Scandinavian walking with sticks - technique

The history of Nordic walking began with the training of Norwegian skiers, who in summer did not want to lose their athletic form and skills. The technique of Nordic walking with sticks is designed to train and maintain all muscle groups that are involved in skiing.

In consequence, the physical training specialists of the athletes found out that Norwegian walking with sticks is useful not only for professional skiers. This type of active physical activity began to be used as a therapeutic and regenerative physical culture in the process of rehabilitation of people with injuries and disorders of the spine and musculoskeletal system.

The use of walking with Scandinavian sticks

The main advantage of Scandinavian walking is that people with spine and joint problems can optimally distribute the load and weight of their body when walking on sticks. Thus, they can train in a sparing mode, gradually increasing the load and developing joints and muscles.

The priorities and basic principles of Scandinavian walking with sticks also include such factors:

• involvement in training 90% of the muscles (with ordinary walking only 45%);
• tonification of the heart muscles;
• strengthening and increasing the endurance of the whole organism;
• beneficial effects on the respiratory system and circulation;
• development of joint mobility;
• high energy load and active burning of calories.

How to practice Scandinavian walking?

The main mistake of beginning athletes is incorrect control of sticks, most of them first simply pull up sticks instead of actively controlling them and distributing the load on them.

The technique of Nordic walking with sticks can be learned by working through the following exercises, which will allow you to acquire the necessary skills.

1. The first stage is mastering a stick. It does not need to be compressed, creating unnecessary tension of the hand, it should become, as it were, a continuation of the hand.
2. When walking on a stick you do not need to lean, but create a repulsive movement. With constant training, a smooth movement of the arm from the shoulder is developed without a kink and a load on the elbow.
3. It must be remembered that the force of a push from the ground depends on the effectiveness and the load received, so vigorous repulsions are the main point in developing walking skills.
4. The body must be slightly tilted forward while driving, with the back and spine not bent.
5. The movement of the hands and feet should be synchronous and correspond to opposite sides - the right hand with the left foot and, on the contrary, the left hand with the right foot.
6. When walking, you need to pay attention to the load on the foot, there should be a gradual rolling from the heel to the fingers, I use the entire surface.

Before starting a workout, you need to warm up your muscles and joints with the easiest exercises from school gymnastics. At the end of the workout, you need to do a few breathing exercises or a short stretch complex.