Is it possible to lose weight by Nordic walking?

The fact that Nordic walking is a sport for pensioners has long been a myth. Not only grandmothers, but also celebrities walk with poles in parks. They are not shy to talk about the fact that they are engaged in Nordic walking – and this is not for nothing. It’s not just about fashion – this sport helps you lose weight and keep your shape toned.

Certified Nordic Walking Instructor

Tells about the intricacies of this sport and ways to lose weight with its help.

What is Nordic Walking?

Nordic walking is not just a walk in the park with poles, but a certain walking technique. This sport is very different from others, so the fashion for it is spreading not only in Moscow, but also in other major cities of Russia. Master Nordic walking is not difficult, it is available to everyone, but there is a small nuance: what comes out on the Internet at the request of “Nordic walking” is not true. It is not difficult to find professional rollers, but it is necessary to devote time to this. Therefore, it is best to go to training, and there are many such options now.

Maria Lifshitz

certified Nordic walking instructor

Learning Nordic walking can be done in a group, individual class with an instructor or in an online school – this is a cheaper and shorter way that will save you time. You need special poles and basic sportswear for the class. Where you walk, with whom and when is up to you. Nordic walking is also convenient because you can go on vacation, walk with your children, friends, and at the same time do not interrupt training – that is, here you are actually not tied to anything.

How does Nordic walking help to lose weight?

Using sticks

According to the instructor, when we walk every day in the city, on the street, in the stores and at work, we mainly work only the lower part of the body. But when we walk with sticks and use the right technique, we fully load the upper part of the body as well. That is, when we do Nordic walking we use twice as many muscles and spend up to 500 calories per hour.

Fresh air

The instructor says that during Nordic walking we breathe fresh air, saturated with oxygen, and this significantly accelerates the process of fat burning. For those who are overweight, this is especially relevant.

Regularity

According to the instructor, many of those who began to engage in Nordic walking, continued classes and did it regularly. Athletes note that the training is perceived as an easy walk. Nordic walking does not require effort, and this is a key point in order not to abandon it. After all, it is regular exercise that brings good results – whether it’s weight loss or keeping fit. It is always important to keep practicing and do it with pleasure.

Communication

Another pleasant factor is the fact that during the workout you can fully socialize with others. This does not reduce the quality of the exercise and, on the contrary, serves as an additional motivator. No desire to go out? Call a friend, invite him to a walk and agree on a time – in this case there will be no chance to miss the class.

What is the right way to exercise to be effective?

Do a warm-up and a warm-down

According to the instructor, in order for Nordic walking to bring maximum effect, it is important to do a warm-up, and after the main part of the class – warming up. To many people it seems frivolous, but in fact it is very important. Because after warming up our body is ready for long and heavy loads, and we are less tired. The warm-up calms you down, helps your muscles recover faster, and gives you an aftertaste of the activity, which means you’ll look forward to your next workout.

Change up your workout program

How can you vary your exercise program? You can, for example, change the walking pace or the terrain and thus increase the cardio load. You can also add strength training and do exercises for the parts of the body you want to work on. You can do it in any open area, especially since there are a lot of places for vorkout on the streets nowadays. There you can stop for 10-15 minutes, do a series of strength exercises and then move on. As weights, you can use fitness resistance bands, a belt bag or backpack – and thus increase the effect of training.

Alternate with other types of physical activity

In addition to Nordic walking, it is useful to engage in other sports, notes the instructor. Athletes, for example, often incorporate Nordic walking into their training because it complements running, yoga, Pilates, tennis, swimming, rock climbing and any other sport. If you’re already into another sport, you can continue practicing it 2-3 times a week, and Nordic walking 1-2 times.

Develop

Often you want to get out of training early, but to avoid this, you can listen to lectures, podcasts, learn languages, and even talk on the phone while you’re exercising. While socializing, time will fly by and the class will go by faster.