Uh oh...Are You Making These 5 Classic Nordic Walking Mistakes (video)?

Follow these quick tips to polish your Nordic walking technique.

Take a Break With This 5-Minute Desk Workout (With or Without Nordic Walking Poles)

When you work from home there can be fewer distractions, which is great.

Isn’t it?

Unfortunately, fewer distractions can mean fewer opportunities to stand and leave your desk or even shift from that static eyes-on-your-screen position.

Try this mini-workout to boost your mood and productivity and loosen up your muscles.

Keep Moving! Online Resources To Stay Fit During COVID-19

How are you doing?

Gyms, pools and spin studios are closed everywhere. Personal trainers can no longer get personal with their clients.

It's time for a new approach!

Try these links to FREE workouts to help you stay active at home:

• Paul Landidi, who writes the Globe and Mail’s excellent Phys Ed column, offers workout-at-home tips and links in his April 6 column.

• Follow fitness magazine Impact on Instagram for a variety of workouts from Canadian fitness pros.

• GoodLife Fitness Clubs - a wide variety of workouts available

• Les Mills On Demand – many workouts including favourites like BODYFLOW AND BODYPUMP

• And, of course, I’m also teaching virtual classes that are proving to be a big hit. Check out the details here. Please join us! It’s quite an international event with participants from across the continent!

  

UPDATE--Spring 2020 Nordic Walking Classes

Hi everyone:

I’m sorry to say that the spring session of classes won’t be running after all. Things continue to change very quickly, as I’m sure you know.

When I sent my last email, COVID-19 experts were encouraging us to exercise and get outdoors as long as we kept a social distance. Now, the message is a much stronger “stay home,” and “exercise close to home.…walk around your block.”

I know that you will find safe and creative ways to keep moving. Many yoga studios and clubs are offering free online workouts.

If you are having trouble finding something that is a good fit for you, please let me know and I will do my best to help you with some links. Choose wisely as some offerings are better than ever.

My daughter (pictured above) and I are hunkered down at home as I’m sure you are. I have finished a painting project (email me if you want to know about painting upholstery with chalk paint ...sounds odd but YouTube has helped me transform a formerly ugly chair), we are working on a large puzzle, my daughter has taken up embroidery!, cupboards and files are being organized, etc. We’re doing our best to stay busy!

I know that several of you work in the service industry and even more of you in the healthcare system. On behalf of all of us, thank you for your tireless work and efforts to keep us all healthy!

On a lighter note, if you’re tired of singing the birthday song twice while handwashing, here is a fun and very Canadian alternative (another goal I’ve set for myself: memorizing this song!).

I hope to see you and Nordic walk with you all again very soon!


Barb

Buy Whatever the Kids are Selling

I write my own blog posts, but this week I’m borrowing one from management coach Donald Cooper’s excellent newsletter. He borrowed it from a gentleman named Randy Phillips. who makes an excellent point about the importance of being an encourager,

Sometimes you come out of a restaurant or grocery store and there are kids with a little table set up. You try not to make eye contact with them. It’s like, “If I pretend I don’t see them, I won’t have to buy anything.”

Get over there! Go to that table! They’ve got wrapping paper. You can buy it half-price somewhere else, or you don’t need it? What you need isn’t the issue. Get over there and buy what the kids are selling.

They’ve got cookies. You don’t eat cookies? This isn’t about what you eat!

Here’s what I do. I walk over to them and ask, “What’s the biggest sale you’ve made?’

The kid says, “Well, somebody bought five boxes.”

So, I say, “Give me 10. I want 10boxes of those cookies.”

At which point my wife says, “What are you going to do with 10 boxes of cookies?”

To which I reply, “I honestly don’t know. Don’t worry about it.”

It’s all about the look on the kids’ faces when they make a sale and grow more confident. My actions are telling them that this is how business works: you have something of value, you have the guts to ask for the order, and I give you money.

