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Monday, November, 23, 2009
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Nordic Walking

Dr. Bill Quick
Dr. Bill Quick
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Physician and Medical Director of DiabetesMonitor.com

Dr. Bill Quick and his wife Steph are the authors of one of the ...

Dr. Bill Quick

Sunday, August 09, 2009
View All of Dr. Bill Quick's Posts
I recently read an article in Sweet, a British diabetes magazine, about an exercise I had never previously heard of: Nordic walking. Seems like many Brits have never heard of it, either, as the magazine describes it as "now it's making its way to the UK" (and maybe someday to the US!). The authors s...
  1. Nordic Walking Introduced At Diabetes Support Group Meetings
    Nordic Walking USA
    Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 10:56 AM

    Nordic Walking Poles are successfully helping many to loose weight, improve fitness and reduce their medication intake. Walking with poles not only helps to effectively burn more calories than regular walking; the poles help to radically improve balance and stability. I gave a Nordic Walking Lesson to a gentleman with Neuropathy yesterday and as always, the poles improved his balance, stability and gate. Even individuals that use canes and/or walkers find that REAL Nordic Walking Poles are a huge improvement over the bending that occurs when using a cane or a walker.

     

    Don't get scammed by cheap twist-locking or flip-locking poles that can collapse unexpectedly. One-piece poles that are sized correctly are safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap twist-locking or flip-locking adjustable length/telescoping/collapsible poles.

     

    Perfect length poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back - better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout - burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

     

    I have been coaching runners and skiers for over 25 years. Skiers don't use cheap twist-locking poles; they use one-piece poles that prove to be lighter, stronger and user friendly. I love hosting free Nordic Walking Clinics for MS, Parkinson's and Diabetes Support Groups.

     

    Nordic Walking Poles are no longer just for skiers deprived of snow during the summer!

     

    Real Nordic Walking Poles are equipped with comfortable fingerless glove type straps. The best straps are patented by the Salomon Ski Company - SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles are typically equipped with these quality straps. Real Nordic Walking Poles also come with removable rubber Nordic Walking Tips/Paws - for pavement, the mall, indoor/outdoor tracks, tile, carpet and other surfaces. Remove the rubber tips/paws and the metal tips are exposed - ideal for trials, the beach, snow and ice.

     

    Only the American Nordic Walking System and WWW.SKIWALKING.COM offer 14

    different lengths of Nordic Walking Poles and backed up with a Perfect Length Guarantee.

     

    Walking with poles is the best!

    Reply
  2. Walking sticks
    Mellow
    Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 06:22 PM

    Nordic Walking is nothing new in the States. We just don't call it "Nordic Walking".I live in the Northwest and have used 'Trekking Poles' for about twenty years. Contrary to the response from one person, I use adjustable poles so that when I am going up mountains I  shorten them and when going down hill I am able to lengthen them. Good quality adjustable poles are not flimsy nor cheap. I buy mine at REI. Using the sticks reduces the wear and tear on knees and helps with balance. If you only walk on level terrain non adjustable poles would work great. Just go to REI.com and type "Trekking" into their search engine to get an idea of what is available.

    Thanks,

    Mellow

    Reply
    re: Walking sticks
    Nordic Walking USA
    Monday, September 07, 2009 at 12:00 AM

    Actually Nordic Walking is pretty NEW to the USA. Ski Coaches like myself have had their skiers hill bounding and ski walking with poles for decades (when deprived of snow during the summer), but only trekking poles had been available until more recently.

     

    Nordic Walking Poles are a HUGE improvement over the cheap twist-lock and flip-lock adjustable length/telescoping/collapsible poles from China. One-piece Nordic Walking Poles, sized correctly to each individual's height, are safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap collapsible poles.

     

    Individuals with balance and or weight issues should NOT use cheap twist-lock or flip-lock poles.

     

    Perfect length Nordic Walking Poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back - better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout - burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

     

    Walking with poles is the best!

    Reply
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