It has long been a myth that Nordic walking is a sport for retirees. Not only grandmothers, but also celebrities walk around with sticks in parks. They are not shy about talking about the fact that they practice Nordic walking - and this is not without reason. It's not just about fashion - this sport helps you lose weight and stay in shape.
Maria Lifshits
certified Nordic walking instructor
Talks about the intricacies of this sport and ways to lose weight with it.
What is Nordic walking?
Nordic walking is not just a walk in the park with poles, but a specific walking technique. This sport is very different from others, so the fashion for it spreads not only in Moscow, but also in other large cities of Russia. It is not difficult to master Nordic walking, it is accessible to everyone, but there is a small nuance: what appears on the Internet when searching for “Nordic walking” does not correspond to reality. Finding professional videos is not difficult, but you need to devote time to it. Therefore, it is best to go for training, and there are many such options now.
5 free workout sites in Moscow
Maria Lifshits
certified Nordic walking instructor
You can learn Nordic walking in a group, individual lesson with an instructor or in an online school - this is a cheaper and shorter way that will save you time. For this activity you need special poles and basic sportswear. Where you will go, with whom and when is at your discretion. Nordic walking is also convenient because you can go on vacation, walk with children, friends and still not interrupt your training - that is, here you are actually not tied to anything.
How to do Nordic walking with poles correctly
You can start training on a regular basis without first consulting a doctor. An exception should be made in the following situations:
- Acute phases of diseases.
- Osteoporosis and other joint pathologies.
- Chronic problems with tone in severe form (hyper- and hypotension).
- Conditions for which bed rest is indicated.
If nothing from the list above has anything to do with you, you can move on to selecting equipment. The equipment must be appropriate for the situation.
How does Nordic walking help you lose weight?
Using sticks
According to the instructor, when we walk around the city, the street, to shops and to work every day, we mainly work only the lower part of the body. But when we walk with poles and use the correct technique, we fully engage the upper body. That is, during Nordic walking we use twice as many muscles and spend up to 500 calories per hour.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Fresh air
The instructor says that during Nordic walking we breathe fresh air saturated with oxygen, and this significantly speeds up the fat burning process. This is especially true for those who are overweight.
Regularity
According to the instructor, many of those who started Nordic walking continued their training and did it regularly. Athletes note that training is perceived as an easy walk. Nordic walking does not require effort, and this is the key point in order not to give up on it. After all, it is regular exercise that brings good results - be it losing weight or keeping fit. It is always important to continue to study and do it with pleasure.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Communication
Another nice factor is that during training you can fully communicate with others. This does not reduce the quality of the lesson and, on the contrary, serves as an additional motivator for us. Don't want to go outside? Call a friend, invite him for a walk and agree on a time - in this case there will be no chance to miss the lesson.
History of creation and features of Nordic Walking
Since ancient times, people have used support when moving, but only in 1940 did this technique take the form of an independent physical activity. Finnish skiers practiced with poles to strengthen their muscles and maintain athletic shape. Then the new type of training grew into an independent direction. Athletes wrote detailed instructions on how to properly start Nordic walking, but Mark Cantan brought the new movement to a complete form. He not only prepared the first full-fledged manual, but also filed a patent for its name - Nordic Walking.
The result interested not only Finns, but also representatives of other countries. As a result, sport exists both as a competitive sport and as a full-fledged physical exercise. Performing the technique two to three times a week strengthens up to 90% of muscle groups and reduces the load on the spine and joints. Doctors recommend such training to solve the following problems:
- Health promotion. Exercises improve blood circulation and strengthen the heart muscle, give tension to the spinal muscles and upper shoulder girdle - sections that are “idle” in everyday life, and overall tone is acquired.
- Recovery after serious illnesses. For patients who have undergone surgery or have a strict rehabilitation period, about 80% of types of physical exercise are not available. Active walking with sticks is recommended by doctors for various pathologies, including the respiratory system.
- Losing weight. Weight loss techniques approved by experts provide for weight loss of no more than 4-7 kg per month. Nordic Walking burns more than 350 calories per hour without overload, fatigue or risk of injury.
- Correction of posture. Slouching develops due to weakening of the muscle corset. Pressure on the spinal column increases, and the curvature leads to chronic lower back pain. The only restriction on training is acute, intense pain.
If the exercise technique is performed correctly, you do not load your feet and do not wear out your kneecaps, so there is no limit on the time you can walk. This direction differs from running: there is no need to dose the course, it does not pose a potential danger to the body.
How to exercise correctly to be effective?
Do a warm-up and cool-down
According to the instructor, in order for Nordic walking to bring maximum effect, it is important to do a warm-up, and after the main part of the lesson, a cool-down. This seems frivolous to many, but in fact it is very important. Because after warming up, our body is ready for large and long-term loads, and we get less tired. A cool-down calms you down, helps you recover your muscles faster, and allows you to feel the aftertaste of the workout, which means you’ll look forward to your next workout.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Change your training program
How to diversify your activities? You can, for example, change the pace of walking or the terrain and thereby increase the cardio load. You can also add strength training and do exercises on those parts of the body that you want to work on additionally. This can be done in any open area, especially since there are now a lot of places for workout on the streets. There you can stop for 10-15 minutes, do a series of strength exercises and then move on. You can use fitness bands, a belt bag or a backpack as weights, thereby enhancing the effect of your workout.
Mysteries of Nordic walking: what kind of sport is it and why is it needed?
