nordic walking?
 

There have been a couple of articles here and there about the sport of
nordic walking.....little known here in the US it seems. I went out and
bought a pair of Leki poles for nordic walking and kind of enjoyed a little
hike around our suburban neighborhood. People looked at me like I was nuts.
I noticed that there is a related exercise called Exerstriding which uses
strapless poles and a slightly different technique. I 'd appreciate any
comments from those who know something about this "sport".

Mark
Danville CA

nordic walking?
 

Sport? As in championships? I don't know about that, but cross country
skiers and racers have for long used poles in the off season to do
anything from ski walk to hill bound. The use of poles for hiking and
backpacking became particularly popular in California about five or six
years ago. The use of poles to walk around the block seems to be a
commercial variant that was initially encouraged by Exel's marketing of
a rubber-coated tip and a "Nordic Walker" pole or some such. I haven't
tried the rubber tips but would be disinclined to use poles on sidewalks
and asphalt for fear of doing in shoulders and elbows (many more strokes
than with rollerskiing). Can't complain, though, if it sends some
people toward cross country skiing.

Gene

Mark Eastman wrote:

There have been a couple of articles here and there about the sport of
nordic walking.....little known here in the US it seems. I went out and
bought a pair of Leki poles for nordic walking and kind of enjoyed a little
hike around our suburban neighborhood. People looked at me like I was nuts.
I noticed that there is a related exercise called Exerstriding which uses
strapless poles and a slightly different technique. I 'd appreciate any
comments from those who know something about this "sport".

Mark
Danville CA

nordic walking?
 

On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 18:03:10 GMT, "Mark Eastman"
wrote:

I 'd appreciate any
comments from those who know something about this "sport".

This was amusing:

http://www.slate.com/id/2095197

JFT

nordic walking?
 

We do not go hiking without poles any more.

You can use them on wide enough trails only, or they
become nuisance fast(especially on V-shaped trails).

I prefer rollerskiing and do "powerwalking" (that's the proper name)
to please my wife who likes to hike.

Something should be said about length - they need to be shorter poles.
I got mine in REI on sale ($10) and cut them to size. Rubber tips
are available at the same place - look for "trekking" pole tips.

Do not worry about looking like a nut.
We are in California. We are all nuts. I have pictures of me taken
while rollerskiing here in Pebble Beach and has been stopped for
explanations (however feeble) of what the hell I am doing on these
contraptions - countless times...

Here in California we have people wearing bikinis to work all year
around...
I am talking about men... They are good, family - oriented people.
They are happily (and legally!) married to other people... Also men...

You don't worry about looking like nut with skiing poles here in
California, Mark. Just keep powerwalking...

nordic walking?
 

Gene Goldenfeld wrote in message ...

Sport? As in championships? I don't know about that, but cross country
skiers and racers have for long used poles in the off season to do
anything from ski walk to hill bound. The use of poles for hiking and
backpacking became particularly popular in California about five or six
years ago. The use of poles to walk around the block seems to be a
commercial variant that was initially encouraged by Exel's marketing of
a rubber-coated tip and a "Nordic Walker" pole or some such.

FWIW Nordic Walking is not supposed to be an urban extension
of hiking with poles, it is a sport in its own right in that
it involves a slightly different technique (from hiking, roller
skiing or skiing).

The rubber-coated tip, or the "asphalt paw", is but one of
the three tip options; depending on terrain there´s also a
harder tip and a metal spike.

It´s true that the boom (in Finland) didn´t start until Exel
brought its NW poles into the market in 1998, but it wasn´t
a case of Exel figuring out a smart way to sell gear in the
summer, but of Exel designing a pole to meet a modest but
existing demand (mainly from the "sports resorts" where pole
walking was propagated as a great low-impact "health activity")
and finding out much to everyone´s surprise that they had a
hot selling item in their hands.

The rest is history - and at some point money, greed, hype
stepped in and other companies wanted to get on the bandwagon:-)



I haven't tried the rubber tips but would be disinclined to use poles on
sidewalks and asphalt for fear of doing in shoulders and elbows (many more
strokes than with rollerskiing).

I can assure your fear is completely unfounded; the shorter
length of the poles and the different technique make NW
completely unjarring - in fact, it´s great for relaxing
those tight shoulder muscles (which is one reason for its
high popularity with middle-aged office workers).

BTW for someone who is already in good shape or rollerskis,
NW is of use mainly as a variation (and requires some hills
to be exerting enough.)

(Juha Mieto is a keen NWalker, but he is the first to admit
he is just a "cit skier" these days, at 120kg.)



Can't complain, though, if it sends some people toward cross country skiing.

I´m not sure there´ll be much crossover. In this country, those
who didn´t ski before simply continue their NW throughout the
year (thus bringing a newcomer to the fauna sharing our XC
trails).


Anders

nordic walking?
 

The amusing dork writes, "I fear that, in the United States, even more extra
calories will be burned by Nordic Walkers as they flee hecklers, dogs, and
bratty little kids on bikes. "

Hmmm, I'm not a Nordic walker, but carrying two poles would negate those
fears.

Oh, "even more extra calories" -- wonder what college he slept through...
--
Raider Rick
"Just ski, baby"

"John Forrest Tomlinson" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 18:03:10 GMT, "Mark Eastman"
wrote:

I 'd appreciate any
comments from those who know something about this "sport".

This was amusing:

http://www.slate.com/id/2095197

JFT