Winter is upon us again, and while it is usually associated with terrible driving conditions, slippery sidewalks and shoveling heavy snow, there are many ways we can embrace our Winter season. Slippery sidewalks and trails can make it difficult to navigate and get exercise by walking outdoors. However, there is something that you can do, Nordic Pole Walking! Nordic pole walking will not only assist you with stability and added support while walking on these surfaces, but it will also recruit more muscle engagement, help you maintain good posture, strengthen your core and burn up to 20% more calories. Nordic poles are specifically designed for challenging terrain, including inclines and icy patches. The poles have booties for pavement, and underneath spikes for icy patches.
The intent of Nordic Pole walking is to mimic cross country skiing, this is important for proper muscle recruitment. When starting out it’s important to focus on extending the arms out in front of you at the regular extension of your arm when you walk naturally, and pulling down into the surface to engage the lats, core and glutes. The recruitment of these major muscle groups stabilizes the spine and will help to propel you forward, building strength with each step. This is how we can expend more calories than regular walking.
Nordic pole walking is also great exercise for our mind. It helps us to build a mindfulness connection with our bodies as we move with purpose, and we pay attention to how we are moving. This will cross over into our regular walking by strengthening the muscle groups used for these activities and being aware of how our bodies are moving. The fresh crisp air and the sunshine are also great benefits for our mind and bodies, refreshing ourselves and bringing in that much needed Vitamin D that we lack with the smaller amounts of sunlight we get during the winter months.
Kim Baylis, CSEP-CPT, Fitness & Sports Instructor, CFB Kingston