Most sports that require poles are now labelled as “Nordic,” including Nordic walking, snowshoeing and roller blading.


Who started it?

Nordic walking evolved from Nordic (cross-country) skiing when Scandinavian skiers began walking with poles to enhance their summer training. The benefits of maintaining upper body strength and increasing cardiovascular fitness outdoors were quickly recognized and equipment was developed to make this athletes’ training program available to everyone.

The International Nordic Walking Association (INWA), founded in Finland in 2000, has a great web site at inwa.NordicWalking.com. Since its inception, Nordic walking has become the fastest growing fitness sport with 500,000 Finnish participants and an estimated 3.5 million walkers worldwide.

Nordic walking is finally getting the attention of North Americans, with programs now available in the U.S. and Canada. Publications like Running Room Magazine and Chatelaine are espousing the benefits of Nordic walking, so it’s evident the sport is coming of age on this side of the border. Watch for Nordic walkers down by the Ottawa River, along the bike paths and up on the Gatineau trails by the end of this summer.

Nordic walking benefit

Nordic walking has many benefits that appeal to a wide variety of people and their exercise needs.

Using poles brings a new dimension to walking or running with its upper and lower body workout. It works the whole package, and is superior to walking or running without poles. By using more muscles, more calories are burned — the Cooper Institute claims using poles can increase calorie expenditure by as much as 46 percent over regular walking. Nordic walking can increase cardio output by up to 25 percent over regular walking, so it’s an excellent fitness program to increase cardio-vascular fitness.

There is a lower rate of perceived exertion (RPE) with Nordic walking compared with running or walking without poles. This is important for people new to exercise who might be tempted to give up if they feel their exercise program is too exhausting. Just like reputable clinics for runners, Nordic walking programs recognize that many people (particularly those just starting out on an exercise program) often need support to reach their exercise goals.

Nordic walking is excellent for people who have joint injury in the hips, knees or ankles, as well as those recovering from joint surgery or replacement. According to orthopaedist J. Richard Steadman of Vail, Colorado, poles decrease the load placed on joints by about six tonnes over the course of a mile (1.6 km). Poles also add stability as they increase joint mobility, which may account for many seniors including Nordic walking in their early morning mall walks in winter. Nordic poles work just as well on carpet as they do on asphalt, grass and gravel.

Working hunched over a computer all day? Exercising those upper body muscles by swinging the arms relaxes the muscles that hold tension in the shoulders and neck. It can also be an effective part of a cross-training program for marathon runners when long runs result in upper body tension and reduced shoulder mobility.

Nordic walking can be part of an athlete’s training program, where interval, hill training, bounding, and running techniques with poles can be used to increase the heart rate and build endurance.

Nordic walking clinics

Like any sport, beneficial Nordic walking is based upon technique. Though not difficult to learn, it is worth taking a workshop or clinic with a certified instructor. After learning how to change attachments and adjust the straps, you will learn the Nordic walking technique by building one skill on top of another (e.g. first arm swing, then pole strike, followed by swing-through phase, wrist release, toeing off, and more).

Nordic walking is a practice in co-ordination where unloading and loading at the correct gait phase decreases impact on the spine. A wrong pole plant can jar the upper body joints and restrict proper arm swing, which builds tension in the shoulder and neck instead of releasing it. Proper release and reconnecting with the grip handle is essential to maintain circulation to the fingers and flexibility of the wrists and elbow. An improper lean can decrease core muscle engagement. A certified instructor teaches proper techniques for getting the full benefits from a Nordic walking program.


You will also learn how to use heart rates to monitor your level of activity and plan a program to target your fitness goals. It’s important to understand proper warm-up and cool-down exercises to decrease the chance of injury, too.

An instructor can advise you on pole size and explain the different qualities of poles. With poles costing between $80 and $130 a pair, walkers will want to be sure they have the right set for their needs. Nordic walking poles are available for rent in Ottawa at Calm Connections, and Trailhead offers them for rent or sale.

Nordic walkers who engage in activities that put stress on wrists and elbows — such as computer work, painting, playing golf or racket sports — may want to spend the extra money to buy a pole with an ergonomically designed handle.

“Pilates on the go”

There is a strong link between Pilates and Nordic walking. Pilates teaches postural awareness and realignment through core strengthening, and Nordic walking engages the core muscles of the body while focusing on upper and lower body alignment. The poles reduce the impact on the spine by lifting and propelling the body forward. Not surprisingly, Nordic walking is also known as “Pilates on the go.”

Nordic Walking is fun, especially when done with a group. It can get you out of the office and into the sunshine and parks. A walk at lunch time, after work or on the weekend lifts the spirits as well as your stride. So grab a friend and try putting a new bounce in your step.

-- For more info, please contact Karen MacKay. She is a Nordic Walking instructor in Ottawa and her e-mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it