Exercising in the fresh air is one of the best ways to improve your health and lose weight. Sport should be present in the life of a person of any age, but it is training in nature, in a forest or park that has unique properties. They will help not only strengthen the muscles, but also relieve the stresses that surround a modern person.
What is Nordic walking?
The Nordic walking technique was invented by Finnish skiers, who started jogging to continue training in the summer. This became a new sport that was developed in the 70s. Cross country stick walking was included in the official training program for Finnish athletes.
Future Olympic champion Marco Kantaneva noted that the load on the body changes if you use different sticks. Scientific research has been conducted on this subject. The result was amazing results.
Nordic walking, reviews of which are filled with enthusiasm, is an affordable and highly effective sport. A specific walking technique is used using specially designed sticks, thanks to which the load is evenly distributed to all muscles.
Proper Nordic walking reduces pressure on the lower back by 35%, also reduces the load on the hip, ankle, knee joints. If the sticks are chosen correctly, then 90% of all the muscles of the body will be involved in the walking process.
What is useful?
Why is Nordic walking so popular? The benefits of this sport are obvious. A great contribution to the development of Scandinavian walking was made by German doctors. It was they who conducted the most in-depth research and established the high healing potential of walking with sticks. The use of equipment allows you to distribute the load and involve the back and shoulder girdle in training. But when running, the upper half of the body is weakly involved.
Doctors determined that if only 70% of the muscles of a person are involved in normal walking, then walking with sticks puts a strain on 90% of the muscles. In this case, the use of equipment, namely sticks, reduces the load on the hip and knee joints, calcaneus. Due to this circumstance, this sport is suitable for elderly and obese people, patients with diseases of the joints of the lower extremities, suffering from gout.
Scandinavian walking for weight loss is effective , as during training, one and a half times more calories are burned than with a regular walk. Even loading is good for the heart.
Walking with sticks will help to develop endurance, a sense of balance and improve coordination of movements. Training helps improve posture. Since the muscles of the back and upper extremities are involved, the respiratory volume of the lungs increases by almost 30%. Clinical studies have shown that people who do this type of wellness gymnastics have lowered cholesterol, normal bowel function and metabolism.
What is more advantageous of Nordic walking? The benefits of this sport are so great that it leads to a general rejuvenation of the body and helps to eliminate toxins. Another advantage is a high level of comfort. If a person is tired or overcomes a steep climb, he can lean on sticks. They help rest your legs and back during a stop.
Indications
In Europe, Nordic walking is used as an important part of the restoration of physical activity in rehabilitation centers. It helps a lot after injuries, operations on the musculoskeletal system. Thanks to the course of physiotherapy exercises, an element of which is Nordic walking, patients quickly return to their normal rhythm of life. So, patients who underwent a complex operation to replace a hip joint can return to normal life within a month. Scandinavian walking became popular in Moscow and other large cities of Russia. Special centers are actively opening, where instructors teach those who wish the right technique.
Nordic walking, the contraindications to which we will study later, is indicated for the restoration, treatment and prevention of a number of diseases. It can be:
- bronchial asthma;
- vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- arterial hypertension;
- Parkinson's disease;
- osteochondrosis;
- scoliosis;
- osteoporosis;
- atherosclerosis;
- chronic pain in the neck, back, shoulders;
- obesity;
- neurosis;
- depression;
- insomnia.
Walking technique
In order for the lessons to be beneficial and most effective, it is important to develop the right technique from the very beginning. How to walk Nordic walking? First warm up the muscles and do a light workout. You need to start training on a flat surface. At the first stage, it is important that the athlete is used to moving in the right rhythm.
First you need to study and understand the possibilities of stick mounting. Put your hands in the loops and lower them, as in a normal walk. You do not need to lean on sticks, they should slide freely behind you. Go, gradually increasing the pace and step size. At the same time, start raising your arms to chest level and leaning on sticks. They need to be kept as close to the body as possible. Go rhythmically changing the position of the limbs and leaning on sticks.
Legs should be kept bent. The right hand at the beginning of the movement should be stretched forward, and the left should be at the level of the pelvis. Walk, rolling from heel to toe, touching the ground with your entire foot. Keep your hands near the case, you do not need to widely place them. Tilt the housing forward. Move smoothly, you do not need to sharply lower the sticks, this will violate the correct rhythm of movement and will be harmful to the joints.
When walking, you need to rely simultaneously on the right foot and left arm, move consistently, maintaining a uniform pace. Do not pick up speed sharply and slow down. At the same time, the sticks should not be dragged behind you, gently lift and place them on the ground, leaning.
Benefits for the Elderly
Who should use Nordic walking? Reviews indicate that this sport is preferred by the elderly. It is really ideal for people of age, since it assumes a low and uniform load. For many senior citizens, many sports are not available, as they involve too high a load or difficult exercises.
