Nordic Pole WalkingYou might have heard of this thing called Nordic Pole Walking. It's a new phenomenon that's sweeping North America. You may also have heard it called nordic walking, nordic stick walking or variations. Whatever you call it, it's real and very good news. Why? Because it's easy for us 50Plus'ers to do and really beneficial too! All without adding any apparent increase in your exertion or speed while you walk! We've all been around long enough to know that this sounds like a very good deal! It's a great place to add variety to your walking style once you feel comfortable with your progress on your Fitness Walking Program. (And of course, as always you have cleared this new activity with your medical professional. Right?) Now, just in case you're asking yourself "You mean that funny thing I see those silly people do as they walk down the path waving their arms and poles in the air? How can that be beneficial unless you're laughing so hard you lose weight watching?" Hey! Glad you asked! Keep reading. You get to watch a neat video in a sec but first check out ... The Benefits As amazing as it sounds, just adding that little motion with those poles, nordic pole walking does all of this for you.
OK! Now that we have your interest let's take a closer look at what it actually is. Nordic Pole Walking - What Is It? In the briefest of terms it's walking with poles. Hmm, maybe you want a bit more? OK, here goes. You add poles to your walking and use a basic technique a bit like cross country skiing. The big difference with nordic pole walking is that you walk upright, not bent over. This promotes a longer arm swing and a longer stride. This in turn activates more muscles, especially in your upper body. When you're swinging these poles, you enhance your normal, opposite arm swing you get with your regular walking. This simple action is the basic reason for all the benefits we mentioned. Some Bonuses! You can do nordic pole walking all year round. Most poles have a removable rubber tip you use in on smooth surfaces. When you remove the tips, there's a carbide tipped steel piece that gives you traction on soft surfaces like grass or gravel, and on ice and snow in the winter. TIP: Use a little vaseline on your tip to make it easier to get off and on - especially when you're walking over different types of ground on the same walk. Our tips can be a bit of a challenge sometimes to change quickly! Another bonus is that the poles weigh almost nothing. The adjustable poles make it easy to pack and haul them around when needed. Here's a real good one for us 'older' fogies! You can work at whatever pace you want. No need to be a racer or power chugger racing up hills and down dales. Just work within your limits. Progress when you're ready to. Nordic pole walking is great no matter what speed you want to want at! So the next step is ... How Do You Do It? Rather than us blather on, the best way we know of is to show you. Have a look at this 5 minute video put together by Dr. Klaus Schwanbeck of Nordic Pole Walking USA. It does a very good job of going over the basics. (used with permission)
Isn't that a good video? Shows you clearly just about everything you should know. Dr. Schwanbeck has also written a companion reference book that might interest you. It's called The Ultimate Nordic Pole Walking Book: A Guide for Walkers and Instructors OK. You've got all this good info. You're ready to get out there and give it a go. A couple of things. First ... what to look for in ... Nordic Pole Walking Equipment Pretty simple really. You want poles that are adjustable - fixed length, two section and three section poles are available. Pick what is best for you whether you need to pack them in the car, in a backpack or elsewhere. Your poles need removable rubber tips. Keep a good supply of replacement tips on hand, especially if you walk mostly on smooth ground. Our tips usually last about 6-8 months. The carbide tip under the rubber usually lasts a very long time. The higher quality poles would let you replace them too. They need to have adjustable wrist straps. Some poles (like the LEKI poles we use) have a wrist strap assembly that has a quick pole release so you can just temporarily remove the whole assembly from the pole without having to undo the strap from your wrist. This is real handy if you just need to get something out of your pocket or quickly tie a loose shoe lace. One snap of it back into your pole when you're done and you're off. (And if your walking partner didn't stop, you'll have an easier time catching up to her! It can be quite addictive once you get into your rhythm!) Poles tend to made out of aluminum, graphite, carbon fiber or a combination of these. Benefits of the more exotic materials are lighter weight and greater strength. If you tend to walk or hike in rougher terrain, the extra strength might come in handy for stability and grip on sloped ground. Finally is your nordic walking footwear. What special considerations do you need to know for this type of walking. Read more Nordic Walking Shoes details here. (new window). Now that that is out of the way, you're ready to walk on out. Right? Almost bucky. There's just one more teensy little thing us 'seasoned ones' gotta do. No matter how great you're feeling and how far you've come, you still need to start with your... Stretching Exercises Yup. Your old bod may be feeling better but you still need to warm it! Let that finely tuned machine of yours know you're about to do something that it needs to know about! Work through these just before you start out. If these are still a little bit tough, then visit our other Stretching Exercise page until you're ready for these. This segment is courtesy from LEKI, a leading manufacturer of ski, hiking and trekking poles for over 55 years. Quad Stretch
*(Alternately you can put your foot on the edge of a couch or bed, bend the other knee slowly. Change legs. Use a wall or chair to support your hands) Hamstring Stretch
Chest/Upper Shoulder Stretch
Lats/Back Stretch
Tricep/Arm Stretch
Torso/Lateral Stretch 
Yes! Now You're Ready To Go Nordic Pole Walking! Yes, at long last you truly are ready to give this exciting and energizing experience a go. Go easy but do GO! See you on the path! Back to A Different Walking Style | Return to Home Page 
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. As an added bonus he includes a neat DVD with this video and other stuff on it. We have it and love it! 
