HELLO! LET’S GO NORDIC WALKING…AND SMASH PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT IT REALLY IS….

Is it uncool? NO WAY…

I often ask people who don’t Nordic walk how they view it.

For some it’s ‘uncool’ because of using the poles (I’m still not sure why), some have never heard of it and need an explanation, but most people have an inkling and are genuinely interested in how it works.

So I thought I’d write a blog to explain why we have such an enthusiastic, dedicated community of Nordic walkers and describe a few of the many benefits a total body workout like this will give you.

Nordic walking is perfect if you’re unfit

Nordic walking is a fantastic option for those of us who haven’t exercised for a while as it switches on and wakes up all the main muscle groups, creating a base strength in all areas of the body and encouraging excellent posture.

Nordic walking means you are exercising efficiently

Nordic walking is an effective way to make sure you’re training all the main muscle groups – very few muscles are left out.

It is a compound exercise which means you’re working for functional strength at the same time as cardio health. Plus compound exercises can be better for heart training because the body has to pump more blood around to oxygenate the muscles.

Nordic walking is perfect if your workouts are sometimes sporadic. If you miss a session you won’t be missing out on training a specific body section.

Nordic walking tones your body

As Nordic walking uses all the main muscle groups you’ll maximise your calorie burn, especially if you incorporate hills and/or faster bursts.

Nordic walking helps build muscle. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so strengthening muscle can help you tone up and burn fat faster.

Nordic walking is ‘walking rehab’

Nordic walking allows us to train both sides of the body equally. This prevents overusing, overtraining or compensating with your dominant side and helps to isolate and correct muscle imbalances.

Nordic walking will leave you smiling

Exercise should leave you wanting more, not dreading the next session! Nordic walking is a highly effective total body exercise which builds strength and stamina whilst improving your self-confidence and mental wellbeing.

There are scientific studies galore and bags of research to back up the effectiveness of using walking as a fitness routine. Add in poles and you have an even more intense and powerful exercise. What’s not to like?