12 exercises to enjoy Nordic walking

5 healthy effects of Nordic walking

This sport was born in the early thirties of the last century. The Finns, searching a way to train cross-country skiing in summerdeveloped this activity.

Even so, the first pole specially designed for Nordic walking was manufactured in 1997. This was an important step, as allowed to refine the technique and from it various modalities were bornquite similar in substance (10-step methodology, Alpha method…) and the corresponding organizations.

In addition to making us feel good and connecting us with the landscape, it involves numerous benefits for the body:

1. Regulates overweight

The largest store of energy in the body is found in fat stores. Although it sounds contradictory, you can burn more fat walking fast than running. When the body is required to respond quickly, it will seek energy from carbohydrate stores (glycogen) and to a lesser extent from fat stores. Walking at a good pace gives your metabolism time to generate energy from those fat cells.

practice the nordic walking in a constant way thus allows to reduce the weight and build muscle by losing fat. If the change from sedentary to physical activity is accompanied by good eating habits, in a short time we will look much better.

2. Improves joints

Joints are like a door hinge: If they are not used they will rust.. When running, the weight of the body falls on the knee multiplied by three.

In Nordic walking, using the poles, HE eliminates the pernicious effect of body weight and a softer one is generated. This makes it possible to keep the cartilage tissue active so that it regenerates in a balanced way, without deteriorating. The joint will stop accumulating waste to gain mobility.

3. Prevents osteoporosis

The same happens with the bones: the constant and controlled activity makes the bones work in their proper measure.

This exercise helps the bone to much better assimilate calcium, almost makes me “hungry” for him. That is why Nordic walking prevents osteoporosis without the need to take supplements.

4. Improves the circulatory system

He work of the heart when the march is carried out at a somewhat demanding pace, it helps to strengthen it. If you train regularly, the heart will be able to pump more blood in each beat, and at the same time mobilize calcium and cholesterol waste accumulated in the arteries.

This activity thus helps to keep the blood pressurehe cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

5. Balances muscle tone

Nordic walking is a sport that works all muscle groups in a balanced way, which develop proportionally. This eliminates the typical tension pains between one side of the body and the other and gives the back muscles of sufficient consistency to keep the spine in place.

How is the Nordic walking technique?

The movement of the arms and legs is alternatelike when walking. That is, you move forward with your right arm and left leg, and then with your left arm and right leg. Although it seems obvious, a common mistake when holding the poles in hand is moving forward like a robot would. It’s not running, so at least one cane and one foot must always be in contact with the ground.A notable aspect is the relationship with the grip: it is not a question of squeezing it all the time, but of a fluid grip and drop gameplay:We grab to propel ourselves. We let go of the hand as we go backwards.To nail the cane on the ground we push ourselves until it exceeds the line of the pelvis. We then nailed it in at about a 60 degree angle, creating a backwards sloping triangle shape.

What equipment you need: poles, shoes and comfortable clothes

are required a pair of specific canes; The ski or hiking ones are useless, as they are different. The basic difference is the leash or leashwhich allows the constant grip and release function without problems, impossible with another type of fastening.

To choose the poles, Three aspects must be kept in mind:

grip and hilt, specific to this sport canewhich must be resistant and light tipmade of a durable material and provided with its rubber protection to also use it on hard surfaces.

The sticks are found by heights of 5 by 5 cm. The optimal height It is measured with the cane without the rubber protection: it must allow you to keep your 90 degree angled arm. Before acquiring one, it is good to try that of a partner, because each body is different.

You will also need a good shoesbut in this case, if we already have some hiking shoes, we can use them.

You must use comfortable clothes and more or less warm depending on the weather.

Contact with nature, an added benefit

Overcome the first days, in which mastering the technique absorbs everything, fluidity in walking appears. Hands grab and release naturally. The legs cover more ground in their strides. The rhythms vary and the environment and the companions begin to be important. It is then that Nordic walking shows itself in all its breadth.

It allows us contact with nature, knowing new roads and sidewalks and proposing future challenges. We can look up and enjoy the nature that welcomes us.

we share with friends the sensations that come to us, satisfying the need for socialization.

As a therapist for many athletes, I have also found in this activity an opportunity, if the injury allows it, to maintain physical shape during the recovery period.

We can work the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal system with a low impact. And the patient will not be as eager to return to their other activity, sometimes ahead of time.