Surely, you have repeatedly heard of Nordic walking, but you never wondered what exactly this sport is. Experts in one voice say that Nordic Walking is the most useful type of physical activity and a safe way to get rid of extra pounds.
The story of the appearance and some facts
Nordic Walking (in translation Scandinavian walking) comes from Scandinavia, and more precisely from Finland. The appearance of this sport is associated with the date January 5, 1988, when the championship of cross-country skiing was to be held in Helsinki.
The organizers of the competition faced some problems due to the lack of snow and had to make decisions urgently with regard to the further fate of the event. Athletes had to go to the track on foot, taking with them only ski poles.
Initially, Scandinavian walking was a summer training session for skiers, since during this activity, athletes performed the same movements, using the same muscle groups during classes.
Walking became a separate sport only at the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 90s of the last century. Thus, this type of physical activity became popular not only in the whole of Scandinavia, but also successfully migrated to neighboring countries. Moreover, walking found its fans even in the USA, where it got its name - “pole walking”.
Nordic walking has several advantages:
- has a positive effect on the musculoskeletal system, contributes to the correct posture;
- increases heart rate by 5-17 beats per minute;
- increases calorie intake by 20% compared to normal walking;
- helps to relax the neck, back muscles;
- with proper technique, 90% of the body muscles are involved;
- promotes weight loss, burns up to 400 calories per hour;
- improves coordination of movements.
Do I need a warm-up and how to do it correctly?
Warming up is a very important preparatory moment before any workout. It helps to prepare the body for physical activity and exercise. Nordic walking is no exception.
You can warm up, as with sticks, so without. This will reduce the risk of injury, reduce fatigue while walking, and improve the elasticity of the ligaments.
You can start a warm-up at home or in the fresh air, its duration should be at least 7-10 minutes. Movement should not be sharp or aggressive, as they can cause pain.
To begin with, knead the neck, making bends to the sides and up and down. Go to the rotational movements of the elbows, then warm up the pectoral muscles and hip joints. In order to vary the exercises, take a stick in your hands:
- lift the stick like a barbell;
- do squats with an emphasis on a stick, bending your knees at an angle of 90 degrees;
- raise the stick above your head, making the arms tilt to the side;
- hold the stick behind your back, slowly lifting it up until you feel the muscles begin to tighten.
In fact, you can come up with a lot of exercises to warm up.
Try to do a warm-up every time you get ready for class.
Technique Nordic walking with sticks: instructions
Scandinavian walking is not only suitable for people of any age category, it can be done by both a beginner and an avid athlete. This sport is also recommended for people with overweight or various physical disabilities, it will help improve blood circulation and burn fat.
Moreover, with intensive walks, more than 600 muscles are involved. Those who suffer from cardiovascular diseases should be dealt with exclusively under the supervision of a physician.
Proper Nordic walking is a special, but quite simple technique. Only by learning all the basics, you can be content with the advantages that this type of activity has. It is very important to begin the first workouts under the supervision of experienced professionals who will talk about the basic rules of walking.
During the workout, the body should be slightly bent, the chin pressed slightly to the chest, and the gaze is directed only forward. Shoulders back a little. For Nordic walking, the steps play a very important role.
Compared to ordinary walks, during nordic walking, your stride becomes longer and essentially ends with a landing on the heel. The elbows are at right angles, which helps maintain balance. The movements should be natural, the left leg should go forward with the right hand and vice versa.
Experts advise you to adhere to certain rules to ensure that classes are as effective as possible:
- take longer steps;
- Pay attention to the body tilt and walking speed;
- the hand must not firmly grip the stick;
Before you begin your first classes, you need to choose a suitable area for walking. Paths in the fields or forests are perfect for Nordic walking.
It is advisable to avoid an asphalt road, as fast walking on a hard surface can negatively affect the knee joints, and this is precisely the trouble that this sport should minimize.
The length of the route, you can choose based on your physical capabilities.
In Nordic walking, you need to focus on coordination - the conformity of the movements of the arms and legs. It is the hands and step length that set the pace of the walk:
- slow walking - short steps;
- brisk walking - long steps;
- body position - body tilt depends on walking speed;
- unhurried walk - the body is in an upright position;
- body flexibility - warming up the body before training and stretching after play not the last role in this sport.
How often do you need to walk with Scandinavian sticks?
The duration and intensity of the walk depends on what results you want to achieve. Spending about 30 minutes of your time a day will allow you to stay in shape and not get better, while daily hourly walks will help you to get rid of extra pounds.
It does not depend on how old you are, because you do it for your health, and it is very useful at any age. The most important thing is to monitor the reaction of your body and not to overdo it.
Nordic Nordic Walking: technique, intensity and effectiveness
First of all, you should understand that in order to lose weight, you need to change your diet, and Nordic walking will serve you as a great help in the fight against obesity. It will help burn calories, strengthen the body as a whole, improve your physical fitness and speed up your metabolism.
Walking can help burn about 300 calories per hour. Of course, this is all individual and depends on your weight, age and general physical fitness. For effective results, walks should be regular and last at least 60 minutes.
All that is needed for successful workouts is special sticks, comfortable shoes, clothes, and the right technique that is no different from Scandinavian walking to maintain health.
The great advantage of Nordic walking is the ability to walk at any time and in any place, so even the laziest can take the free hour to get a step closer to the desired parameters.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake in Nordic walking is a misunderstanding of the very essence of this sport and of what it should lead to. A qualified instructor will help you build movements correctly while walking and not repeat gross errors of your vehicle in the future, namely:
- improper hand and foot coordination;
- improper placement of loops;
- too upright posture;
- too long steps;
- wrong shoes;
- lack of warm-up before exercise;
- too close location of the sticks to the body.
Important recommendations
In addition to the correct technology, it is very important to choose the right equipment for training. It's about sticks, shoes and clothes. The ideal length of the sticks is determined by multiplying the number 0.68 by its height.
For example, 170 cm multiplied by 0.68, we get 115 cm. Simply put, if you leaned with sticks on the ground, your elbows should be at a right angle.
The sticks can be telescopic or hard, at the end of which there must be a tip that can freely enter the ground.
Clothing is preferable from a functional material that absorbs sweat, dries quickly and is pleasant to the body. Shoes should fit well to the heel and be in size.
As for every sport, special footwear has been developed for Nordic Walking, which differs from the others by its sloping sole on the heels, which allows making the steps more confident and stable. If you can not buy such shoes, any suitable with a soft sole.
For beginners, experts recommend holding their first classes under the supervision of an experienced trainer to avoid mistakes. In the future, this will make training more effective and beneficial to health, and you will be able to see the first results in just a few months of regular workouts.
Some more additional information about Nordic walking can be found in the following video.
