FOR AN EASY FULL-BODY WORKOUT, TRY NORDIC WALKING
Back when I lived near Lake Tahoe, I skied cross country trails all winter long. But that was years ago and I’ve hardly skied since. However, today I came across an article extolling the benefits of Nordic walking—or walking with poles. This exercise turns a basic walk into a full body workout by mimicking movements used by cross-country skiers; hence the poles.
With a bit of research, I found that you can’t use regular walking sticks. You’ll need poles with wrist straps and pointed tips for trails or with blunted rubber ends for sidewalks. Since I still have my cross-country poles, I can’t wait to try out this new simple workout.
If you’re also interested in adding to your daily walk, please read on. Here are excerpts from the May 1, 2024 Harvard Health Watch online post by Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, titled Take a Nordic walk.
This dynamic activity uses walking poles to help with support and increase intensity
Are you looking to ramp up your fitness walking routine or get back into exercise in a fun and safe way? Then pick up some poles and try Nordic walking.
Nordic walking mimics the motion of cross-country skiing by using poles to push yourself as you walk along. It originated in Finland in the early 20th century as a summer training routine for cross-country skiers. However, it is now a popular way to enjoy the benefits of walking while getting a full-body workout.
“With regular walking, you use about 50% to 70% of your muscles, but with Nordic, you use up to 80% to 90% by further engaging your arms, shoulders, back, and core,” says Andrea Christoforou, a physical therapist and advanced clinician with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Outpatient Center Cambridge.
Nordic walking can offer a higher-intensity workout than walking since you pump your arms using the poles. “The poles also help to propel you forward as you walk, which can increase walking speed and intensity,” says Christoforou.
Multiple benefits
Nordic walking offers other benefits. Studies have shown that Nordic walking burns more calories than regular walking — estimates range from an increase of 18% to 67% — and may help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.
A study published online on June 14, 2022, by the Canadian Journal of Cardiology found that people with heart disease who did Nordic walking two or three times a week for 12 weeks increased their endurance (as measured by a six-minute walking speed test) and reported greater quality of life and fewer depression symptoms than before they started the program.
Nordic walking is ideal for older adults as it can help improve mobility and balance. Using the poles forces you to take longer steps. This helps improve your walking stride and avoid a shuffling gait that can increase the risk of falls. Poles also help protect your lower-body joints. “When you walk with poles, the force of each stride is distributed through the poles — and less through the legs — which reduces the stress on your hips, knees, and feet,” says Christoforou.