Among Nordic Walking devotees there are always discussions (and rightly so) about which poles are the best, which technique is “the one”, what are the benefits of Nordic Walking and so forth.
That’s all fine a dandy, but sometimes I get the impression that a relatively simple and straightforward activity is made to appear as something difficult and complicated.
To set the record straight: Nordic Walking is simply an extension of a normal, energetic walk. The legs might take a slightly longer step than usual; the arm swing is a little wider and more forceful, but the basic dynamics of Nordic Walking closely parallel regular walking.
There are of course some benefits that you would not be getting from regular walking, the principal of which is the fact that you actually are putting your upper body to work and transforming yourself from a biped, to a quadruped. Maybe not as fast, or nimble as a cougar, or even a house cat, but you are actually using all four of your extremities to good effect and exercising over 90 percent of your body’s muscles.
As far as poles are concerned, it all comes down to personal preferences, as most of the reputable manufacturers, such as LEKI, Swix, Exel, or Exerstrider manufacture very good poles, most of which are eminently suitable for Nordic Walking – sometimes in varying styles, but Nordic Walking nevertheless.
Technique-wise, you got a choice between the so-called European variety and the American, pioneered by Exerstrider’s Tom Rutlin. I can assure you that either one will get you into and keep you in shape.
Personally, I use and teach a modified European/ Finnish/American technique, which in my opinion offers the best combination for training and fitness.
That simply means using strapped poles, with a full, fluid arm movement, closely resembling the cross-country skiing stroke, but with nearly straight (but not rigid) arms, almost straight out of Tom’s handbook and very closely resembling the cross-country skiing arm movement.
That’s pretty much it. I would recommend a lesson from a qualified Nordic Walking instructor in order to get started the right way and to reap the maximum fitness benefits, but the most important thing is as always to simply go out there and do it. Enjoy!
