Who would ever imagine a couple of spike-tipped poles having the power to transform a ho-hum exercise like walking into a dynamic, must-do activity?

Yet that’s exactly what’s happened with the introduction of Nordic walking, a hybrid of cross-country skiing practiced by millions of people worldwide. Today, even elite athletes are likely to be found with poles in hand and no wonder.

Safe and easy to perform, Nordic walking engages 90 per cent of the body’s muscles.

This unique form of exercise originated among Scandinavian skiers, who developed it as part of their off-season training program. All summer long they mimic the classical skiing technique on every imaginable surface. For years one of the best-kept secrets in sport, Nordic walking has finally gone mainstream.

Now, people everywhere can be seen moving at an accelerated pace along trails and roadways, jabbing the earth with lightweight, carbon-fiber poles.

“Essentially, Nordic Walking encourages a more anatomically correct walking position, resulting in the torso and arms performing a fuller range of motion,” explains June Stevenson, a Nordic walking coach based in Auckland, New Zealand (www.nordicwalking.net.nz).

“The poles provide a postural point of reference that allows the diaphragm and chest to expand. Stride lengthens and the usually tight hip flexors and hamstrings begin to release. People participate in a low impact, total body workout that can use up to 40 percent more calories than regular walking.”

The best results are obtained when participants exhibit trunk rotation, which engages the abdominal muscles. Limb movements should be controlled, but aggressively executed. Establishing a rhythm between arms and legs, which move opposite to one another, is fundamental to the sport.

It’s important to maintain a light grip on the pole, otherwise you risk muscle strain in the forearms. Plant poles on a downward angle rather than striking vertically. You should feel some resistance—the poles assist propulsion.

“Nordic walking targets muscles in the abdominal core, shoulder girdle, chest and arm,” says Stevenson. “These muscles are activated more fully as the poles provide the resistance for the muscles to act against. Increased range of motion and blood supply throughout the pectoral and thoracic spine has been shown to alleviate tension in the upper back areas. So it is quite a complete exercise. Other activities often require cross-training or gym specific exercises to balance under-utilized muscle groups, but not Nordic walking.”

During normal walking, the upper body is usually static, making it a one -dimensional activity. When the trunk and shoulders are engaged, the body works on three planes, which not only strengthens muscles, but also helps to protect against falls.

Nordic walking is an ideal exercise for the elderly, many of whom are discarding their canes in favor of poles. Lightweight and equipped with ‘asphalt paws’ that cover spiked tips during road treks, Nordic walking poles are considerably shorter than those used for cross-country skiing. To determine size, raise your forearm until it’s positioned at a ninety-degree angle with your elbow, and then measure the distance to the ground.

Polar Opposites:

Anyone who has done cross-country skiing understands exactly how to handle Nordic walking poles, but those unfamiliar with either sport require instruction their first time out.

“If you’re unsure how to manage them you’ll probably use them as trekking poles,” says Malin Svensson, president of Nordic Walking USA, (www.nordicwalkingusa.com) who lives in Santa Monica, California. “A trekking pole is planted into the ground vertically, but that’s not the case with Nordic walking poles. They must hit the ground at an angle.’

Svensson identifies the most common mistakes among beginners:

• Reaching with the same arm and leg, instead of working them in opposition. In Nordic walking, it’s left leg, right arm and so on.
• Holding the poles too far from the body.
• Striking too hard with the poles.
• Swinging the arms outward instead of keeping them tight to the body.

If you’re searching for an exercise that utilizes all the muscle groups yet is easy to master, you’ll love Nordic walking.

June Stevenson was an instant convert.

“The enjoyment I experience from Nordic Walking is not limited to just the physical benefits. I also derive a feeling of psychological well being quite different from anything I’ve felt from other forms of physical activity. I can do Nordic walking every day, because my hip joints don’t ache like they did with previous activity. No more bone-jarring jogging or one-dimensional endurance walking for me.”