Bye, bye calories!!!

Yesterday Mary asked in her comment about walking sticks. They are not sticks, they are POLES. Sorry! 🙂


Background of Nordic Walking 
Nordic Walking uses specifically designed poles to engage the upper body during fitness walking. Nordic Walking was first used as a summer training method by cross-country skiers. 
It was then developed into a fitness exercise with specific training equipment in co-operation with the Finnish sports equipment manufacturer Exel Oyj, researchers in sports medicine, and other fitness professionals. Nordic Walking was first launched in Finland in 1997. It has rapidly increased in popularity and today Nordic Walking is well-known fitness sports.


Here’s a very good video but it’s quite long, 4 min 12 sec. BUT if you’re interested it’s worth the time to watch.



Health facts In Nordic Walking
Heart rate is 5-17 beats per minute higher (for example in normal walking heart rate is 130 beats/minute and in Nordic Walking 147 beats per minute i.e. increase is 13%)
Energy consumption increases when using poles by an average of 20% compared with ordinary walking without poles
Up to a 46% increase in energy consumption (Cooper Institute research, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sports 2002 publication)
Releases pain and muscle tension in the neck/shoulder region
The lateral mobility of the neck and spine increases significantly
The muscles most actively involved are the forearm extensor and flexor muscles, the rear part of the shoulder muscles, the large pectoral muscles and the broad back muscles
Does not aggravate joints and knees
Reduces the load on knees and other joints
Consumes approximately 400 calories per hour!!!
(compared with 280 calories per hour for normal walking)
Nordic Walking should be practiced for relatively long periods, i.e. between half an hour and two hours at a time. The pace should be steady and the heart rate should rise to between 120 and 150 beats per minute.


If you’re in a hurry
Original Nordic walking on uphill by Original Nordic walker Marko Kantaneva only 15 seconds!!! 🙂


If you’re still interested here’s a link to basic technique.


Imagine this: 

The population of Finland is about 
5,3 million and there are about 
1,5 million Nordic walkers!!!

0 thoughts on “Bye, bye calories!!!”

  1. HI EVERYONE!
    Motivation, motivation, motivation…
    Goal, goal, goal…

    If we don’t have motivation/goal – what the h…is the point of…?

    Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.
    Buddha

    about TIME…

    The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.
    Albert Einstein

    Reply

  4. I would totally be down with this if… I wasn’t quite so pregnant.
    perhaps this is something I should try once the baby is here and life settles down….you know in like 25 years! 😀

    Reply

  6. Great article about Nordic Walking! Walking with poles is the best. You do not have to be a super athlete like Marko to benefit from walking with the correct length poles. You can go at your own pace and on the terrain in your own backyard.

    REAL Nordic Walking Poles come with removable rubber tips/paws that work great on pavement, in the mall, on carpet, indoor and outdoor tracks, sidewalks and any hard surface. Remove the rubber tips and you are good to go on trails, the beach, grass, snow and ice.

    At http://WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System we have developed easy to follow Nordic Walking Instruction – allowing Americans of all fitness levels to find the most comfortable and effective level of exertion and intensity – from casual to hard core. Ideal for all ages and all fitness levels.

    It is also important to note that individuals with balance issues should especially avoid flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece adjustable length/collapsible poles. One-piece poles that are sized correctly will prove to be safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap twist-lock and flip-lock adjustable/collapsible poles from China.

    Perfect length poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back – better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout – burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

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  8. Suosio Suomessa ei kyllä ole ihme, siellähän suoritetaan muutenkin aamusta iltaan, miksei sitten suoritettaisi kävelyäkin. Ystäväni hiljan sanoi ettei voi enää harrastaakaan mitään kun siitäkin tulee suorittamista. Ei sillä että tässä olisi mitään kävelysauvoja vastaan, olen itsekin kokeillut ja tehokkaat ovat, mutta pidän silti enemmän rentouttavasta kävelystä.

    Reply

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