If you’re of a certain age, when you hear “Nordic Walking”, you might immediately associate it with the old Nordictrack machine that was popular in, I don’t know exactly when, maybe the early 90′, that was a precursor to modern elliptical machines.  If you remember the infomercials, it was a huge machine that had a pulley system set up on a frame in front of and above a walking track.  You would hold on to the handles of the pulley system as you walked on the track.  If this is your image of Nordic Walking, put it out of your mind.  Nordic Walking, like the Nordictrack, does utilize the arms, turning walking into a better full body work out, but that’s where the similarities end.  With the old Nordictrack and even with elliptical machines today, you are moving your arms, but not in the same way as with Nordic Walking.  And, of course, there’s the fact that Nordic Walking actually gets you out into the world, not stuck on a machine.

Nordic Walking, like any exercise, requires a proper technique to get the full range of benefits.  It’s not just the addition of poles that creates a better workout, it’s using them in the most effective way possible.  When you do, you can burn 40% more calories than with regular walking.  The key is how you place the pole when walking.  The pole must be placed at the correct angle so that when you push off, your arms, shoulders, and even back muscles are worked.  The best part of this work out, in my opinion at least, is that all these added benefits are achieved without the feel of any greater exertion.  Sure, you’ll feel it in your arms, but while you don’t feel like you’re doing much more than walking, your heart rate is increased, you’re burning more calories, and you’re working more muscles.

Are you interested in trying Nordic Walking?  Well, if you’re fortunate enough to live in the Santa Monica area, do what I did and go learn from the best, Malin Svenson.  Malin does Nordic Walking classes almost every Saturday just off of Ocean Park Blvd. by Perry’s Cafe.  She offers an introductory class (required for first timers) then classes/workouts for those who have already taken the intro class.  These are great because it’s a beautiful location, you have a real person telling you what to do and checking on your technique, and you’re in a group of people who are all walking around with poles which decreases your individual embarrassment.  :)

If you’re not lucky enough to live within driving distance of Santa Monica, Malin can still help you.  She has a book on Nordic Walking and also offers a complete Nordic Walking kit, appropriately named “My Nordic Walking Coach Kit” that gives you everything you need to learn how to Nordic Walk including Malin’s book and CD’s with guided workouts.

So, to answer the question of why I use those poles, the answer is pretty simple.  Because they work.  As silly as you might feel at first, those poles are awesome.  Not only do they give you a full body workout while walking, but they can help with posture, pace, and even offer a little support to your joints.  If more people knew the benefits of Nordic Walking, you’d soon hear people asking, “Why aren’t they using poles?” by Rachel Geist

• Do you want to burn more calories with less effort? Do you want a high intensity work out with low impact? Do you want to safely strengthen and tone the upper body while walking? I have one answer to all those questions. It is called Nordic Walking and it means that you walk with specially designed poles planted behind you in an angle to propel the body forward to enhance health and fitness benefits.The first time I tried Nordic Walking was almost 10 years ago and I could not believe my eyes when I looked at the heart rate monitor – it was as high as if I was running. Granted I was Nordic Walking in the actual sand on Santa Monica beach….. but still I was just walking! At first I thought the monitor was broken. When I realized it was working just fine, I was sold on Nordic Walking. Here was a simple fitness activity to learn that burns more calories than regular walking, strengthens my upper body and is as good of a workout as running but without the high impact. It was a dream comes true for a former athlete getting into my forties.As a nationally ranked runner (in Sweden) I had started to cut down on the running in my thirties and added biking, hiking and roller blade skating to my fitness regime. The cross training aspect fit my body perfect – I liked the variation and the injury free benefits. After my “aha moment” on the beach, Nordic Walking became a natural replacement for my running at the end of my thirties. I never made it a conscious decision – it just happened.

  Now in my late forties I’m thrilled to still have Nordic Walking be part of my personal and professional life. It is such a reward to teach people this very beneficial and very popular fitness activity from Europe. It never fails to amuse me the look of amazement when people discover the muscles involved in Nordic Walking: core, chest, back and arms – especially the back of the arms! At the same time it always surprises me how fast people lose their correct technique. Studies show and my heart rate monitor shows that Basic Nordic Walking can burn about 20% more calories than regular walking and my advanced Nordic Walking techniques can burn about 46%. That means that you need to go walking for 90 minutes to get the same benefits from Nordic Walking for only 60 minutes.

  It may sound a little bit silly but I listen to my own CD’s that I recorded for a new product called “My Nordic Walking Coach”. To listen to the eight Nordic Walking workouts really help me maintain my correct technique and thus resulting in me staying in shape. My plan is to Nordic Walk into my fifties and beyond to easily stay in shape while fighting fat and hormones. What is your plan?

Park a little bit further away from the entrance of the store next time. It makes a difference. As you can imagine I’m known for walking to everything and it is my hope to inspire others to do the same as a way to easily develop healthy habits. The funny thing is that sometimes people even don’t want to tell me that they got into a cab instead of walking. I don’t feel particular good about them being “afraid’ of my disapproval. Instead I tend to hope that I have increased their awareness of the importance of an active lifestyle. And awareness is at least the first step to change!

We started to get old the minute we were conceived and from that moment we want to develop, learn and explore and we can’t wait until we get to be 21. Then shortly thereafter we start having a hard time saying our age and we want to stay forever 21, right? It is impossible of course. I’ve been there. At age 22 I lived in Paris and worked as a model and I thought my life was over. Yes, it is true. Crazy but true. All the other girls were 17 to 19. To be 22 was old. It was the only (so far J) age crisis that I have had in my life.

Living in the world where beauty and youth are so important to your survival and existence people get unhealthily fixated on staying and looking young. Now that I have lived close to Hollywood for 20 years I have however been able to change attitudes, thank god. I embrace every decade as a new chapter in my life filled with new adventures and new goals. What I enjoyed doing in my twenties I may not even enjoy in my forties. I train my clients with the same approach – I know their age but I always train them based on their capacity and needs and not based on their age. There are times, I admit, when my clients blow me away. For example, when my 82 year old takes one step up three steps of the stairs without holding onto anything! Here I thought I inspired my clients but when they show me this ageless attitude they inspire me.

A smile of enlightenment spreads across my face.