Nordic Walking increases your heart rate, oxygen consumption and calory consumption without increasing your perceived rate of exertion. You don't feel like you're working any harder but, in addition to working your legs, you're experiencing a full range of motion that engages the abs, arms, shoulders, upper chest and back muscles.

The poles provide additional stability and help reduce stress in the knees and other joints. Bone density can be increased through this sort of resistance training, and posture also improves through use of the proper technique and arm motion. Clinical and anecdotal reports indicate that this type of exercise may prove beneficial in a broad range of conditions, including arthritis, back pain, cardiac syndromes, chronic pains, fibromyalgia, obesity, osteoporosis, repetitive stress injury, thoracic outlet syndrome, depression, mood disorders, and more.

The Benefits of Nordic Walking:

Nordic walking is an exercise form with many advantages, both for the healthy individual needing a more vigorous exercise form, especially for cardiovascular benefits, and for an individual with restrictions from a medical condition that precludes jogging or running. It can also be advantageous for those with medical conditions of arthritic or neurological origin that make normal walking without support difficult.

Heart rate is 5-17 beats per minute higher (e.g., 130 beats per minute in normal walking, versus 147 beats per minute in Nordic Walking).

Total body workout involves 90% of all muscles; actively engages forearm extensor and flexor muscles, rear part of the shoulder muscles, the large pectoral and broad back muscles; strengthens upper body and creates resistance to build better bone density.

Nordic walking video on You Tube:

Every sunday in Kings Park, 8am at the big Baobab tree!

Call me now, to join in: Phone 93641737 

Technique:

Every step should begin with the heel touching the ground and rolling forward to the ball and toe area, where you will push off to propel yourself forward.

The hands should constantly be in a "grip-n-go" state with the pole. They should grip the pole every time the pole hits the ground, then let it go as it is drawn back behind the body, finishing up with an open hand. As the arms continue to move the poles, the torso and hips should be involved in a counter-swinging motion from the lower body. This effectively works the mid-torso muscle groups.

The Necessary Equipment:

Specifically designed poles are used to engage the upper body in Nordic Walking.The "grip-n-go" technique requires a wrist attachment that enables grip release when the trailing arm is fully extended. The wrist strap is of unique design, and is one of the factors that distinguishes poles of different manufacturers. The strength and related properties of the pole are also important considerations.

• Reduces load on knees and other joints

• Reduces heel strike force

• Increases oxygen consumption and burns approximately 400 calories per hour (compared with 280 calories per hour for normal walking).

• Releases pain and muscle tension in the neck and shoulder region, increasing the lateral mobility of the neck and spine.