Nordic Finnish walking with poles

Sports have become a way of life for many people today. Everyone realizes the need for movement and muscle activity in different ways: some prefer morning or evening jogging in the park, others ride a bike or swim in the pool. Everyone can choose a sport to their liking, regardless of age and gender. There are also certain types of sports that are little known about, such as Nordic walking, a specific type of sports exercise that is gaining more and more fans in many countries around the world.

Nordic walking as a sport originated in Scandinavian countries – sometimes it is called “Nordic walking”. Similar activities – walking with poles, or imitation skiing – were practiced by professional skiers to maintain physical activity in the warm season. However, somewhat later, Nordic walking began to be used in medicine – for the rehabilitation of patients with injuries and cardiovascular diseases.

The benefits and harms of Nordic walking

Nordic walking can be confidently called a universal sport, as such activities are suitable for both people who are professional athletes and those who do not have even minimal physical training. Therefore, the use of Nordic walking as a rehabilitation method is quite justified.

The positive effects of Nordic walking are indeed numerous:

1. The blood is saturated with oxygen, the processes of hematopoiesis improve, and blood circulation accelerates.
2. Mental processes are normalized, resistance to stress appears.
3. The body becomes more resilient.
4. Vascular tone is stabilized and capillary circulation is improved.
5. Blood pressure levels return to normal due to strengthening of the vessel walls.
6. The myocardium is strengthened and cardiac activity improves.
7. Coordination mechanisms are stabilized due to the coordinated work of the limbs.
8. Lung capacity increases and respiratory function improves.
9. Strengthens the back muscles and eliminates spasms.
10. Excess weight goes away – in particular, the most dangerous, so-called “visceral fat”.

The effectiveness of Finnish walking for health is undeniable. At the same time, there is no injury to muscles, joints and the spine - due to the absence of sudden movements. The weight of the body is partially distributed with an emphasis on the poles, the load on the ligaments and joints of the legs is reduced. Thanks to this, patients with inflammation and injuries of the ankle, knees and hip can practice Finnish walking.

Harm from Nordic walking can only occur in two cases:

• if the athlete has chosen the wrong poles for training;
• if the athlete is training incorrectly - for example, performing movements that are too abrupt, or adding additional exercises and loads.

In the above cases, injuries may occur: to prevent this from happening, you need to start training with the support of a specially trained trainer who will tell you in detail about the correct technique of Nordic walking. At least at first, it is better to practice Nordic walking in a group. This will allow you to see your mistakes and shortcomings, correct them, so that in the future you can practice correctly. In addition, communication with like-minded people motivates you to succeed!

Indications for use

If Nordic walking is used as a rehabilitation method - for example, as part of exercise therapy, then there must be certain indications and contraindications. Nordic walking is often used to restore health in patients with diseases of the cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, nervous and respiratory systems.

Medical indications for regular Nordic walking include:

• recovery period after injuries to the spinal column, ligaments or joints;
• osteochondrosis, initial stages of formation of intervertebral disc herniations (regardless of location);
• degenerative and inflammatory diseases of the joints;
• hypertension, heart failure;
• chronic forms of pulmonary obstruction, asthmatic bronchitis in remission;
• metabolic disorders, obesity of any degree;
• chronic depressive states, sleep disorders, neuroses;
• support for the body during pregnancy.

In case of sleep disorders, depression and neuroses, it is better to do Nordic walking in the morning or in the first half of the day.

Nordic Walking with Poles: Contraindications

Like any other sport, Nordic walking has a number of contraindications, which are mostly temporary. Even before you start your first workout, you need to carefully assess your health. Contraindications to Nordic walking may include:

• acute stages of chronic pathologies;
• heart rhythm disorders;
• fever, acute periods of viral and bacterial infections;
• postoperative period;
• pain of unknown etiology, internal bleeding;
• decompensated conditions.

If you have any doubts about the appropriateness of such a load on the body, you should consult a medical specialist. It is advisable to do this before purchasing equipment for Nordic walking.

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Rules of Nordic walking

In general terms, we will tell you how to "walk" correctly when doing Nordic walking. Of course, we all know how to walk, but there are some points that we would like to clarify.

