Health Benefits
There are a lot of research papers and benefits claimed for nordic walking. Do you think it might be a gimic? Well, I can only speak from my own personal experience and that of the people to whom I have taught the nordic walking technique, and point you in the direction of the published scientific papers. I think the nordic walking technique will last. It's the sort of thing which you wonder why it wasn't invented a hundred years ago.
Personal experiences:
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For a personal touch, let’s first look at some unscientific case studies of local people. These are all real people who have tried out nordic walking recently.
First let me tell you of my personal experience and why I bother to nordic walk.
Angela’s experience
I use the nordic walking technique because I find it makes walking so much easier and more enjoyable.
I enjoy the actual physical lift the poles give me, and I personally find that I have a mental lift too when I nordic walk.
For me, it is a cheat’s way to exercise and get fit.
I have never been an ultra-sporty type and I am sure that my coeliac disease (gluten intolerance) is responsible for a certain lack of energy in previous years, but when nordic walking I find that I can power along without any great feeling of effort, without my legs going wobbly, or getting a stitch, or gasping. And, I have found that I am considerably fitter, without trying very hard, and without feeling it’s a bind, or that I must force myself to do it. It’s a pleasure, not a duty.
I sometimes spend the whole day and evening sitting at the computer and my "mouse arm" aches in all its length. I find that using the poles afterwards does free up my arm and shoulder and gets rid of those aches.
At the end of the day, sometimes when I've been on my feet all day (not nordic walking) and I'm so so tired, but I still have to take my dogs out for a run, I'll take my poles with me and I can use my arms to power along whilst sparing my aching feet, and after a short while, I'll feel invigorated and fresh again.
It's the same when my partner is nordic walking and striding out really fast and I'm having to stretch to keep up; instead of having to break into a run to keep level with him, I'll use my arms more intensively and because I use more advanced points of the technique than he does, I can keep up at the same pace.
And I am losing weight. I found that my fitness increased first, and then I began to lose my tum. I would have preferred to look slimmer first and then get fit, but that’s not the way it works!
Discovering this comfortable way to walk has meant that I am getting out and about far more than I ever did before. I find my lengthened and faster nordic walking stride eats up the miles fairly effortlessly. I used to ride horses, and never used my own 2 legs that much, partly because I used to get really creaky arthritic-stabbing knees. 2 years ago I would have been filled with horror at the idea of a 10 mile walk, now it's no problem at all (but I still wouldn't do it without the nordic walking poles and the nordic walking technique).
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Philip's experience (and other people's experiences below)
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An illustration of the power of the poles - 2
walkers on North Hill, Minehead,
the one
holding
his back does not have the benefit of nordic poles |
Philip’s experience
Philip does a lot of lime mortaring and lime plastering, and general property maintenance, which can be very heavy manual work, so he is already very strong and muscularly fit. He nordic walks at the basic level, because he finds that it loosens up his back and he feels so much better afterwards. He says he enjoys the experience, and he can still use his binoculars to look for the deer and the birds.
Kate’s experience
Kate has always liked to keep fairly fit, when time and her young family allow. She used to jog, but now her beloved Labrador is 12 years old and can’t keep up. So instead, she uses nordic walking as an all-over workout, at the dog’s pace. Kate loves it and the dog is happy too.
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Val’s experience
Val has had 2 knee replacements and wanted to get walking again. She hoped that nordic walking would help. She has had three gentle 30-45 minute nordic walking lessons on flat fields at Killerton, and found it very helpful. She has now bought her own poles and is nordic walking along the old railway line at Bickleigh with her husband.
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Norman, Val’s husband
Norman came along, as many husbands do, to give his wife his support and to keep her company. He wasn’t initially that interested in nordic walking in itself, however he learned how to use the poles to power up some steep slopes, and he thought this was so good that he has bought his own poles and intends to nordic walk regularly.
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it fits in with your lifestyle
- a quick walk at the end of the day to unwind |
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Louise
Louise is in her 70s and came with a wonderfully positive attitude to try nordic walking. She mastered the basics of the technique very quickly and we walked from Halse Farm on Winsford Hill, to the top of the Punchbowl and back, only shortening our walk because it threatened to thunder. She has told me on her feedback form how much she really enjoyed it; she had thought she would be exhausted afterwards, but was in fact raring to go again, and could have gone on another nordic walk later that day.
Since her first try out, Louise has returned for further tuition and a social nordic walk. She has bought her own poles and, I believe, she is using them regularly. (Louise?!..)
Justyna’s experience
Justyna is a lovely 23 year old university student from Poland who came to England to work and pay for her studies. She tried nordic walking out of curiosity, and found it fun. She said she will definitely go nordic walking with her friends now she is back home.
^ top of health benefits >Justyna trying out nordic walking
Christine’s experience
Christine is a serious walker. She is one of those super-energetic amazing people, at whom I personally just marvel. She is in her late 50s, but has the energy of someone in their 20s. Christine already had her own hiking stick, but tried out the nordic walking technique around the Danesbrook and Anstey Common, and found it fun. She is thinking of possibly teaching nordic walking one day when she settles back home in Queensland.
References and feed back forms
Many of my clients would be happy to give me a reference. I always ask people to fill in a feed back form. The form is anonymous so that hopefully, they feel they can say what they really thought. Often people have voluntarily identified themselves on these forms to make sure that I knew how much they personally really enjoyed the experience of the introduction to nordic walking.^ top of health benefits
Jean Weymouth learned the technique and then went on a walking holiday along the south west coast path. She rang me up afterwards, to say she was thrilled, "I simply flew up the hills. It was just brilliant."
The benefits claimed by the nordic walking pole manufacturers and scientists
(see also the research papers page for commissioned research studies on fit and unfit nordic walkers, and how nordic walking has helped sufferers from Parkinsons disease, osteoporosis, and breastcancer)
- you exercise more with less effort.
You use the power in your arms and upper body, as well as in your legs, so you can achieve more in a short time, and/or exercise more efficiently for longer. You can really power up the hills.
Angela can vouch for this from her personal experience.
- you exercise 90% of your skeletal muscles
- you burn more calories – energy consumption is higher than normal walking at the same speed because you are using many more muscles.
- One widely quoted
research study has shown that on average nordic walkers can burn 20% more calories than in ordinary walking at the same speed, at the basic nordic walking level. At the more advanced energetic level of nordic walking, calorie consumption can be up to 46% more than in ordinary walking at the same speed.
- You gain
- Increased circulation
Increased upper body strength and endurance
Increased heart and lung capacity
Increased heart rate without increased perceived exertion
20% higher metabolic rate which equals 400kcal/hour versus 280kcal/hour for walking
30% decreased stress on weight bearing joints
Better support and balance on slippery surfaces and rough terrain - Angela says - yes the poles can really help with rough terrain (and also but to a lesser extent with slippery mud) provided that, and this is most important, you have learned properly how to safely use the poles and that you are wearing shoes/boots with a decent tread.
- you mobilise and release the tension in your arms and shoulders by rotating your shoulders and hips as part of the technique (Have a look at the photo illustrating rotation below)
- you spare your knees or ankles and feet – because your arms help to take your weight
Angela can vouch for this.
- you strengthen and tone your arms, shoulders and back
Angela has benefited from this. (I'm really quite proud of my arms now - but don't worry, you don't get Big!)
- you can walk and talk with your friends, with breath to chat, and even though you are at different fitness levels.
True for me unless I and my friend are racing each other!
As with all forms of exercise, it is advisable to consult your doctor before undertaking a new exercise regime.
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showing rotation of shoulders and hips |
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