'NORDIC WALKING TURNS THE OUTDOORS INTO YOUR GYM!'
NORDIC WALKING was first developed in Scandinavian countries - the snow melted -the skis were put away but the poles remained
7 reasons why walking with poles is better than not using any
1. You burn more calories - up to 40% over normal walking- there have been numerous studies which have all came back with the same information - one study in Italy showed overweight people lost weight faster when Nordic Walking- it is a low impact sport that will boost the benefits of daily walking
2. It may reduce limb pain - with up to 26% less stress on the joints, your body weight is more evenly distributed so less stress on ankles, knees and hip joints
3. Upper body strength - by engagement of the poles - with the correct technique the shoulders will propel you forwards - muscle engagement of up to 90% can take place, again with correct technique - this improves core strength, balance and posture.
4. Falls reduction - the older we get the more chance of falls, mainly due to a reduction of muscle strength, balance and the way we walk, with the poles engaging with the ground at the same time as the opposite foot a better balance and posture is achieved, one study showed that after nordic walking for 3 weeks balance was improved even when NOT using poles - Public health England recommend Nordic Walking for balance improvement.
5. Core strength - Nordic Walking engages the core muscles - including the abdomen and back, this helps to strengthen them, improve posture and balance
6. Cardiovascular health - In as little as 4 weeks cardio vascular fitness will be improved, blood pressure can be improved and in studies with menopausal women an improvement of resting blood sugar levels was found, this is important as it reduces the risks of high cholesterol and diabetes
7. Walk faster - you can get to where you want to faster than ordinary walking, this can be up to 25% more than your normal speed, as a consequence of this you will burn up 40% more calories than normal walking (again with the correct technique)
AND BEFORE YOU GO! - Nordic walking is sociable and fun, you will meet new people, make new friends, you cannot Nordic Walk and not improve your fitness, at Lesu we have been instructing the sport for over 15 years , our youngest is 5 and our oldest is 92, we have trained Ironmen, triathletes, and swimmers, chair bound and couch potato bound! It is truly a sport for everyone of all abilities - our Nordic walking has changed many lives…………………'Your turn……….!'