Have you tried Nordic walking for a full-body workout?
What's the story
Nordic walking, a full-body workout utilizing poles similar to ski poles, has gained popularity for its health benefits. It activates more muscles than traditional walking, enhances cardiovascular health, and reduces joint strain. Adding targeted pole exercises can significantly increase strength and coordination, improving Nordic walking technique and overall fitness. This article lists five exercises to enhance your Nordic walking efficiency.
Grip strength
Strengthen your grip for better control
A strong grip is essential for proper Nordic walking pole usage. Enhance it with pole squeezes: grasp the poles vertically, squeeze firmly for five seconds, then release. Repeat this 10 times. For wrist curls, hold the poles horizontally with palms facing up and curl your wrists toward the ceiling. Perform three sets of 15 repetitions to strengthen gripping muscles.
Arm swing
Enhance arm swing efficiency
The arm swing provides the forward momentum in Nordic walking, making it a true upper body workout. Enhance it with standing pole pushes. Place one foot forward, push the pole back with one arm as if resisting against something imaginary, ensuring the elbow remains straight. Switch arms, performing 20 reps each to strengthen your arm swing.
Core stability
Boost core stability for better balance
A strong core is key to maintaining balance during Nordic walking. Exercises like standing twists with poles can help you strengthen your core muscles. Hold a pole horizontally behind your neck resting on your shoulders, keep your feet shoulder-width apart, and rotate your torso to the left then to the right while keeping hips forward-facing. Doing three sets of 10 reps on each side will help improve core stability.
Shoulder mobility
Improve shoulder mobility for fluid movement
Limited shoulder mobility can hinder your ability to optimally utilize your poles while Nordic walking. Shoulder rolls are an easy and beneficial exercise to improve mobility: grasp a pole horizontally in front of you at shoulder height, perform 10 forward shoulder rolls followed by 10 backward rolls, ensuring a secure but comfortable grip on the pole.
Leg strength
Develop leg strength for powerful strides
Leg strength is key for forward propulsion in Nordic walking. Squats with pole presses can help. Hold a pole above your head with both hands close together. As you squat, keep the pole raised. Stand up by pressing through your heels, lowering the pole in front of you. Do 15 reps for three sets to build leg and upper body coordination.