Alternate with other types of physical activity
In addition to Nordic walking, it is useful to engage in other sports, the instructor notes. Athletes, for example, often include Nordic walking in their workouts because it perfectly complements running, yoga, Pilates, tennis, swimming, rock climbing and any other sport. If you are already interested in another sport, you can continue to do it 2-3 times a week, and Nordic walking - 1-2 times.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Basic information about walking
If it seems to you that this is as simple as possible, then you are still a little mistaken. Even Finnish walking has its own specific walking technique. It is necessary to distribute the load evenly across the entire business, and so that you benefit from it.
You can even conduct your first lessons with a trainer, who will explain to you in great detail all the intricacies and rules of this walking. And in just a couple of lessons, you will definitely learn how to use the Nordic walking technique.
What is the main secret of walking with poles? What's special about it? No matter how imperceptible it may be, during Nordic walking, about 90% of the muscles in your body fully work.
This is a very good point, because at the same time, you are active and gradually get rid of subcutaneous fat, and also keep your body in good shape.
Let's compare it a little with running. Many people believe that running is the most effective way to lose weight. But let's compare running, regular walking and Finnish walking.
The bottom line is that with Finnish walking, you will lose approximately 50% more calories than with regular running, and only if you know how to run correctly. And if you compare it with regular walking, you will spend 40% more calories walking with poles.
So from this, we can draw the first and most important conclusion that Nordic walking is 100% an effective way to maintain all muscles in tone, as well as for losing extra pounds.
Techniques that will help you get rid of calories
If you are interested in how to do Nordic walking for weight loss, then there is a specific plan that will help with this.
Increasing the time for Nordic walking
At the initial stage of this sport, one learns to concentrate on gradually progressing over long distances. The further the journey, the faster the weight will go away
Try to increase the amount of time you spend walking every day, so that there is at least half an hour a day, and up to several hours walked throughout the week.
This is interesting
[uaf_vkcount url='https://beginogi.ru/ozdorovitelnaya-hodba-chem-polezna-hodba-dlya-zdorovya/'] Health walking: how is race walking beneficial for health?
Increasing speed
After you have trained your endurance, add speed. After all, the Nordic walking technique with poles for weight loss implies just the intensity of the exercise. It all depends on how often the heart muscles contract, and for this you need to identify the maximum frequency of these contractions. To determine abbreviations for women, you need to subtract age (in years) from 226, and for men, the number of age is subtracted from 220.
Now the appropriate contraction frequency depends on the physical condition of the person:
- beginners – 50-60%;
- experienced – 70-80%;
- professional walkers – 70-80%.
If you are wondering how many calories are burned during Nordic walking, then here is a comparison:
- an hour of regular walking – 280 kcal;
- calorie consumption during Nordic walking – 400.
Walking on uneven surfaces
If you need to lose weight, you need to increase the load, so when you are already sufficiently trained, start choosing places for walking where there are more hills and mounds, in the forest - among trees (for maneuverability), snowy, sandy roads, etc. This type of walking forces your core muscles to work, strengthening them and burning calories.
This is important If you walk at an incline of 5 degrees, calories disappear 50% faster than usual, but if you have just started playing this sport, it is better to avoid uneven surfaces for now. In the case of Norwegian walking, calories are burned faster if you walk on gravel or snow.
Additional cargo
When improving your skills, it is recommended to use additional weight when walking. The approach must be thought out so that the joints of the body are not strained. If you are confident that you can do it, do not load yourself with more than 10 kilograms. Excess weight should be distributed over the vest or in a special bag on the back.
More upper limb movements
Accelerated movement when walking straight depends on the participation of the hands. If you increase the work of your arms and take a stronger swing, your step becomes more active, which contributes to the development of muscle tissue, and also burns calories more efficiently.
Correct back position
In Nordic walking, the walking technique for weight loss also includes not only physical activity, but also correct body position. Good posture is reflected in the gluteal muscles and back. With an even posture, you will be able to walk faster and more, which will save you from extra calories.
Press
There are experts who believe that the abdominal muscles swing better in a standing position. In order to maintain correct posture and abdominal muscles, you need to pull in your stomach when walking, but you need to breathe normally without holding it.
Move right
During Nordic walking, you also need to pay attention to how you walk.
It is important to go from heel to toe. Stepping on your heel, roll your foot onto the toes you want to push with.
This step not only burns calories, but also pumps the calf muscle and strengthens the hamstring.
Step width
Naturally, in order to walk faster, you need to take more steps, but sometimes you need to practice long steps, which strengthen the inner thighs.
Interval training
Interval training is a great way to lose weight. Such walking will consist of an alternation of not long, but active loads with weaker physical work. One option is to exercise with moderate physical activity for several minutes, and after that, just walk at a brisk pace for 2 minutes and return to the main position again. This kind of training burns fat well and prepares you physically. And the body’s metabolism will improve and increase its level.
Advice Follow the described recommendations, you will soon notice how many calories Nordic walking burns and you will not be disappointed.
How to walk correctly for weight loss
Before you start Nordic walking for weight loss, you need to familiarize yourself with its rules and technique.
For Nordic walking, the following are important:
- Pace. During training, you need to gradually increase the pace to burn more calories;
- Duration. Training should last at least an hour and a half, because in the first 40 minutes of walking, excess fluid is removed from the body. In the next half hour, fats begin to be burned;
- Frequency. If you decide to engage in walking in order to lose weight, then you need to exercise 3 – 4 times a week;
- Equipment and clothing. It is very important to choose the right poles. Their length should be 70% of the person’s height. Clothing should be loose and comfortable, sneakers should have springy soles.
