Nordic walking with sticks - reviews, contraindications and choice of equipment

History of occurrence

The discoverers of this area of ​​physical education are considered professional skiers of Finland. Back in the 40s of the last century, they developed a Nordic walking technique with sticks, which was designed to help them stay in perfect physical shape between the snowy seasons.

The high efficiency of training led to the further use of the method in physiotherapy exercises and rehabilitation techniques for people with spinal injuries. And the widespread popularity came to Finnish walking in the mid-90s, when Exel Oyj first introduced specialized sticks for this sport to the market, and also conducted a massive marketing campaign to popularize it. This kind of sport is also called Swedish, Canadian and Norwegian.

How useful is Nordic walking to a woman?

The advantages of this sport are obvious. Reviews on Nordic walking with sticks demonstrate its positive effects on the body and health. In particular, she ...

• Simultaneously trains 90% of all body muscles, providing a uniform load on the upper and lower muscle group.
• Burns 46 More Caloriesthan other race walking. Half an hour of training eliminates 300 calories and provides increased metabolism for 24 hours.
• Tones up the work of the heart, cardiovascular system. On average, the pulse of the “walker” increases by 10-15 beats.
• Increases Staminathat is necessary for people with health problems and professional athletes.
• Returns mobility and full life people after injuries of the musculoskeletal system.

The uniqueness of the method also lies in the fact that during training, the spine and knee joints experience minimal load. Due to this, Nordic walking is suitable for older people as a daily fitness, for people with extreme excess weight, who are forbidden to exercise actively.

The high intensity of calorie burning allows you to recommend Nordic walking for weight loss. Especially if you have no time or do not want to attend gyms. It is no coincidence that it is called the “sport of the lazy," because it’s even easier to practice according to the technique than doing exercises on fitball.

It is difficult to find a more gentle sport than Nordic walking with sticks, contraindications to it are minimal:

• the presence of a viral disease in the acute period - acute respiratory infections, flu;
• the period after abdominal surgery - until the doctor permits;
• increased pressure - it is during a hypertensive crisis and heart dysfunction that training is prohibited. And when the cardiovascular system is functioning normally, they are more than useful.

How to walk with sticks

How to put a stick for a woman and how to use chopsticks? The Nordic walking technique with sticks is simple. Here are her main requirements.

• Perform rhythmic movementsare the same as with regular walking. Move intensely and energetically, but naturally.
• Arm and leg are moving at the same time: swing with your left hand and simultaneously step with your left foot, then move with your right side.
• Hand swings indicate step size: the wider the sweep, the greater the step.
• Broad steps are more effective for weight loss., since they increase the load on the body.
• The body should not be static: Hips, chest, shoulders and neck move with the arms and legs.
• The pace of movement is determined individually. It is important to set such a rhythm (especially at the beginning of training) so that you are comfortable. Each pace you choose will be correct, as in the future you will definitely speed up.

In addition to the rules of Nordic walking with sticks, you should know that you will not see the results immediately. In the first days of classes, you will feel an increase in energy, shortness of breath will disappear. Within a month, the endurance and working capacity of the body will increase, and heart problems and pressure will be less disturbed. After a month and a half, you will notice weight loss.

How to choose the right sticks

Nordic walking sticks as pictured are the only and most important piece of equipment. The use of equipment of the wrong length is unacceptable, as it provides excess load on the back, knees, ankles, can lead to pain and sprains.

• For walking, not ordinary ski poles are used, but special shortened ones made of aluminum, a solid composite or the lightest carbon fiber. They can be fixed length or telecosmic, the length of which can be changed.
• The handles are attached straps resembling shingarts (sports gloves without fingers). Thanks to this design, the handle can be pushed off the ground with a stick without having to squeeze the handle. This keeps the palms from calluses and injuries. In the lower part of the structure, a spike is made of carbide material. With its help it is convenient to train on the ground, snow, ice surface. To walk on the asphalt, a replaceable rubber tip is put on the spike.
• The choice of accessory depends on the height of the person. It needs to be multiplied by a factor of 0.66. So, for example, the necessary length of sticks for a person with a height of 160 cm is 160 × 0.66 = 105 cm.

How useful walking with Scandinavian sticks is, the testimonies fully testify. Try this versatile sport to get your body in perfect shape!