Without some rudimentary instruction and feedback most people end up simply walking with poles, using them the same way they would hiking poles.

They don't realize that hiking poles (also called trekking poles) are used to minimize effort when walking, while Nordic walking poles are used to maximize effort and to challenge almost every muscle in the body.

If you're curious about the Nordic walking workout, take the intelligent approach and connect with a certified Nordic walking instructor.

She or he can help you with:

• choosing the right poles

• setting telescoping-style poles to the proper length for you

• understanding the Nordic walking technique, coordination and rhythm

• maintaining proper posture

• modifying the intensity up or down

• troubleshooting any issues

• and much more

Failure to Launch -- Almost

The first time I experienced Nordic walking, I was immensely disappointed.

I was a competitive power walker, occasional runner and lover of sweaty workouts of all kinds.

When the Vancouver-based Nordic walking company Urban Poling called me (over 10 years ago now) to see if I'd test drive their poles and the Nordic walking technique, of course I said yes.

I'd vaguely heard that Nordic walking was a huge hit in Europe, and I was keen to try it for both myself and my personal training clients.

When the poles arrived, I carefully watched the accompanying DVD at least three or four times.

Feeling confident that I had the basics memorized, a colleague and I headed out with a spring in our step to Toronto's lovely Sunnybrook Park to give them a test run.

It was a frustrating experience to say the least.

Just when we thought we were getting the rhythm and coordination right, our boot tips would slip back on the asphalt and we'd lose our propulsion. My  boot tips were also doing an odd bounce.

We agreed that it wasn't a very challenging activity.

With no one to troubleshoot for us, we eventually gave up, tucked the poles under our arms and trudged home.

Fortunately, a short time later I participated in the Urban Poling Instructor Certification Course.

In those four hours, all of my issues were quickly resolved. Turned out that I just needed an experienced eye to give me some quick tips and corrections.

While Nordic walking isn't a difficult skill to learn, it's the small details that can throw you off.

The slipping boot tip issue was resolved once I learned that my weaker left arm wasn't swinging fully up into position. Suddenly I felt my core and triceps tighten as my arms began to work in sync.

I also learned several ways to increase the intensity and that I should press more firmly on the ledge of the handles to stop the bouncing.  Problems solved.

As the course wrapped up, it was clear to me why so many people are hooked on the Nordic walking workout.

Moral of the story? If you want to fully understand and master a new skill, self teaching is a good place to start. But it will never replace the experience of learning from a professional instructor.