Nordic Walking

Promoting health by movement

It is a very effective outdoor activity for everyone, who is looking for a serious challenge or those who just want to be healthy.

It's an exercice form which covers all main muscle groups and entertains our cardio vascular system during a workout session.

It is an easy, safe and very effective workout form for your complete body which can be exercised anywhere at any time.

The health Benetfits of Nordic Walking

Nordic walking is an outdoor physical activity often recommended by doctors for its benefits for our bodies and our mental well-being.

Extremely beneficial for health and helps improve quality of life well into old age.

A complete activity for all ages.

 

Physical Benefits

1. Nordic Walking involves around 92% of the muscular system

 

Nordic Walking works almost the whole body. It can help improve the condition of our muscles, as well as strengthening the abdominal and back muscles. Nordic walking stimulates the whole muscular chain. Using poles helps to develop muscles in the upper part of the body.

 

2. Improves physical condition

 

Nordic Walking involves the whole body, improving condition and endurance. It can also be a softer form of activity for people who want to start doing sport but aren't used to intense efforts.

 

3. Allows you to breathe more easily

 

Nordic Walking helps us breathe easier. In fact, walkers improve their lung capacity when they practise this sport. Oxygenation of the body is reported to be 60% higher than with traditional walking.

 

4. Strengthening resistance

 

Healthy outdoor training in a variety of weather conditions strengthens your body and boosts your immune system. What could be better for our health than breathing the fresh air of nature?

 

5. Excellent for our cardiovascular system

 

This sporting activity is a great support of our lungs, but also of our heart. Oxygenating our body stimulates our blood circulation and strengthens our entire vascular system. Nordic walking improves our cardiac capacity and reduces the risk of stroke.

 

6. Improving balance and coordination

 

Nordic Walking requires good synchronization of arm and leg movements, which helps to improve coordination. The exercise involves shifting the body's weight from one leg to the other and using the sticks to propel the movement. This can help to improve body awareness.

 

7. Postural Reeducation

 

With the right Nordic Walking technique, we improve our posture and reduce back and neck pain. Swinging the arms relaxes tense neck muscles, helping to reduce pain. Thanks to the correct movement of the poles, we open up the chest and stretch the usually tense pectoral muscles. We also strengthen the back muscles of the thoracic spine and keep the spine in its correct position.

 

8. Weight loss

 

Nordic Walking is an endurance sport, so you train in the aerobic zone. The aerobic exercise zone is the intensity at which your body uses its aerobic metabolic system to produce energy from fat and glycogen. You burn stored fat as fuel, which is desirable for those who want to reduce body fat and lose weight.

 

9. Nordic Walking takes the pressure off your joints and strengthens your bones

 

Nordic Walking helps to take the strain off your joints by using special poles to help you keep your balance. The poles provide extra support and take pressure off the joints. The weight of our body is distributed over four points (two feet and two sticks). Our bones need to be stimulated by vibrations to maintain their strength. Nordic walking is a good way of strengthening your bones, because every time you swing your stick, vibrations are set off throughout your body.

 

10. Prevention of other illnesses of civilisation

 

Nordic Walking can help reduce blood pressure, cholesterol leverls and the risk of heart attack. Nordic Walking improves blood lipid, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. It can also help prevent diabetes, dementia, and musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis. Other studies have highlighted the positive effects on people with Parkinson’s disease, as Nordic Walking improves patient’s physical mobility and in particular their maximum walking speed and stride length.

 

Mental and emotional benefits

 

- Réduction Stress

- Release of endorphins for a feeling of well-being.

- Connecting with nature promotes mental relaxation.

- Regular movement promotes mental clarity and concentration.

- Boosting morale

- Social activity to encourage interaction and strengthen social ties

 

Anti-stress and relaxing activity

Nordic Walking outdoors transforms the negative energy of stress into the positive energy of movement. It can also help combat depression and other emotional problems, thanks to the happy hormones (endorphins, dopamine, serotonin) that are secreted during walking.

 

Nordic Walking offers a wide range of physical and mental health benefits.

I'd like to encourage and inspire you to adopt a healthy lifestyle thanks to this wonderful sport that is accessible to everyone.

 

Tünde Hertz

Nordic Walking Master Trainer