Fitness review: Nordic Walking

Yes, you’ve read right. Nordic Walking is a real thing and popular abroad. We’re just a tad behind in Aus!

It pays to be inquisitive and it’s a good thing I am. If not, I may have missed out on one of the best fitness workouts I’ve reviewed yet. Why? Because it’s perfect for all ages and fitness levels, it’s low impact and is done outdoors.

So how did I come across it? Purely by happenstance! While planning an event for work on Eventbrite (free online event booking system), I stumbled across a free come-and-try session for something called ‘Nordic Waking’. Intrigued by the blurb, I registered and on a sunny Saturday morning two weeks ago I went to New Farm Park to see what it was all about.

The details:

Duration: 60 minutes
Style: Intro/beginner come-and-try group class
Cost: Free!
Who’s there: Predominantly 50+, mix of men and women
What to wear: Clothes comfortable for walking – shorts/trousers, wear joggers and bring hat and water bottle.

What to expect:

Nordic Walking, I learnt, originated out of Scandinavia and the sport of cross country skiing. Like its skiing cousin, Nordic Walking uses specifically designed walking poles to propel you forward in what’s known as a type of fitness walking.

There is a technique to master, and once you’ve got the hang of it you’ll feel the benefits immediately. You’ll find you have an improved posture, an engaged torso, purposeful stride and less stress on your joints by using the poles to transfer your weight.

The come-and-try session is run by certified instructors from the Nordic Academy. The session starts with a welcome and introduction to Nordic Walking and each person is sized up and given a pole appropriate for their height/support needs which looks not to dissimilar to a regular hiking pole.

The technique is then explained and you dive straight in. You’ll complete small laps around a short course practicing your walking stride and swinging your arms and moving the poles behind you as you go along. As you gain more confidence, you’re encouraged to increase the pace a little and start to push the poles into the ground to move you forward and roll with the momentum. You’ll then practice going up and down a small incline with the session closing with a more in-depth discussion on the poles and what style suits who.

Here are some technique tips I learnt on the day:

Walk naturally and get into the rhythm of swinging your arms and legs alternately, like a marching stride. With this coordination down, it will help A LOT when you start to incorporate the poles into your stride.

Get comfortable with the glove you’ll slip your hand through that’s attached to the top of the pole. This helps you easily transfer weight through the pole down to the ground and is what makes this a low impact activity. You’ll feel literally like there’s a weight taken off your shoulders!

Note the direction of your poles – they should always point diagonally to the ground and be behind you as you stride forward. Don’t worry if you muck it up. Just start over with your natural walking stride and slowly introduce the poles again.

Would I recommend this fitness workout to a friend?

I would recommend this to anyone. What’s great is it suits all ages and all abilities, and everyone would get something out of it, from the seasoned Cross Fitter to someone just getting back to fitness after example pregnancy or illness.

I love to hike and bushwalk so I got a lot out of this session; and I learnt that Nordic Walking is a great training regime for things like Oxfam’s Trailwalker. The session I went to was run by Stephen Mahony from Nordic Walking Brisbane.

What I liked: low impact, all body workout, sense of community, being outdoors
What I didn’t like: poles are a bit pricey, but it would be a good investment and they can double as hiking poles too.

What do I rate this fitness workout out of 5?

Fitness: 4/5                         Strength and toning: 3/5
Weight loss: 3/5                Wellness (mind, body, soul connection): 4/5

What would I listen to while I Nordic Walked?

Calvin Harris – Slide, cover version by Jon D and Max Wyre

Has this review inspired you to sign up to a free come-and-try session? Let me know, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Post your review in the comment box below.

Don’t forget to let me know if there’s a workout you’d like me to review. Just post it on my Facebook page or email hello@askthatfitgirl.com

Until next time,
Maryanne K