Mark Scandinavian walking as a kind of health-improving physical culture was patented by Mark Cantan - a Finn by birth. The forefathers of the very idea are Finnish skiers who trained this way in the summer, trying to keep their hands in shape. Today this sport is fascinated by the whole world, and the world association of Scandinavian walking includes already 25 countries. How to walk with Nordic walking will be described in this article.
How to practice Scandinavian walking?
This kind of sport is good because a person does not need to somehow overpower and remember a complicated technique of performance: in the classroom he moves quite naturally. The upper and lower limbs, as well as the trunk, move freely and smoothly. The sticks are rearranged in the rhythm of the legs: when moving the right leg forward, the left stick is pulled out and vice versa. It is very important to observe exactly such asymmetry. Both projectiles should be kept near the body, it is not recommended to carry them around too much. Correct Scandinavian walking with sticks provides such a sequence of movements: taking the first step, slightly bend one arm in the elbow joint and pull it forward, making sure that the projectile is at an angle.
The other arm, bent at the elbow, should be kept at the hip level and guided back. The pace should be kept somewhat more intense than with an ordinary walk. The amplitude of the movements of the upper limbs determines the width of the step and it is from this that the total load on the muscles of the body depends. With the correct technique of Scandinavian walking, the foot becomes first on the heel and then on the toe. In this case, you need to move smoothly, without jerking. The intensity of walking is determined by the state of health and other factors. If it is necessary to reduce the load, then the range of hands should be made smaller, but with increasing the amplitude of the movement of the hands, the laboriousness of training increases.
Right breathing with Nordic walking
As a rule, Scandinavian walking is practiced by whole teams, going on a walk to the forest, park and other scenic places. However, a long time to talk with the satellites is unlikely to work, as it is easy to lose the rhythm and get tired. Therefore, it is better to focus on breathing, although there are no clear guidelines on this matter. It is recommended to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, because this is the most acceptable option for most people. Those who are interested in how to breathe correctly with Scandinavian walking, you can recommend to adhere to the rhythm with the ratio of inspiration and expiration 1: 2. That is, for every 2 steps to inhale, and exhale after every four.
Other conditions for a correct Scandinavian walk
Any training should start with a warm-up. You can make a simple charge, having worked in turn all the muscles of the body. That is, perform body slopes, squats, rotational movements of the arms and legs, etc. Exercise to stretch should complete the walk. Many will initially have a noticeable muscle ache, and in order to minimize such unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to take a warm bath after exercising, and then make a self-massage of the feet.
Train a couple of times in 7 days for 30-60 minutes. Increase the frequency and duration should be gradual, listening to your body. In any case, walking should bring pleasure, and not lead to exhaustion. Shoes and clothes should be comfortable, we are talking about sneakers in size and sports suit. If you want, you can buy special outfits for walking with sticks. Experts do not prohibit alternating slow and accelerated walking, short jogs and five-minute rest.