Do you ever wonder why people are walking with poles on flat surfaces? Nordic walking is similar to cross country skiing but without the snow.
About 20 years ago, walking with poles came to central europe. It has many health benefits but it has not become popular.
There are a few good reasons to walk in Nordic.
Nordic walking burned more calories than regular walking did. It burned up to 18 percent more calories than walking did.
Nordic walking has been shown to be a great form of exercise for people looking to lose weight. A study from Italy found that overweight people lose weight faster doing Nordic walking.
While Nordic walking doesn't burn more calories than other forms of exercise, it can be a great low impact exercise option, or a way to boost the benefits of your regular daily walks.
It is possible to distribute your weight through the arms and torso with the use of poles. It's possible that this could improve back pain while walking.
Some studies show Nordic walking can help with lower back pain and impact on the knees, while others show it's not more helpful than ordinary walking.
If you suffer from lower back, hip, or knee pain, Nordic walking can help you. If your pain persists even after using the poles, it's worth talking to your doctor.
Nordic walking strengthens your arms and shoulders more than regular walking does. Research shows that Nordic walking increases muscle activity in the shoulders.
Strength in the upper body is important for a lot of the things we do, from shopping to filling up the kettle. Increasing muscle strength helps prevent injury by stabilizing the joints and protecting them when carrying heavy bags.
The core muscles of the abdominal and back are engaged more by Nordic walking.
The engagement of the core muscles will help strengthen them. Better core strength can help with balance and movement.
We are more likely to trip and fall when we are older. Problems with the way we walk and a decrease in muscle strength are the main reasons for this.
Nordic walking allows you to place the poles at the same time as you use your legs. You are less likely to fall as a result of this improvement.
One study shows that people who followed a Nordic walking training program for three weeks had improved balance. Nordic walking can be used to improve balance in older people.
Nordic walking can improve cardiovascular fitness in a matter of weeks.
Nordic walking was shown to improve blood pressure in obese women, but only in a similar way to ordinary walking. Nordic walking has been shown to increase resting blood sugar levels, which is important in preventing diabetes as well as improving cholesterol levels in the blood.
Nordic walking helps you get where you want to go quicker. A review shows Nordic walking increased average walking speed by up to 25%. You can burn more calories when you walk faster. If you walked for 30 minutes on a Nordic walk, you would be able to walk further and burn more calories.
Nordic walking seems to have many advantages. It's good for people who don't like other types of exercise, but still want to do something more intense.
Lindsay Bottoms is a reader in exercise and health.
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