Nordic Walking Latest Fitness Craze?
By Jeanne Goldberg
Nordic Walking Trainer
© 2006. All Rights Reserved

Nordic Walking may be the best fitness sport for the body, brain, mind and spirit for all ages. It’s taking off like wildfire in Europe, where thousands are walking, climbing, running and skating with poles. And now interest is growing in the US.

I’m an ex-physical education teacher and coach, have played most sports, and have a history of strains, sprains and surgeries – like most athletes. I had enough pain and recovery. And as a senior, I wanted no more!

I read about NW, bought poles, tried it out, and then went to California to become an instructor with ANWA, the American Nordic Walking Association.

Walking is the most natural form of exercise, and now – with the added poles and the upper body movement – walkers are able to get the cardiovascular benefits of jogging without the running strains and injuries. Conditioned athletes can even add weighted gloves and power belts for higher intensity training.

Walking, jogging, bicycling and skating do not provide upper body exercise. Nordic Walking does. It utilizes 90% of your muscles due to the arm movement with the poles. It’s great for boomers who want safer, lower intensity fitness.

Attention dieters! You burn about 120 calories an hour MORE doing Nordic walking over regular walking. And do you have a dog? and usually stroll in the park or street? I hook my dog to my belt, give her a few chances for pit stops, and off we go!

Nordic Walking can be experienced as a moving meditation, and a wonderful mind tuner and stress reliever. I find the rhythmic walking and breathing puts me in the "Zone."

I love the outdoors and walk in all kinds of weather but everyone does not. This great new sport works equally well in all sorts of conditions. Just change your pole tips and you can walk indoors in a mall or track, on city streets, on the beach, in a park, on snow, on a mountain trail … or even in a race.

Jeanne Goldberg is a retired 74-years-young Health and Physical Education teacher and coach and Nordic Walking trainer from Philadelphia, PA. Click to ask Jeanne for more information

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