As you age, coordination decreases, so older people cannot engage in active sports. In the Scandinavian struggle movements are natural, serious preparation is not needed, and the intensity, duration of the training and the complexity of the route are individually regulated. It is because of the soft requirements that Nordic walking is recommended.
Contraindications
There are practically no contraindications for this sport. Due to the low training requirements and uniform load, walking with sticks is recommended for all ages, conditions and levels of health.
In order for exercises to be exclusively beneficial, in no case should the body be overloaded. Loads need to be increased gradually. This simple rule applies to any exercise.
Thus, contraindications for walking are:
- acute infectious diseases;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases with severe pain;
- surgical intervention;
- the need for emergency care;
- diseases requiring compliance with bed or semi-bed rest.
For cardiovascular diseases, you should consult your doctor. The Scandinavian struggle will bring its fans good health, new sensations and joy. Classes contribute to weight loss. Any person who is in a stable state can start training, but the level of load must be determined individually.
Equipment
For training you will need sticks for Nordic walking. How to choose and use equipment? Conventional ski poles are not suitable for classes, as they are not suitable in length. If the inventory is not selected correctly, the load on the musculoskeletal system, especially on the knees, increases.
Also on sticks for walking should be special straps that look like gloves with cropped fingers. They allow you to work with sticks, while not gripping the handle and not stuffing corns.
If they are going to walk on the ground, ice, snow, then the sticks should end with a sharp spike. For asphalt and concrete, there are special rubber tips that soften impacts on a hard surface. They are gradually erased and replaced with new ones.
The rules do not define special clothing for walking, although in stores you can find clothes and shoes designed for this sport. Clothing should be made of natural materials. Beginners can practice in a comfortable tracksuit and sneakers that sit well on their feet. The sole of the shoe should be flexible.
How to choose a stick
So you need Nordic walking poles. How to choose the right equipment? First of all, the length of the sticks matters. There are various tables and formulas by which you can calculate the size of the sticks, but you can determine it in a practical way.
You need to take sticks in your hands, put them at your socks. The elbow should be bent 90 degrees. Shorter sticks will reduce the burden on the hands, heavy ones will increase. The length of the telescopic equipment can be changed independently.
What material are Nordic walking poles made of? The price largely depends on this parameter. You can find sticks made of aluminum, carbon fiber, a combination of carbon fiber and fiberglass. The more composite material is included in the composition, the more expensive the equipment. The cheapest products are made of aluminum. They do not last long, are heavy and poorly dampen vibrations. Sticks made of carbon fiber and fiberglass are durable, lightweight and perfectly spring, which affects joints well. For obese people, carbon ones are best.
There are sticks with a fixed length, light and reliable. They are convenient to use. Telescopic equipment is configured to different lengths and allows you to change the load. However, they weigh more and cost more. In addition, the telescopic stick may fail.
Inventory can be equipped with various nozzles for different surfaces. The glove most often has a universal size. The handle must not slip.
How to buy equipment
Nordic walking sticks, the price of which can range from 1000 to 8000 rubles, can be bought at sporting goods stores. In small cities, the right tool can be difficult to get, but you can go to online stores with delivery.
There are several points that you should pay attention to when buying.
- Choose products from well-known manufacturers, such as Exel or Leki. Cheap Chinese sticks will be of poor quality.
- Refuse to purchase discounted and defective equipment.
- Choose products with a carbon content of 20% or higher.
- Choose sticks with removable tips.
- Do not buy inventory with plastic parts.
- Pay attention to the warranty period. It should be at least 2 years.
A few tips for beginners
Scandinavian walking for weight loss will bring only pleasure if you take classes seriously. Of great importance is the selection of suitable shoes. Running jogging shoes with good cushioning are best. Shoes should not be stiff, constraining movement. But at the same time, too soft and thin shoes will not work.
Carefully choose your inventory. Ski poles will not work. Multiply your height by a factor of 0.62 or 0.64 and get the length of the sticks. For older and overweight people you will need lower sticks, but trained athletes can work with longer sticks to increase the load.
If you have problems with the joints of the legs, then transfer the weight to your hands. If your back hurts, then you do not need to do this. Make a variety of workouts, change routes. In this case, the load on the body varies depending on the surface. It’s easier to walk on land and grass, harder on sand and snow.
Do not forget that you are training, not walking. You can slow down and accelerate to train both the anterior thigh muscle and buttocks. With sticks you can not only walk, but also run, do gymnastic exercises, jumps.
Common mistakes
Not everyone likes Nordic walking. Some people’s reviews are disappointing. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to engage with an instructor, so they make mistakes at the initial stage.
- Do not use sticks for other sports.
- Do not cross, do not pull sticks.
- Do not rotate the housing while driving.
- Press on the inventory not with a brush, but with your elbow.
- Do not wear one pair of socks, only two to avoid corns.
What is good Nordic walking? Reviews indicate that this sport is suitable for literally everyone. The load is adjustable, and training can be carried out both outdoors and in the park. Eco-fitness helps to increase muscle tone, lose weight and improve health.