Nordic walking is growing in popularity for both its cardio and strength-training benefits.

Along with getting your heart rate up, Nordic walking is a full-body exercise that uses special poles to activate your upper body as you walk.

It’s also a great workout for those who have joint issues such as arthritis.

This article explains all you need to know about Nordic walking, including its benefits, proper technique, and helpful tips.

What is Nordic walking?

Having originated in Finland, Nordic walking is a low impact exercise that involves the use of special walking poles.

Similarly, to cross-country skiing, a person uses the poles behind them as an extension of their arm to match their foot stride. The use of these poles helps activate upper-body muscles for a full-body workout 

However, it’s different from walking or hiking with poles for balance and stability. During these activities, the poles are held in front of your body to improve balance.

Contrarily, Nordic walking poles are held behind you — almost like an extension of your arm. With each step, you apply force to the pole to help propel your body forward faster, helping increase the workout intensity without increasing the impact on your joints.

Nordic walking is a style of walking that uses special poles to increase speed and target your upper-body muscles.

What are the benefits of Nordic walking?

There are many benefits to Nordic walking.

Low impact
Nordic walking may be a good alternative to traditional forms of cardio exercise for those with joint pain or arthritis.

While walking, the poles help redistribute weight and can help reduce joint loading and increase muscular strength. This may help reduce the pain that typically comes with prolonged high impact exercise, such as running 

Though some people may find using the poles beneficial, some research argues there’s little difference between traditional walking and Nordic walking when it comes to impact on the joints.

Good for heart health
Nordic walking is an excellent low impact option for those wishing to increase their cardiovascular fitness.

By also using your upper-body muscles, your body requires more blood to be pumped out through your heart, thus requiring greater use of your cardiorespiratory system.

Despite this, Nordic walking appears to only slightly increase your rate of perceived exhaustion (RPE) compared with traditional walking — meaning you don’t notice a large difference in intensity despite your body working harder.

In one small review of eight studies in people with heart disease, those in Nordic walking programs showed significantly improved exercise capacity, exercise duration, and oxygen uptake compared with those in standard cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Another study in heart failure patients showed significant improvements in V̇O₂ max (a measure of lung capacity), in exercise duration, and on a 6-minute walking test in those who participated in a Nordic walking program, compared with the control group.

Full-body workout
Nordic walking targets the muscles of the upper and lower body, making it an excellent full-body workout.

Both traditional walking and Nordic walking use lower-body muscles, such as the calves, hamstrings, buttocks, and quadriceps. Interestingly, Nordic walking appears to activate these muscles more effectively.

In addition, the use of Nordic walking poles helps activate the upper-body muscles, such as the latissimus dorsi (lats), trapezii (traps), forearm flexors, pectoralis majors, deltoids, and triceps. It’s also more effective at targeting your abdominal muscles.

In fact, one study found that office workers who practiced Nordic walking for 12 weeks had greater shoulder mobility and reduced pain in their traps, lats, and infraspinatus (a part of the rotator cuff) 

Interestingly, one study found that Nordic walking does not activate the erector spinae (lower back) muscles as much as traditional walking. Therefore, for those with lower back tension, Nordic walking may be a better option.

May improve balance and functional abilities
Nordic walking may be a better alternative to traditional walking for older adults.

One 10-week study in older adults observed significant improvements in balance, functional mobility, and endurance in the Nordic walking group, while no improvements were found in the traditional walking group.

Another review of studies found Nordic walking to be more effective at improving quality of life, dynamic balance, muscle strength of the lower body, and aerobic capacity.

Finally, a study in 135 people with coronary artery disease found Nordic walking led to greater improvements in functional capacity (the ability to complete functions of life or work) compared with high intensity interval training and moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training.

Burns more calories than traditional walking
Nordic walking may burn up to 20% more calories than traditional walking. 

Compared with traditional walking, Nordic walking uses the upper-body muscles more, which requires greater energy expenditure, 

In fact, one 9-month study including 77 university students showed an 18% greater reduction in fat mass compared with those in the control group, who engaged in regular exercise based on the university’s curriculum.

Nordic walking helps improve your cardiovascular health, increases strength in your upper and lower body, and burns more calories than traditional walking. If you or a loved one needs help with exercising or ways to improve their overall health, give us a call! We can help.