How to walk Nordic walking

An active lifestyle today is not just a way to maintain a toned figure or improve health. This is a modern trend in a healthy lifestyle. Fortunately, it’s not fashionable to smoke or drink alcohol today. Today it is popular to engage in various sports. Among the new-fangled trends, one can distinguish yoga, Pilates, body flex. Recently, Nordic walking has gained popularity. She looks like skiing. This sport has many advantages, in addition, it has almost no contraindications. In this article, we will talk about the benefits of Scandinavian walking, the correct technique of sports load and some of the nuances of this sport.

The benefits of Nordic walking for the body

Walking with sticks has been popular since ancient times - so our ancestors more easily tolerated hiking over long distances. At the end of the twentieth century, skiers began to walk with sticks to keep fit in the summer when there is no snow. Nordic walking, as a separate sport, began to emerge in the early nineties. In Russia, this activity has gained its popularity in the last decade.

The benefits of Nordic walking are undeniable. In the process, more than 90% of the muscles of the body are involved, and with simple walking, no more than 70%. When you just walk, only the spine and legs are tensed, and the arms and shoulder joint are stationary. Nordic walking allows you to use the body almost completely. We can say that this is a great alternative to running, especially for those who have a lot of weight or knees hurt - patients with a similar diagnosis should not run. Sticks ease the load on the spine and knees, evenly distributing the weight of the body. In some Western countries, Nordic walking is considered one of the main rehabilitation courses that a patient should take after a disease and treatment of the musculoskeletal system. How does Nordic walking affect our body?

1. Despite the moderate load on the spine, Nordic walking perfectly trains the heart and blood vessels, develops stamina and strength.
2. After the movement begins, blood circulation in the tissues is noticeably accelerated, the body is saturated with oxygen.
3. With regular training, the speed of metabolic processes increases, the metabolism restarts as it were. This contributes to active weight loss.
4. At a sufficient speed, a person perspires heavily, and then a huge amount of toxins and toxins are removed from the body.
5. With the right technique of walking, many processes in the body improve, primarily, elimination of bile and digestion.
6. Due to active blood circulation, cholesterol levels are reduced.
7. Another definite plus is the strengthening of the muscle corset. With regular exercises, a person becomes stronger and more prominent, his figure is tightened, and his muscles tone up.
8. Athletes who have been involved in Nordic walking for more than one year, note that their coordination and sense of balance improved markedly. When walking, the vestibular apparatus is trained.
9. Walking with sticks gives a mild to moderate load on the entire spine, joints and cartilage. Older people note that Nordic walking helped them get rid of characteristic knee pains.
10. Any physical activity contributes to the production of endorphins in the body. Especially if the sport is so comfortable, pleasant and interesting. After the "Scandinavian walk" your mood will improve, you will get a charge of vivacity and positive for the whole day.

Adherents of Nordic walking admit that they loved this sport almost immediately, after the first training. But who is Nordic walking shown to?

Who benefits from Nordic walking

Nordic walking is the best medicine against diseases of the musculoskeletal system. With regular walking, you can get rid of osteochondrosis, osteoporosis, scoliosis. Walking improves blood circulation in the tissues after surgery - this is a great way to rehabilitation. In addition, such a load will help get rid of depression, stress, and insomnia. Nordic walking improves posture, trains the muscles of the back, hips, calves and buttocks. This is a gentle and affordable way to put in shape and health. But how to start doing it yourself? First of all, you need to buy sticks!

How to choose Nordic walking poles

In some cases, beginners try to replace Scandinavian poles with ordinary, ski poles. However, this is not entirely correct. Ski poles, as a rule, are slightly higher than the required length of Scandinavian poles. Each pair of sticks should be selected separately depending on the person’s height and level of physical fitness. To calculate the optimal size of the height of the sticks, you need to multiply the growth by a standard factor of 0.7. If your height is 170 cm, you need to multiply this number by 0.7 and get 119. So, a Nordic walking stick one meter long and 19-20 centimeters is suitable for you.

