Nordic pole walking - what's the use?

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Surely few of us know what Nordic walking for the elderly is, or, as it is also called, Nordic walking. The technique gained worldwide distribution back in the 90s. What benefit or harm can Nordic walking do?

Pros of Nordic walking

As with any sport, Nordic walking has its advantages.

Perhaps, having familiarized yourself with them in detail, you want to allocate free time for such a workout:

1. One of the main advantages is versatility. Gender, age of those who wish do not matter. For older people, this is just a godsend, and young people get another opportunity to keep their figure in great shape. Even the degree of physical fitness is not important, as a place for training. Anything is suitable - a park, a forest, a stadium, even just a site around the house.
2. There are no contraindications, unlike many other sports.
3. Doctors confirm that there is a guaranteed weight loss. Moreover, this technique is considered one of the best. About 46% more calories are burned than if you were doing regular walking. The energy consumption is also significant.
4. There is an excellent load on the muscles - about 90% is involved. Legs, back and shoulders are especially trained. At the same time, congestion is excluded, fatigue in the spine and knees is minimized. Experts even recommend classes as prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, fractures.
5. People with diseases of the lungs, cardiovascular system will find help for themselves, setting aside time for classes. The work of organs improves, the pulse quickens. For seniors, the benefits of Nordic walking are enormous!

How to find your Nordic walking equipment

Naturally, before starting a workout, it is worth purchasing the things necessary for training:

1. As for clothes - everything is at your discretion, there are no restrictions. The main thing is that it is comfortable and practical. No special shoes are needed, sneakers or sneakers are fine.
2. Nordic walking is impossible without sticks, or, as they are also called, Nordics. Approach the choice carefully. They are significantly shorter than ski gear, which reduces stress on the knees, back and ankles. In addition, the hands do not get tired thanks to the very conveniently fastened straps, outwardly they resemble fingerless gloves.
3. At the ends there are special devices made of graphite to prevent it from getting stuck in pits on the road. As for the asphalt, in order to preserve the equipment, it is recommended to purchase rubber caps. Nothing is required to protect against contact with ice or snow - the presence of graphite is enough.
4. The question may arise: should you opt for ordinary Nordics or with retractable segments? It is recommended to purchase the first option, because a more complex structure may well break faster.

Walking technique

She is nothing complicated. In principle, you can learn on your own, it is only important to remember a few rules:

1. Take the time to warm up. As with any workout, a warm-up will greatly help prepare your body.
2. As with normal walking, step from heel to toe. For example, the right leg should simultaneously protrude forward with the left arm, and vice versa. However, there is also a slight difference - try to make the movements more intense.
3. Pay special attention to your hands. The arm that extends forward bends slightly at the elbow. In this case, the stick is kept at a certain angle of 45 degrees. The other hand is pulled back slightly.
4. Separately, mention should be made of the range of motion. Keep in mind that weak arm movements will significantly limit hip and leg work. A wide sweep will naturally increase the load. But, given that there will be no fatigue in this case, you can not be afraid to walk wide.
5. After the end of walking, as after any fitness classes, it will not be superfluous to stretch, take a bath - in other words, relax.

Of course, one cannot do without the question "how often to conduct classes?" It will be enough to allocate 40 minutes 2 or 3 times a week. You can reduce the time to half an hour, leaving the same frequency.

As a rule, it takes about one and a half months of intensive training before tangible improvements occur. Expect real success no less than a year after you start walking with the help of Nordics.

Are there many varieties of fitness training that would suit literally everyone, at any time and under any conditions? Moreover, so that you do not have to spend a lot of money and time! As a rule, the options disappear one by one, not matching any of the above points. But Nordic walking with poles is just what is required for the elderly and young!