Burn More Fat FASTER! Nordic Walking Is the Key

You may not realize how important incorporating walking into your daily workout routine is for your health. The thought of running on a treadmill or going to the gym may make many of us long for the couch. Simply stepping outside to walk around the block is actually a great motivator to jump start any workout routine and health regimen.

Nordic Walking is simply walking with poles! According to CBS- The Early Show, Nordic Walking originated in Finland and quickly spread throughout Europe and became exceptionally popular in Sweden, Norway and Germany. Exercise physiologist and certified Nordic Walking instructor, Martica Heaner, states that Nordic Walking was not introduced to the U.S until 2004.

It is actually completely normal to see the streets filled with walkers and poles throughout Finland! The best way to explain what Nordic Walking really is, would be to visualize cross country skiing- now completely forget about the skis and that is what Nordic Walking looks like and actually stemmed from. A group of Cross Country skiers developed Nordic Walking when they were trying to train during the skiing off season. Little did they know that this would be a contagious fitness trend.

How does adding poles to your walking routine increase fitness benefits? Using special Nordic poles actually propels the body with more intense power than walking without poles. The poles are an extension of your arms so they help balance, support and push you faster and further into your walking gait.

Working out can seem extremely routine: wake up early, get dressed, go to the gym, hop on the treadmill for forty five minutes, work out key muscle groups for another forty five minutes, go home, shower and begin the day. If you are like most people this daily routine consumes your time. Wouldn’t it be a gift to have a productive higher calorie burning workout in less time?

I am going to assume that the majority of our readers are nodding there head yes! Who wouldn’t want to burn calories in less time and have a change in workout routine? Nordic Walking uses both your upper and lower body while building muscle strength and endurance. Partner that with an intensely high cardio and watch the calories melt away!

The major drawback of working out in a gym is the limited atmosphere that keeps our minds occupied while we sweat and pant through our routines. New England is known for the amazing outdoor sights: mountains, foliage, spring time flowers, oceans and scenic roads such at Rt 100.

According to a study at the Cooper Institute in Dallas, the benefit of Nordic Walking is at least a twenty percent increase in energy expended over power walking. Nordic Walking has become popular among both seniors and young athletes because it alleviates muscle strain and it supports a balanced posture. Jay Willey, a trainer at the Paul Derda Center states, “I’ve had people from age fifteen to eighty-seven,” he says. “All of them have had a ball!”

Working out by yourself can either be the perfect getaway or a time where your mind is consumed with the day’s events. Having a workout buddy to be with you throughout your routine keeps your mind active and allows the time to just fly by! Nordic Walking is great to do with a friend or even join a Nordic Walking group that can increase your motivation to begin any fitness program.

Whether you are an avid runner that needs to mix up your routine or a senior who just enjoys taking a stroll on a beautiful day, walking is the perfect activity to do for any fitness level. Using the muscles for walking and the extra cardio will improve your health and energy level to fulfill more activities. Adding poles to your walking helps individuals with joint problems, knee issues and those that need the extra balance and support throughout their exercise.

Stated in an article by CBS- The Early Show, “Research from the Cooper Institute in Dallas found that a person can burn more than forty percent more calories when Nordic Walking compared to walking without poles.” Interestingly enough the research shows, ” A person who might burn around three hundred and fifty calories walking for an hour could burn up to five hundred calories using the Nordic Walking technique. Or they could burn the same amount of calories in a shorter amount of time: Walking for forty minutes without poles is about equivalent in calories to walking twenty five minutes using Nordic Walking Techniques.”