• Before taking your first steps in Nordic walking, you need to check your posture: your back should be straight, your shoulders should be straight, and your upper body should be tilted forward.
• We begin to move, alternating steps with simultaneous arm movements: right leg – left arm, left leg – right arm, etc. The foot lands on the surface, rolling from heel to toe. We “land” the stick next to the supporting foot.
• We control the movements of the limbs - they should be rhythmic: you do not need to pull the poles behind you, imagine that you are plunging them into the snow each time. There must be support on the poles.
• Breathing during Nordic walking should also be done correctly: inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. The higher the intensity of movement, the deeper the breathing should be.
• Before and after training, it is necessary to perform traditional muscle stretching exercises.

The rest of the individual advice will be given to you by a Nordic walking coach: he will evaluate your efforts from the outside and point out possible mistakes.

Finnish Nordic Walking: Possible Mistakes

At first glance, Nordic walking training seems quite simple. However, beginners make the same mistakes over and over again, which can lead to an incorrect distribution of forces in the future. What mistakes are we talking about?

1. The step amplitude is too wide.

To increase the speed of movement, many try to take an extremely wide step - this is wrong. Ultimately, the load on the tibialis muscle increases, which leads to its excessive tension.

2. Incorrect hand positioning.

You should not strain your arms excessively: your elbows should not be pressed to your body, your hands should move freely. Otherwise, the work of your upper limbs will not be dynamic.

3. Incorrect foot placement.

The foot should not be placed, but rolled - from heel to toe.

4. Incorrectly selected equipment for Nordic walking.

If the poles are chosen incorrectly, and the clothes or shoes cause a feeling of discomfort, then in such conditions it is very difficult to adhere to the necessary training technique.

How to choose Finnish walking poles?

There are two types of poles used for Nordic walking:

• adjustable telescopic poles consisting of retractable parts;
• monolithic sticks, the length of which is strictly fixed.

Telescopic poles are easy to store and transport over long distances, but such devices often break because they have many weak points.

Monolithic poles for Nordic walking are selected strictly according to the athlete’s height – they are more difficult to store and transport, but they are much stronger and more durable.

The material for making poles can be aluminum, carbon or composite alloy. The handle is equipped with a special strap-holder so that the athlete can hold the element firmly in his hand. Important: the strap must be of high quality, otherwise it is possible to rub and injure the skin on the hands.

The fixing spike on Nordic walking poles can be fixed or removable. Since it tends to wear out quickly, it is better if it can be replaced over time.

And the last, very important information: how to correctly calculate the length of the accessory?

• If you practice a low pace of Nordic walking, then choose poles using this formula: the athlete's height multiplied by 0.66. For example, if your height is 170 cm - multiply by 0.66 = 112.2 cm. This means you should buy poles 112 cm long (110 cm is acceptable).
• If you are a supporter of medium-intensity movement, then your height indicator should be multiplied by 0.68. So, with a height of 170 cm, the length of the Nordic walking pole should be 115.6 cm (115 cm).
• With an active pace of training in Nordic walking, we multiply the height indicator by 0.7. It turns out that with a height of 170 cm, the poles should have a length of 170 multiplied by 0.7 = 119 cm (120 cm).

Reviews

Doctors unanimously agree that Nordic walking is good for health. It is assumed that such training is suitable even for people with disabilities, for whom regular physical exercise is too much or contraindicated.

Experts emphasize that during Nordic walking, a person uses muscles such as the shoulder, subscapular, pectoral, deltoid, as well as almost all the muscles of the back, abdomen and limbs.

For those who dream of getting rid of extra kilos, there is the following information: Nordic walking helps to “burn” an average of 600 kilocalories per hour. If you devote at least three hours a week to the exercises, then with proper nutrition, weight loss is guaranteed.

According to experts, it is advisable to do interval training: first walk slowly, up to 5 km per hour, and after 20 minutes increase the speed to 7 km per hour. After 10 minutes, reduce the speed again and walk for 20 minutes, and so on. With regular exercise, you can get rid of 15-20 kg in 5-6 months.

Many point out that systematic Nordic walking improves mood and gives a positive attitude for the whole day. It is important to listen to your body and support it. Thanks to such a sport as Nordic walking, you can significantly improve your own health and well-being.