Nordic Walking U.S.

As tradition holds, most of us make, or at least try to make all kinds of New Year resolutions.

There’s little doubt that many of those tend to be related to health and exercise issues. We promise family, our friends and ourselves that we will exercise more, lose weight, eat healthier foods and so forth.

Many people have either bought, or have received as gifts different kinds of exercise equipment, such as elliptical trainers, stationary (and not so stationary bikes), gym memberships, athletic apparel, all meant to get us started on the right track in 2011. And for future reference, the first day of 2011 is going to be a highly unusual 1/1/11.

The problem with all of the above is the simple fact that beyond the initial excitement and good intentions, in most cases all of these items will soon begin to gather dust.

Don’t worry; you’re not alone in this quandary. I have let my gym membership expire years ago and have all kinds of exercise equipment lying around the house.

For some reason, about the only pieces of equipment that are not gathering dust are our Nordic Walking poles and assorted apparel and also the cross country skiing gear.

There must be something about these sports, which keeps us doing them on a regular basis. Maybe the fact that you can Nordic Walk and even cross country ski practically anywhere you want, in any of your favorite places, instead of staring at a TV at home, or in a gym, or because you are actually doing something that comes across as being natural and involving, requiring a bit of technique, but which isn’t intimidating? Whatever it is, I almost always actually look forward to Nordic Walking, or skiing, unlike mounting some machine somewhere and just trying to get through the drudgery…

If there is a lesson to be learned from that, we do hope that you will be able to take advantage of it as well.

Have the very best that the New Year has to offer!