Nordic Walking offers an impressive array of health benefits

• Uses 90% of your body muscle mass
• Is great for weight loss and weight management because of a
  46% calorie consumption increase.
• Significantly reduces pain and muscle tension in the neck and shoulder region by strengthening the large muscles of the back that pull down the shoulder blades.
• Increases your heart rate by 10-15% more than normal walking.
• Is a highly effective cardio-vascular workout and results in better blood circulation.
• Strengthens your upper body in a way walking or cycling simply cannot do.
• Reduces load on knees and other joints
• Rotates the spine, strengthens the spinal discs and reduces the incidence of back pain.
• Is a proven stress reduction/management tool.
• Strengthens the immune system.
• Is a safe, low impact exercise for people suffering from injuries or conditions that normally exclude them from the high effort activities needed achieve proper rehabilitation or reduce discomfort and pain. (i.e. it satisfies the needs of the 70-year old athritic person and the out of season Olympic skier).
• Bone density is increased through the resistance training, and posture improved.
• Is backed by clinical and anecdotal reports of benefits for a range of conditions, including arthritis, back pain, cardiac syndromes, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, obesity, osteoporosis, repetitive stress injury, thoracic outlet syndrome and depression
• It alleviates mood disorders 
  
  
  
  
 
  Normal walking, even with a fast pace and   
  good stride, only uses approximately 70% of
  your muscle mass at any given time. Put
  some Nordic Walking poles in your hands,
  and with the proper technique, you will now
  be using up to 90% of your muscles while
  significantly increasing your heart rate. 


 

 

All of the above can be achieved without an increase in perceived exertion.
And the best is that anyone can do it regardless of age, gender, weight and fitness level.
Looking after your health has never been easier!


Scientific References:
• Acute responses to using walking poles in patients with coronary artery disease. (Walter P.R, Pocari J.P, Brice G., Terry
   L., Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 1996, July-August; 16 (4); 245-50).
• Load carriage energy expenditure with and without hiking poles during inclined walking. (Jacobson B.H., Wright T.,
   Dugan B. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2000 July; 21 (5); 356-9).
• Effects of walking poles on lower extremity gait mechanics. (Wilson J., Torry M.R., Decker M.J., Kernozek T., Steadman
   J.R. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol, 33, 1, 2001, pp. 142-147).
• Energy expenditure during submaximal walking with hiking poles. (Rodgers C.D. VanHeest J.L., Schachter C.L. Medicine
   and Science in Sports and Exercise, 1995 Alpri; 27 (4): 607-11).
• Efficiency of walking and stepping: relationship to body fatness. Chen K.Y., Acra S.A., Donaheu C.L., Sun M., Buchowski
   M.S., Obesity Research, 2004 Jun; 12 (6): 982-9.
• Research on benefits of Nordic Walking. Summary compiled by Raija Laukkanen, Ph.D, Docent Director, Exercise Science,
   Polar Electro Oy, Finland (2001).
• Effects of a walking program on attributional style, depression and self esteem in women. (Palmer L.K. Perceptual and
   Motor Skills, 1995 Dec; 81 (PT 1): 891-8)
• Effects of aerobic exercise on pain perception, affect and level of disability in individuals with fibromyalgia  (Nichols D.S.,
   Glenn T.M. Physical Therapy, 1994 Apri; 74 (4); 327-32).
• Relation of habitual exercise to basal metabolic rate and energy expenditure during exercise in older people. (Ohta T.,
   Higuchi M.,   Itoh H., Yamazaki Y., Sato Y. Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry, 2000 Dec; 108 (5): 398-404)