Authored by: Tom Rutlin on Friday, March 24 2006 @ 03:06 PM EST

In July of 2003 I got my first INWA Nordic walking instruction at ISPO in Munich, Germany. By that time I had been utilizing my arm extended, "handshake" technique for more than a decade. In my early years of Exerstriding/Nordic walking, I too had used a bent arm technique, but I had long since discovered that by extending the arm as if it was being offered for a friendly handshake, the arm became a "lever" which really activated the larger muscles of the trunk as well as core muscle vital to high leverl functional fitness.

When I extended my arm to this position out of habit, the Nordic walking instructor "corrected" me by saying that my arm should be bent, but after my INWA Nordic walking lesson I offered to teach the entire instructor group my technique. When I instructed them to extend their arms out into my "handshake" position they immediately acknowledged the noticeable effect on their powerful trunk and core muscles.

Now only a few years later it seems most Nordic walkers have agree on the advantage of a straighter arm extension. You may have noticed that I said straighter...NOT straight! I believe the arm should always have a slight bend in the elbow. That's why I don't really like to call it the "straight arm" technique and continue to call it the handshake technique.

With a slight bend in the elbow the triceps still get more than enough of a workout. Certainly if you wish to concentrate more work on the triceps for some reason, bending the elbow will work the triceps more, but in order to get the greatest metabolic effect and build the greatest functional muscle fitness, I recommend a handshake like extension and a fixed (not straight or rigid) arm position .

The greatest debate that remains when it comes to Nordic walking equipment and technique is regarding straps vs. strapless grips and the range of motion of the arms. Like you, David Downer and most Nordic walking instructors still advocate pushing the arms back beyond the torso and opening the hand allowing the pole to form a line with the arm much as in classic Nordic skiing. This release is what makes the strap essential to this techique. But the long range of motion that results from a "straight arm" extension combined with a release at the end of the push requires a correspondingly long stride length. I continue to advocate a "natural", comfortable stride length because it is less stressful on the joints. This also results in a shorter range of motion of the arms which does not require a complete release of the grip (thus my strapless grip design). The longer your stride, the greater the ground force reaction, and the greater the resulting impact forces on the joints of the hips, knees and feet.

The "European"/INWA Nordic walking style and philosophy has more of a "sport, or what I call "performance" orientation. My good use philosophy of exercise is not sports or performance oriented. I have what I call a "functional" orientation. My techniques have evolved with the aim of improving physical function rather than sports performance.

My instruction to maintain a natural and comfortable stride length and to increase intensity of effort with the upper body instead of increasing pace and stride length is aimed at making fitness walking with poles the safest (low-injury/easy on the joints), most effective (greatest metabolic effect and greatest functional muscle fitness), and most widely popular and beneficial exercise possible.

INWA style Nordic walking is reported to be "20% on average (and up to 46%) more efficient than ordinary walking. Recent research done using my Exerstride method Nordic walking techniques showed that it was 36% on average (and up to 94%!) more efficient than ordinary walking! Don't write it off until you've tried it!

When it comes to both Nordic walking equipment and technique, I encourage all those within the growing Nordic walking community to explore all the options available to them as well as make their own individual contributions to the future evolution of Nordic walking. I've tried most of the equipment out there, and every technique I've been able to imagine or ferret out. There will of course always be differences of opinion on matters of equipment design and technique, but I encourage Nordic walkers everywhere to look at all the available options with an open mind rather than (as too many have done) dismiss as inferior equipment and technique options before they've actually tried them. Nordic walkers should be encouraged to choose from the entire menu of available equipment and technique options and so that each of them can discover what works best for them and best helps them reach their goals and most importantly -- enjoy the process of doing so!