The level of physical fitness also plays an important role. The longer the sticks, the more difficult it is to walk with them, since the arms and shoulders in this case are fully utilized. For beginners it is better to use shorter sticks, but trained athletes choose equipment longer than the required size. That is why it is better to choose sticks with adjustable length. This will help to change the level of exercise as you develop. Such adjustable Nordic walking poles are also convenient for children - you can change the length as the child grows.

On sticks there are small loops that fix the hand in the desired position. They eliminate the wrong capture of inventory. You need to pass the brush into the stick and adjust the clasp to your wrist size. In addition to sticks, you should have comfortable clothes and comfortable shoes. It is best to wear clothing that will not constrain your movements. A sports or ski suit is perfect. Choose high-quality shoes - sneakers hold your foot and give good cushioning.

How to walk Nordic walking

It is better to start classes with an experienced trainer, especially if this is your first time doing it. If you get used to walking incorrectly, it will be much more difficult to retrain the technique. Therefore, it is better to see how professionals do it from the very beginning. It is important that the trainer corrects your mistakes if necessary. Indeed, the level of load on the necessary muscles depends on competent technique. So, here are a few rules that should be followed when Nordic walking.

1. Before you start walking, be sure to warm up - wave your arms and legs, tilts, turns the body.
2. In walking, it is very important to pay attention to staging the legs. The foot should be placed first on the heel, and then roll it to the tip of the thumb. The foot should adhere well to the surface of the soil.
3. You need to walk like this - the left leg and the right hand with a stick go forward, respectively.
4. You can not walk on straight legs, knees should be slightly bent.
5. The stick should be placed opposite the heel of the front leg. When transferring body weight, try to lean a little on the stick to reduce the load on the legs and spine.
6. If you have learned at least a little the correct technique and method of setting your legs, do not look under your feet. The back should be straight, the spine needs to be pulled up. Imagine that from the coccyx to the crown of your head you have a thread stretched that you need to keep upright. Try to reach the top of your head.
7. It is very important to pay attention to breathing. When walking, you need to inhale the air with your nose, and exhale it with your mouth. When exhaling, it is better to stretch your lips slightly forward, this will make the exhalation a little longer. When exhaling, try to strain the stomach and press it to the spine.
8. The step width should be arbitrary, it is not necessary to specifically increase this distance or raise the leg unnaturally up. You must walk as you do in ordinary life.
9. While moving, try to keep your arms slightly bent - about 45 degrees. That arm that remains behind is fully extended when carrying the stick.
10. Piling on sticks is not really worth it, it can lead to the wrong walking technique, which will not bring the expected benefits.
11. Nordic walking is such a democratic sport that you can practice it at any time of the day. If you decide to walk in the morning, wake up early so that the heart begins to work hard. You can not start walking immediately after waking up, at least half an hour must pass before the circulatory system begins to work gradually.
12. After training, it is better not to eat about an hour and a half. During this period, the muscles continue to tighten and burn subcutaneous and visceral fat. You can drink, give preference to clean warm water. In no case do not drink cold water during training - in combination with a heated oral mucosa, this can lead to a sore throat.

Nordic walking is good at any time of the day. In the morning, she will help you get a boost of energy for the whole working day. In the evening, a useful physical workout will distract you from thoughts about work and give you a slight relaxation before bedtime.

To get the most out of Nordic walking, you need to exercise regularly, ideally - every day. This will allow you to improve your health in the shortest possible time. Do not look at the weather, you can do it under any conditions. It is best to walk away from motorways and factories. If there is a forest, grove, park, pond nearby, go there, because the air in such areas is much cleaner. It’s much more fun to go for a company with someone; try to find a like-minded person. Then you can’t take a walk away from walks. Start walking small, increase your workout time gradually. End your walk with stretching exercises and deep breathing. These simple rules will help you regain lost health and protect your body from many diseases.

Video: Nordic walking technique in 5 minutes