fitness

Nordic Walking

Generality

Nordic walking (or pole walking ) is a type of walking that also involves the upper portion of the body (total body).

In fact it is practiced with special sticks designed in a similar way to ski poles, or better, to the sticks used in trekking.

Nordic walking can be practiced by both beginners and amateurs as a health activity, both by sportsmen and athletes as a real competitive activity.

Nordic Walking and Health

Compared to normal walking, Nordic walking involves applying a certain force on the sticks in the progress of each step. For this reason, in the Nordic Walking the body segments of the upper portion are also intensively used, implying a greater joint involvement and a more extensive muscular stimulation.

Unlike normal walking, much energy is also applied in the mobilization of the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints, thanks to the work of the muscles: large dorsal, triceps, biceps, deltoid, abdominal, lumbar, "core" spinal, etc.

With a certain rhythm, the fatigue of Nordic walking causes a significant increase in heart rate and pulmonary ventilation, which results in improved cardio-respiratory fitness.

It is estimated that, from the energy point of view, compared to traditional walking, Nordic walking determines a 46% increase in caloric expenditure; this feature makes it potentially effective in slimming treatment against overweight.

However, there remains the unknown impact on the rotator cuff of the shoulder; in case of pathology (thinning of tendons, calcifications, muscular hypotonia, looseness of the cuff etc.), it is necessary to carefully consider the muscles or tendons involved, the intensity of exercise and the amplitude of the movement. This is absolutely necessary because, in the attack movement (support after the frontal momentum) and final thrust (behind) of the racket, it cannot be ruled out that the compromised shoulder may work incorrectly causing pain or even worsening a condition of pre-existing discomfort.

Equipment

Nordic walking poles are much shorter than those used for cross-country skiing.

Most of the temples are made of aluminum, carbon fiber or other light alloys.

The versions with NON-adjustable stem are provided with a single piece of various lengths; the telescopic ones instead have an adjustable length and possess two or three pieces that are fixed in rotation on the axis (screwing or unscrewing). Usually, single-piece sticks are stronger and lighter, but must match the user's anthropometric characteristics. The telescopic ones are one size fits all, they seem less robust but have excellent transportability.

Nordic walking sticks are frequently provided with straps on the handle . These reduce the need to constantly tighten the handle and increase the comfort of the exercise. Like many trekking poles, even Nordic walking poles are equipped with tempered metal spikes, ideal for land paths, beaches, snow and ice; these can also be covered in rubber to obtain greater adherence on the rock or, generally, on the surfaces that require it.

Even if various models of specific walking shoes are available on the market, they are not indispensable for walking; commonly used are all shoes designed to walk on mixed surfaces, bumpy, wet, iced etc., depending on the route to be taken.

Nordic Walking sticks

Online are available a pair of Nordic Walking walking sticks, anti-shock and adjustable from 70 to 136 cm, made of extremely light and strong aluminum alloy material. Each stick weighs only 230 grams and is ideal for saving energy when hiking. The easy and quick locking system allows you to easily choose the height of the sticks that, when not used, are easy to re-close and easily stored in the backpack. Ergonomic cork handles offer a warm and comfortable non-slip grip. Suitable for walking, hiking and other outdoor activities, the poles increase the average speed, offer a better balance during more demanding activities and reduce stress on the knees both during the descent and the ascent. The product package includes 2 trekking poles, 2 rubber tip protectors, 2 mud washers, 2 snow washers, 2 asphalt washers and 1 connector.

Available on Amazon


Alternatively, you can opt for telescopic walking sticks with an anti-shock spring mechanism that reduces tension on the hands and wrists (perfect therefore for people with weak joints and / or previous sports injuries) and improves stability and support especially during the descents. The length is adjustable between 65 and 135 cm; to find the recommended one, you can use the following formula: own height × 0.66. The ergonomic handle in EVA foam rubber is soft, comfortable and absorbs moisture from sweaty hands. The aluminum alloy material ensures solidity and durability. In addition to the two sticks, the package also includes 2 mud tips, 2 horseshoe tips, 2 snow tips and 2 S-tips.

Available online

Technique

In Nordic walking, the rhythm of the arms, legs and body is, from a rhythmic point of view, similar to the physiological one, but much more vigorous.

The range of arm movements regulates the stride length. Thus, short bursts of the upper limbs tend to naturally restrict the pelvic movement and, consequently, the length of the step; on the contrary, the longer the reach of the rods is extended, the more the step increases and the greater the oscillation of the pelvis and the upper portion of the trunk.

Background

Nordic walking (in Finnish: Sauvakavely) is a fitness activity that takes place on foot and using specially designed sticks, which can also be used for trekking and backpacking (those traveling with a single bag consisting of a backpack) ; on the other hand, they cannot be replaced by the sticks used in the various disciplines.

Trekkers, backpackers and skiers have used the same concept of Nordic walking for decades, while the latter has been officially defined only with the publication of "Hiihdon lajiosa", by Mauri Repo, in 1979.

Nordic walking has been designed according to the off-season athletic needs of skiing activities, using the pair of poles (even if different from the rackets) as the only common tool of the original discipline.

First, the trekking sticks (then the Nordic walking sticks) made their appearance, hikers and backpackers have always used ski poles to support their weight and gain stability during walking sessions. Moreover, even today, in the warm seasons, skiers continue to use this instrument (at the limit, trakking sticks, but not Nordic walking sticks).

The first sticks specifically designed and marketed for sports hiking were produced by the "Exerstrider" (United States) in 1988. Those from Nordic walking instead, were produced and distributed by "Exel" in 1997, which then popularized the name of the discipline in 1999.



Sponsored Content: Mypersonaltrainer.it presents products and services that can be purchased online on Amazon and / or on other e-commerce sites. Whenever a purchase is made through one of the links on the page, Mypersonaltrainer.it could receive a commission from Amazon or other cited e-commerce. We inform you that the prices and availability of the products are not updated in real time and may change over time, so we invite you to check availability and price on Amazon and / or on other cited e-commerce.