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They can be spotted in groups or alone, out in any weather and at any time of day, and they have been seen headed through both villages and on trails in the woods. Their most distinct trademark? Their ‘ski’ poles, which are what make them Nordic walkers.
To Americans, Nordic walking may look sort of funny and they may wonder what the draw is of walking with ‘ski ‘poles. The poles are not actually ski poles. The are specially designed poles that come with removable rubber caps on the tips. The caps are for use on paved surfaces and can be removed to reveal a metal tip that is useful on trails and other soft surfaces. The first set of poles were created by Tom Rutlin in the late 1980s.
Additionally, they are shorter than cross-country ski poles. It’s important to understand that using poles of improper length may increase stress on the knees, hips or back. This diminishes or negates the effects of Nordic walking. A unique feature of the poles are grips with wrist straps attached to them, which eliminates the need to hold on to the grips. Most poles are made from a lightweight metal like aluminum.
Nordic walking began as an off-season training exercise for cross-country skiers in Finland early in the 20th century. Trainers saw the benefits to competitive cross-country skiers of training with poles year-round and implemented the concept. From there, the sport grew in popularity with a range of folks looking for a good way to get an effective workout.
Nordic walking is a time-efficient way to exercise. A study done by the Cooper Institute in Dallas found that Nordic walking burns more calories, increases oxygen consumption and can be up to 46 percent more efficient than regular fitness walking. And this is all achievable without having to walk faster or exert significantly more energy than during regular fitness walking.
Secondly, because of the characteristic poles, Nordic walking offers a lower-stress workout. The poles take much of the stress incurred when walking for fitness off the ankles, knees and hips, so it is a perfect exercise for anyone who has been injured or has ankle, knee or hip problems. Stress is more evenly spread out over the whole body, rather than being concentrated in the lower half. Nordic walking can be done by anyone, regardless of age or fitness level. Finally, Nordic walking offers a total-body workout. When done properly, the arms, chest, back and core are engaged and upper-body strength can even increase with regular participation.
According to the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, in 12 weeks it can increase upper body muscle endurance by 38 percent. Regular fitness walking engages about 70 percent of total body muscle, but by adding the upper-body workout of Nordic walking, up to 90 percent of total body muscle will be engaged at all times during the workout.
Nordic walking is also a great way to lose weight. When using the poles, heart rate is increased by 10 to 15 percent versus normal walking, meaning Nordic walking can burn up to 450 calories per hour, while regular fitness walking burns fewer than 300.
It’s not news that cross-country skiing is a truly effective total-body workout, burning calories and building cardiovascular fitness while putting less stress on joints. With Nordic walking, the benefits of cross-country skiing are easily achieved, without the hassle of skis or the need for snow, year-round and virtually anywhere.
(Editor’s note: Information from www.nordicwalkingonline.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/ was used in this article. Before beginning any exercise regimen, contact you primary health-care provider.)
