Benefits

Taking a class

I give private classes upon request. They are done in the south SF Bay area.
Palo Alto – the Shoreline Park or Los Gatos Creek Trail. OR – a site near you.
I charge $50 / person and provide poles. We cover the history of NW, then a
progressive learning of the technique. To gain the benefits mentioned on this
site, the proper technique is needed.

We’ll go over the right way to do it and move up to a heart rate test – it
WILL go up. After you’re comfortable with arm swing, push off, head up, etc.
tips, I’’ll show you how to go up/down hills (they NW in San Francisco). Next,
more advanced techniques: Milking the cow, the swagger and culminate with the
hop-skip, All designed to raise your heartrate without joint impingement.

Finally, the 2 hours is capped with a short stretching session. If people want,
we then go to have lunch nearby.

See the booking section. Students at a recent Shoreline class—->

 

 

Doctors love Nordic Walking. It gets patients out into the fresh air and moving. People with balance issues, knee issues or new knees, hip issues or new hips, back issues, weight concerns, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, neuropathy, arthritis, bursitis, scoliosis, lumbar stenosis, fibromyalgia, post polio, osteoporosis, and stroke recovery will benefit..

Military hospitals love the freedom Nordic Walking Poles give wounded soldiers. Instead of rehabbing in sterile hospital wards, walking parallel bars, they are able to get outside and move with their Poles. Wounded Warrior Programs at Walter Reed, Fort Carson, Fort Lewis/Madigan/McChord and Vicenza, Italy are all participating. The soldiers are crediting the poles with their balance, stability, gait, walking posture and walking comfort.

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Being fit and being in shape is a goal for many seeking to live life to the fullest. They are not out to achieve an athletic goal, but seeking general well-being. Promises of improved mobility, stamina and longevity are worth the effort. The key to success is cardiovascular and resistance training. But how to combine both with the limited time we can allocate and have fun while doing it? Many of the things that we can do to raise our heart rate and respiration tend to be bad for our knees. Although very effective, running and jumping tend to weaken aging knees. The three best overall body exercise routines are swimming, rowing and walking. The most convenient is walking. Why not get more out of your walking by adding poles?

The definitive test of comparing “just walking and Nordic Walking” was conducted by the famous Cooper Institute in Dallas. Dr Kenneth Cooper (Cooper Aerobics Center) has studied aerobic health (moderate exercise using oxygen) for decades. He coined the word “aerobics.” It’s commonly called “Cardio.”

In a 2002, a study of a control group of walkers vs a group of Nordic Walkers was done. They were measured covering the same distance, pace and time. The results supported the value of Nordic Walking. The benefits were amazing. Nordic Walkers burned 20-46% more calories than those walking. Nordic Walking can easily burn 450 calories per hour, vs walking’s 280 calories. The Nordic Walkers used 90% of their body’s muscles vs 70% for the walkers. A heart rate increase of 10-15% was typical for Nordic Walkers. Oxygen utilization was 20% greater. Stability, balance and back support are also provided. All this with no perceived extra exertion and no knee or joint pain. It’s that simple. The secret is the push down with the poles to engage the triceps and upper body. These muscles need blood and thus the benefits can be realized. Even speed walking with your arms swinging rapidly provides no resistance as Nordic Walking does. Walking or jogging holding dumbbells is not advised since damage to your tendons and ligaments is highly possible.

Nordic Walking is a fitness activity usually done on level surface, although some small hills are fine. This is NOT mountaineering where trekking poles would be more appropriate.

How to get started? San Jose’s Rick Deutsch is a certified master instructor and holds regular sessions. He has loaner poles so there is minimal investment to give it a try. It’s important to get instruction on the proper technique on how to use poles to get the most out of it. Many Americans are not aware of Nordic Walking and the benefits it can provide.