Nordic walking gives you a full-body workout you won't find in sports such as regular walking, jogging or bicycling. By striding with poles in your hands, you engage 90 percent of your muscles while burning calories and giving your heart a workout, reports the health and fitness website Intraspec.ca. It's easy and relatively inexpensive to do.
Easy to Do
To get started Nordic walking, all you need are some comfortable clothes, a good pair of walking shoes and some walking poles. Find the poles online or at sporting goods stores, and buy according to your height. The metal-tipped poles come with removable rubber tips that allow you to adjust to your desired walking surface --- dirt, ice, snow or concrete and other hard surfaces. Study the proper walking technique at websites such as Nordicwalkingusa.com, and you're ready to go. Walk alone, with a friend or join a Nordic walking class.
Calorie Burn
Nordic walking burns more calories than walking without poles because you're engaging your upper body to increase the intensity of the workout. Nordic Walking USA reports you can burn up to 40 percent more calories than regular walking and achieve the intensity of running without the impact on your joints. If you already walk, you can exercise the same amount of time and burn more calories, or you can get the same calorie burn by walking for a shorter period of time with poles.
Muscles and Bones
Nordic walking is good for your muscles and your bones. Because it's a weight-bearing exercise, it helps you increase your bone density, which is especially important for women as they age or anyone suffering from problems such as osteoporosis. The sport also helps you tone and strengthen muscles, working not only your legs, but also muscles in your arms, shoulders and upper and lower back.
Heart
Like any aerobic activity, Nordic walking gives your heart a workout, too. Nordic Walking USA notes that walking with poles can provide the intensity of a run but doesn't make you feel like you're working as hard. It also reports the sport is helpful for people who have trouble reaching their training heart rate by regular walking or those who need to burn more calories for heart health but have limits to how quickly they can move.
Stability
People who have problems with balance or older people who feel less stable on their feet also may benefit from Nordic walking. The poles help you maintain proper posture and can provide a sense of security. They also help you maintain balance on irregular walking surfaces and offer stability on slippery surfaces, such as snow and ice, to allow you to keep exercising in all types of weather.
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