Staying active is one of the most important part of healthy and long life. And there are many ways for this. In this blog we want to share with you about nordic walking.

How can you make walking a better overall workout without feeling like you are exerting any more energy? How can you overcome the slouching, neck and shoulder pain many get from working at desks and computers? Across Europe, millions of people have taken up Nordic walking to give them a good workout and loosen their neck and shoulders.

Nordic walking is a Finnish-origin total-body version of walking that can be done both by non-athletes as a health-promoting physical activity and by athletes as a sport. The activity is performed with specially designed walking poles similar to ski poles.

Nordic walking (originally Finnish sauvakävely) is fitness walking with specially designed poles. While trekkers, backpackers, and skiers had been using the basic concept for decades, Nordic walking was first formally defined with the publication of "Hiihdon lajiosa" (translation: "A part of cross-country skiing training methodic") by Mauri Repo in 1979. Nordic walking's concept was developed on the basis of off-season ski-training activity while using one-piece ski poles.

For decades hikers and backpackers used their one-piece ski poles long before trekking and Nordic walking poles came onto the scene. Ski racers deprived of snow have always used and still do use their one-piece ski poles for ski walking and hill bounding. The first poles specially designed and marketed to fitness walkers were produced by Exerstrider of the US in 1988. Nordic Walker poles were produced and marketed by Exel in 1997. Exel coined and popularized the term 'Nordic Walking' in 1999.

For a better but easier cardio workout, nordic walking increases your heart rate without increasing your perceived rate of exertion. You get a better workout without feeling like you are working any harder. While you can get a similar heart rate effect by walking faster, there are many people who do not want to walk faster or cannot walk fast.

Exercise experts do not recommend walking with arm weights, which is another popular way to add an upper body workout to a walk. Arm weights put unnatural stress on joints, especially over the length of a recommended fitness walk of a half hour to two hours.

Nordic walking works the arms, shoulders and upper chest and back muscles through a full range of motion, stretching and lengthening those muscles which are often tight. The motion works to overcome the hunching forward that many people adopt while working at desks, computers, reading or watching TV. Many people exhibit stress by tightening their neck and shoulder muscles. Nordic walking loosens up those knots.

Nordic walking may also improve upper body strength. Unlike regular walking, walking with poles engages the arms, shoulders, and back muscles with a brisk, pumping motion in each step. In fact, a 2017 study analyzed office workers who completed 12 weeks of Nordic walking. Researchers found that they had greater shoulder mobility and less pain in their trapezius muscles. Nordic walking has even been found to increase upper body muscle strength better than resistance training.

On any surface, the poles provide more stability for walkers who have balance knee or leg problems. Proper use of the poles and arm motion encourages good posture. People who had given up walking for pleasure find that they can walk comfortably with the poles.

Walkers have used a variety of techniques and equipment to add an upper body workout to their walk. Correct arm motion can relieve neck and shoulder tension while toning upper body muscles. Racewalkers use their arms effectively to give an upper body workout.

Using the correct Nordic walking technique with relaxed shoulders, keeping the poles behind the body and using a full range of motion, the walker also releases stress carried in the shoulders and neck. Taking the arms and shoulders through the full range of motion throughout a 30-minute walk is a great antidote to the slouching many people do over desks and computers.

Adopting a fast walking technique or racewalking is a great way to pump up your walking workout. But Nordic walking poles are an alternative for those who have difficulty walking faster or do not like to walk faster. By using the Nordic walking poles at your usual walking speed, you increase your workout without going faster. This is also a good alternative for those whose walking partners cannot go faster.

Also, By adding the upper body workout, calorie-burning is increased 10 to 20% increase yet with no increase in how hard the walker feels they are exercising. Nordic walkers get a "total body" workout without feeling like they are working any harder than just walking.

Adopting a fast walking technique or racewalking is a great way to pump up your walking workout. But Nordic walking poles are an alternative for those who have difficulty walking faster or do not like to walk faster. By using the Nordic walking poles at your usual walking speed, you increase your workout without going faster. This is also a good alternative for those whose walking partners cannot go faster.

Also, By adding the upper body workout, calorie-burning is increased 10 to 20% increase yet with no increase in how hard the walker feels they are exercising. Nordic walkers get a "total body" workout without feeling like they are working any harder than just walking.

There are several Nordic walking techniques. One is "double poling." It involves planting both poles symmetrically in front of you and pulling yourself forward as you walk a few steps. "You double pole and then walk three steps. Double pole; one, two, three. Double pole; one, two, three," Dr. Baggish explains.

Another technique is "single poling," which mimics what your feet are doing, with just one pole in front of you for each stride. Do this either with the same-side arm and leg together or with the opposite arm and leg together. "The pole and foot will always be striking and propelling at the same time. The difference is whether it’s on the same side or the opposite side," says Dr. Baggish. He advises starting out with single poling, and gradually building up speed and vigorous arm swinging.