Winter Wonderland Walking
Enjoy the stunning beauty of a crisp, fresh winter day ... a beauty that at times is enough to almost make you tear up, it's just so grand! Besides, it seems we're getting more and more of this white stuff in more places around the world so why not?
Why not add this 'walking style' to your bag of walking tricks too? No need to stay house bound this winter. Get outdoors, enjoy the fresh, crisp air, the crunch of the snow under your feet, the cleanness, the sunshine on your face. And yes the sheer joy of continuing your fitness walking program outdoors in the winter. Super bonus! In a nutshell you need to be properly prepared to really enjoy walking in a winter wonderland. It's a bit like preparing to go cross country skiing or winter hiking. Just a few simple steps. We suggest you have:
And One Caution! - if you're just starting out on our Fitness Walking 1 Program please work your way up to at least Week 4 before venturing out. If you absolutely cannot resist the beauty of it and wont wait, then we suggest two things.
This is IMPORTANT! Walking on trickier rough and unstable snow surfaces does require a good degree of foot and leg muscle flexibility. You need to be able to maintain your balance and react quickly to poor footing. Admit it. We don't jump around those snow banks as nimbly as when we were teenagers! OK - on to the nitty gritty! Good Shoes And Shoe Traction Gear ... ... are probably THE most important part of enjoying your winter wonderland so let's spend some time on this part.
Let's be more specific. You want shoes that are actually designed for fitness and exercise walking, are waterproof - both lowers and uppers - and an outer sole that is rubber-based, not PU (polyurethane). Rubber soles with a good grip pattern are much safer in the winter. Some insulation may be desirable. It's your call. We use regular (no extra insulation) hiking shoes to about -15°C (-5°F). We prefer a good light hiking or trail running shoe (opens new window) with a mid to high top. And we are strong believers in using proper walking & hiking socks (opens new window). In winter our personal favorite socks are the Level 3 Thorlo Hiking Socks (new window) that have a little more thickness, warmth and comfort. We love them! Last and MOST IMPORTANT winter foot gear prep is this BIGGIE. Foot Traction Gear! 
This last piece of the puzzle has made it possible for us to really enjoy walking safely in our winter wonderland with confidence. Add these traction devices to your winter shoes and you can walk safely on ice and snow. There are 2-3 different brands out there we are aware of. Personally we wear something called the Yaktrax Pro (YUP - the one in the picture). We figure if it's good enough to be standard issue with the US Postal Service it is certainly good enough for little old us!This just slip on over your shoes. You want ones made of rubber again, not the man-made stuff. Yaktrax has a stainless steel coil wrapped around the rubber. It is these hardened steel coils that bite into the ice and snow. It is amazing how good you feel when you can walk safely in the winter. We actually see a lot of joggers using these in the winter too! One caution with all of these devices. Take them OFF indoors. On smooth surfaces you can slip, fall and injure yourself very easily, damage the floor and damage carpets too. Outdoors only please. Layered Clothing, Gloves, Head Gear & Sunglasses It's always a good idea to dress in layers when walking in winter wonderland. First you want a layer next to your skin that wicks perspiration away from the skin. Next one or two layers mostly for additional warmth. Third a wind and weatherproof outer layer with controllable ventilation (for when you get too warm!). Good gloves are really important too. Our circulation isn't always what it used to be. Keeping our old finger tips warm is always a good thing! We suggest a good glove made specifically for Nordic Walking or Cross Country Skiing if that's part of your program or a good waterproof glove designed for other winter sports if you will just be walking. They have done pretty amazing things with winter sport gloves these days. Knowledgeable staff in a good winter sports store can be very helpful here. For your head we suggest a toque or similar covering. Something breathable and warm. We suggest a dense-knit wool covering for the best performance. You may also want to consider something called a neck gaiter which is a fancy way of saying 'turtleneck' without the sweater! This is an alternative to a scarf. Remember to wear your sunglasses! It can be very bright with all that snow on a sunny day. Protecting your eyes is highly recommended. One thing that works for us is getting our (prescription) sunglasses with oversized lenses to keep out as much sun as possible. Nordic Pole Walking In Winter Wonderland Nordic pole walking is a great exercise all year round! If you've already started this great exercise, just carry on. Winter is NO reason to slow down! The better nordic walking poles have removable rubber tips. Just slip them off to expose the carbon tip for use on slick or lose surfaces. We personally use the LEKI brand of nordic poles and love them! All the footwear and other suggestions above work perfectly for this too. Have a look at our Nordic Pole Walking (new window) section if you haven't yet discovered the super activity! A great way to add more pleasure to your winter wonderland walk. There you have it! The only thing left is to approach your walk in your winter wonderland with a Great Attitude! You will be rewarded with some of the most enjoyable activity you can find. Great beauty, great exercise, fresh, crisp air and feeling great! Enjoy! Nordic Pole Walking | Race Walking | Tread Mill Walking Freestyle Walking | Walking Meditation Walking Tips Return to A Different Walking Style | Return To Home Page 
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In fact in our part of the world folks get most excited about when there's snow on the ground. Much more exciting than that dull, boring summer stuff! 
Walking in a winter wonderland calls for you to wear shoes that work well in the winter! Winter walking shoes! Pretty amazing logic isn't it? Sorta like winter tires for your feet! (You DO use winter tires on your car don't you)?
