By Josine Baines at
There are so many benefits of Nordic Walking but the one thing that all my clients notice during their initial induction session, is how much it changes their posture and how much taller and straighter they are standing. This straighter posture comes not only from using the poles in the correct way (to propel yourself forward), but also from ensuring that you use the correct technique with your feet – which means that you roll through your whole foot and push off your toes (more on feet in a future blog post).
An improved posture doesn’t only make you look better – it has many other benefits too:
Better breathing – standing taller means your chest is out and you can breathe more easily – this is particularly beneficial when walking up hills!
Proper alignment of bones and joints – this can decrease wear and tear, reduce the risk of injury and help prevent muscle fatigue and joint pain.
Improved balance and stability – good posture ensures that you use both sides of your body evenly and will help strengthen weaker areas (particularly for those who are significantly left or right dominant).
Improved digestion – good posture means less compression on your internal organs and better digestive functioning.
It can also lead to improved self confidence and energy – you look good and you are using your body correctly and efficiently!
So if you have a job which requires you to be sitting at a desk all day and hunched over a computer, or any job which requires a lot of sitting, bending or crouching, then it is very likely you will see a difference in your posture if you learn to Nordic Walk.
An induction session (we call it the Power of the Poles or POP!) with Nordic Walking Tonbridge will teach you the techniques you need to stand staller when you walk. POPS are scheduled regularly each month and will open the door to a world of Nordic Walking adventure!