Nordic walking was originally a summer training regimen for skiers. It is based on the use of specially designed sticks so as to harness the power of the upper body. Now this is a recognized way of turning a regular walk into a workout for the whole body.
Walking with sticks for weight loss was first developed in Finland in the thirties as a summer cross-country training exercise for skiers. It has long been popular in Northern Europe - in Germany there are three million "northern walkers".
Such walking involves 90 percent of the muscles of the body. But until recently, few have heard of her.
pros
- Involves 90 percent of the muscles of the body.
- Burns more calories than regular walking.
- Ideal for patients with heart failure and aching joints.
- A decrease in body mass index over 12 weeks has been proven.
Some doctors advise Nordic walking to patients who need to lose weight, and also to patients with Parkinson's disease as a preventive measure against cardiovascular diseases, for rehabilitation after strokes and breast cancer.
This sport is especially popular among former runners and those with knee problems as it has less impact on the joints.
UK Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Specialist Nicky Parsons from the UK is developing Nordic walking exercise programs for people who have recently had a heart disease or surgery. “This is the perfect way to achieve heart rate and breathing at the level needed to protect the heart,” she says.
Who is Nordic Walking
Nordic walking for weight loss is suitable for people of all ages and levels of physical activity. The pace of classes varies from gentle walks for people with poor health, to training walks, which are a great way to do fitness, lose weight and tone the body.
What is the technique
It will take a couple of poles for Nordic walking. When used properly, they relieve weight and stress from the knees and other joints of the body.
You need to move like normal walking and move your arms from your shoulder with straight elbows - remember how the soldier goes.
What are the health benefits
Like other forms of moderate activity, regular Nordic walking can reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke, and certain cancers. Nordic walking, like any other form of exercise, can also be used as part of a weight loss exercise program.
How to start
Scandinavian walking for weight loss can be performed anywhere (in the city or in the countryside), but it is recommended that you first study the technique of its implementation with a qualified instructor.
They usually offer a “tasting” session so that people can make sure that this is what they need. Most instructors also work with groups that you can join as soon as you learn the technique.
Before you go to your first weight loss walk on a track in a park or forest, spend a few minutes doing simple workouts and improving your stick skills. Start slowly and only then accelerate the pace. Initially, you need to walk, holding on to sticks, but not allowing them to touch the ground. When you catch a comfortable rhythm, start grounding the poles. Remember that the left stick should hit the ground at the same time as the right foot.
Be conservative in your first walks so as not to overdo it - walking should be an easy and moderate form of exercise. Start with a few fairly short walks and only then, when you get used to it, increase the distance.
Stay on well-groomed paths initially, and then gradually move on to more uneven and difficult surfaces, such as wooded trails, coastal footpaths, and steeper slopes.
Nordic Walking
Like any form of exercise, Nordic walking is useful if you practice it often enough. If it will be the main form of physical activity, then you need to strive to cover 25 km per week. Then you can experience all the benefits of Nordic walking with sticks for weight loss, health and fitness.
Walking is a great form of exercise for obese people, which takes you out of the house, but you don’t need to go to the gym, which many are shy of. It combines effective training with the ability to "turn off" unnecessary thoughts and enjoy nature. Walking not only favorably affects the figure and health, but also tidies up the mind.
There are two basic rules that apply to weight loss, which makes Nordic walking a particularly effective way to deal with it.
The more active you go, the more calories will burn. But be careful and do not eat more calories than you spend, only in this way you will gradually begin to lose weight.
Walking for weight loss is a great way to become more active, but to continue to improve, you will need to walk longer or faster.
Using sticks, use more muscle, which will significantly increase the number of calories burned. Walking for weight loss is equivalent to jogging, but at the same time you will be more comfortable: there is no shortness of breath and no tension in the knees and joints, which can sometimes occur with more energetic exercises.
As a person gets older, the amount of muscle tissue decreases, if you do not pay special attention to physical activity. Walking with sticks for weight loss involves most of the main muscles of the body and therefore helps to keep them in good shape. This gives an additional advantage in the form of improved posture and a more toned body!
