With the help of Nordic walking, you can lose weight and relieve stress without extra financial costs. All you need for summer activities is sport walking sticks and an hour of free time. CITILAB has prepared a memo for beginners.
Benefits of Nordic walking
1. There are no special restrictions for Nordic walking. Anyone can do it, even people with diseases of the musculoskeletal system (after the permission of the attending physician), very overweight people, the elderly. Unlike running, for example, there is no shock load on the knee joints and spine. In addition, leaning on the sticks, you additionally “give” them part of the weight, so that it is much easier to walk.
2. Regular exercise really helps you lose weight – this is one of the most effective types of aerobic training. The main thing is to master the correct step technique and work with sticks. During such a walk, about 400-450 kcal / hour is spent, this is almost twice as much as with ordinary walking.
3. You will need special sports sticks and shoes for training. By the way, sticks can be foldable, so you can always take them with you, for example, to the dacha or on a trip to train in a picturesque forest or on the seashore.
How to choose Nordic walking poles?
Nordic walking workouts can vary in intensity. Therefore, the sticks must be selected on the basis of this. The formula for calculating the length of the sticks is as follows: multiply your height in centimeters by a coefficient:
– 0.66 – for light workouts
– 0.68 – for standard workouts
– 0.7 – for heavy loads
Telescopic models with adjustable length – ideal for all types of workouts. The cost of sticks depends on the material from which they are made. The best sticks are carbon fiber – this material is used in the space and military industries. Lightweight, durable, with proper use, they will last forever. Carbon fiber poles have also worked well. The least durable and, accordingly, cheaper option is aluminum inventory.
As a rule, all sticks have a lanyard – a special fastening for the hands, reminiscent of a cut-off glove or loop, and overhead “boots” for the tip – for quiet training on asphalt surfaces.
How to train properly
Nordic walking experts recommend:
– Train in athletic shoes, ideally with a heel-locking heel, or outdoor shoes with durable, springy soles.
- – dress like “cabbage”, in several layers. It should be a little cool at the start so that after 15-20 minutes it won’t be too hot. After class, so as not to catch cold, put on a jacket.
- – if you are a beginner, a 30-minute walk will be enough for the first or second time. Increase the duration and pace gradually from session to session.
- – it is optimal to train 2-3 times a week for 50-60 minutes.
- – if the walking technique is correct, it will seem that you are flying, not walking. This is the right feeling. At the same time, no special load should be felt.
- – if you feel tired, the length of the poles may be incorrect and / or the walking technique is incorrect.