Why Nordic walking through our beautiful forests provides a fast, fun, fat-burning way to clock up your miles.
IT’S A SECRET weapon – the calorie burn is as high as with jogging, but you don’t feel exhausted or achey at the end.” So says Gill Stewart, from Nordic Walking UK and Walx. For those of you aiming to make some quick miles and give yourselves a full body workout, Gill might have the solution with an activity she believes is often misunderstood. Rather than simply trekking with poles, Nordic walking requires a technique in which you use the poles to propel you forward and, by taking big strides, you make fast time without the agony. It’s a style derived from cross-country skiing and requires both upper and lower body working in unison, providing significant physical benefits.“It turns walking into a workout,” explains Gill. “But it makes it easier to go out for longer and walk faster. And because it works the whole body, it doesn’t over-fatigue one area. It shares the load. You’re working as hard as on a cross trainer in the gym, but you have fresh air and nature all around you.”
As well as burning up to 46% more calories than normal walking, it also uses all your major muscles. And if you suffer from back, neck or shoulder pain when you walk, or your knees struggle on descents, Nordic walking might provide much-needed relief.
““On the up it gives you the grip,while on the down it takes pressure off the knees.””
“You don’t have to blast along on the flat,” says Gill. “We teach hill techniques on the up and down. On the up it gives you grip and pull almost like an ice axe, while on the down it enables you to be more stable and share the weight, taking pressure off the knees.”As with normal walking, there’s a strong social side to all of this, as you can chat as you go, and there are 2000 group walks being organised each week around the country. Many of these are in Forestry England forests, which Gill thinks are ideal for having a go at Nordic wa lking.“You can go in almost any weather, the paths are well managed, and you have toilets, cafés and other things to do on site. It’s a big draw for people to go somewhere really beautiful with the chance to have a cup of tea at the end!”A term Gill uses to sum up the whole experience is ‘empowering’. “It feels like you’re gliding. When you do it, it’s quite rhythmical, and that’s been shown to have a positive impact on your mood. It’s as if you’re lighter on your feet, and floating.”
What kit do I need? As a walker, the only real investment you’ll probably have to make are for the poles themselves. You’ll need to part with at least £30 for a good quality pair. Ideally, you’ll want an extendable pole with adjustment under the handle and a carbon lower section. Light shoes with a flexible sole are ideal, and your rucksack should be slim so as not to hinder arm swing.
To get started, visit nordicwalking.co.uk or walx.co.uk and search your area for a 90-minute Power of Poles induction session. Here you’ll feel the propulsion and understand how it works before you’re integrated into walks at your level. Find a forest to try Nordic Walking near you at forestryengland.uk or walx.co.uk/forestry-england-walx