Burns more calories
The first reason why walking with sticks is so effective that it helps to lose weight is its high intensity. Using sticks in Nordic walking allows you to use more muscles. This means that calories will be burned much more than with a regular walk. An additional advantage of Nordic walking is that for all its intensity there will be no pain in the joints or knees, sticks relieve part of the load exerted on them.
Fat Burning Area
The second reason Nordic walking can help you lose weight is the most optimal fat burning heart rate zone. This unique feature of Nordic walking means that weight loss will be faster and more effective than jogging. Runners often run at a high pace, their heart rate is so accelerated that fat is not burned. By controlling your heart rate during a workout, you can burn 40 percent more fat than with daily runs. You simply do not need to run headlong, you go at an accelerated but comfortable pace. You will notice the results of walking for weight loss after a month of regular training.
Easy to fit into your schedule
Walking for weight loss is easy to fit into your schedule. For example, you can easily turn your way to work into Nordic walking training, provided, of course, that it is at a reasonable distance from home. In addition, there are also adjustable and portable Scandinavian sticks that are easy to carry in your bag.
How does she help to lose weight?
According to Trevor Tiem, Beachbody Fitness and Nutrition Manager, walking is a gateway and a very simple and effective way to increase your daily activity level, burn more calories if you are overweight, have a sedentary lifestyle. He calls this type of training a journey, during which you also lose weight.
The study showed that regular walking can help achieve two important goals - to remove fat and maintain weight in the long run. But do not forget about your diet. A proper and healthy diet is a top priority if your goal is weight loss. The combination of walking with healthier eating habits can help you lose kilograms faster than just a strict diet and low physical activity or its complete absence.
How many calories will burn
The exact amount of calories that will burn when walking for weight loss depends on many factors. These include height, weight, pace, terrain, and perhaps most importantly, genetics.
According to reviews, walking for weight loss at a speed of 5 km / h in 30 minutes burns about 165 calories in the body of an average woman. If the speed is increased to 6.5 km / h, this figure will increase to 230-275 calories, depending on the technique.
When you notice that the results begin to fade, you need to increase the intensity of Scandinavian walking, increasing speed or distance.
Make sure you go right
There are a few things to keep in mind during class. To maximize the results and avoid any pain, it is worth observing the technique of walking for weight loss (Scandinavian):
- Keep your chin parallel to the ground and do not move your head.
- Spread your shoulders back and down.
- Keep your elbows bent at an angle of 90 degrees and do not swing them too high, do not cross them in front of you.
- If you want to increase your walking speed, take more short steps instead of long ones.
- Land on the heel with each step forward. If you land on your entire foot, it can cause pain in your knees, ankles, and legs.
- The stick in the right hand should touch the ground simultaneously with the left foot, and vice versa.
Once you have developed the correct technique for doing the exercise, you will notice how your posture changes. Your body will burn fat and calories much more efficiently.
Tips for those who want to lose weight
- Wear comfortable shoes. Anyone who has ever spent the day traveling around a new city knows that wearing comfortable shoes is extremely important. If you are serious about your walk, then you need comfortable shoes that will be comfortable not only for your legs. Proper shoes will help relieve stress from the lower back, hips and knees.
- Listen to music. If you don’t feel much motivation to do the exercises, then create a playlist from your favorite tunes. Music has the ability to cheer up and entertain, distract. Some studies have shown that people who practice music tend to lose more weight than those who don’t. It will be even better if you make a playlist of songs that have 120-130 BPM (beats per minute) - a range that matches the fast pace of walking for most people.
- Walk after a meal. An afternoon walk, or even better an evening walk (after a hearty dinner), can help digestion and keep your blood sugar under control. Several studies have shown the benefits of even short walks after meals. So, people with type 2 diabetes who took a 10-minute walk after eating had lower blood glucose levels than those who took a 30-minute walk during the day.
results
As with any physical activity, when walking for weight loss it is important to remember that the best results will be obtained if you adhere to the principles of a healthy diet, diet and try to consume fewer calories than you burn in a day.
Nordic walking is a great fitness program for all muscle groups, which charges you with positive energy.