Give a child the gift of encouragement and hope. It takes only a moment. Then you can give away the thing you bought and explain why you bought it in the first place.

Acting with kindness is contagious. Perhaps the recipient of your gift will be inspired to do the same.

Nordic Walking: Everything You Need to Know

— PRESS RELEASE —

Nordic walking is having a moment in the sun. So says personal trainer and group exercise instructor Barb Gormley.

“It’s fantastic to see so many people out walking with poles,” says Gormley, who has been leading classes and certifying instructors in Toronto for Nordic walking company Urban Poling for 15 years.

But for every person who powers by with proper Nordic walking poles and Nordic walking technique, she sees a handful of others trudging along using their poles in a hiking fashion.

“Too many people still think that hiking poles and Nordic walking poles are interchangeable and that their walking techniques are the same,” says Gormley, author of The Urban Poling Ultimate Guide to Nordic Walking, a how-to book for beginner, intermediate and advanced Nordic walkers.

So what’s the difference?

”Hiking poles are designed to minimize walking effort, and there’s no particular walking technique associated with them,” she says. “Alternatively, Nordic walking technique maximizes walking effort to make standard walking more challenging.”

You’ll recognize Nordic walking (also called urban poling and pole walking) by its longish stride and elegant long-arm swing. A down-and-back pressure on the handles propels you forward and also helps with balance.

One of the biggest attractions to Nordic walking is that it involves the entire upper body, including the core muscles. Because it requires more effort than regular walking or casual hiking, Nordic walking also helps fix slouchy posture and burns more calories.

A research study by the renowned Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas, showed that Nordic walking resulted in a minimum 20 percent increase in calorie burning compared to regular walking at the same speed.

According to Gormley, Nordic walking isn’t tremendously difficult to learn, but it can be challenging to coordinate all the pieces on your own.

“I wrote my book because not everyone has access to an instructor, and some people just prefer to learn on their own,” she says. “I also wanted to capture all the tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years in one resource. It’s such an exhilarating workout once you master the posture and coordination.

The book includes information on: how to set up your poles; proper Nordic walking technique; technique troubleshooting (for example, solving slipping and bouncing boot tips); must-do stretches; avoiding rookie mistakes; what to wear; the top 20 FAQs; how to train for a 5K event; step-by-step instructions for using the ACTIVATOR poles (for people with balance issues); and much more.

The Urban Poling Ultimate Guide to Nordic Walking is available in digital and soft cover versions from www.barbgormley.com, www.urbanpoling.com, www.amazon.ca and at select Wellwise By Shoppers Drug Mart stores.

You're Only As Old as Your Spine

Think about your spine for a moment.

It holds you up and provides a framework for your muscles. It also houses your spinal cord, which encases the nerves that travel from your entire body to your brain.

When your spine isn’t properly aligned, flexible and free moving, the inevitable result is pain. From a mild nagging to sharp yelp-inducing jabs.

Not surprisingly, the simplest way to improve or maintain your spinal health is to regularly move it in all planes - forward, backward and side to side.

Activating your spine doesn’t need to take a lot of time, and it isn’t difficult or tiring.

Sprinkle some simple stretches throughout your day, or try them after your morning shower since the hot water helps make muscles more supple.

Click here for some classic back stretches that are easy to master.

___________________

If you suffer from back pain, you’ll appreciate this informative and entertaining article from The Guardian called ”Pilates-Changed-My-Life Stories Are Annoying…But It Did.”

(Pilates is known for helping people develop strength and flexibility. It also helped cure the article’s author of debilitating back pain.)

"You don’t have to go fast. You just have to go."

Sugar: The Bitter Truth

In 1972, a British scientist sounded the alarm that sugar – not fat – was the greatest danger to our health. READ MORE in this excellent article from The Guardian.

"Action is the antidote to despair." Joan Baez

Best Intentions Gone Wrong

When one of my personal training clients recently reported a tender left elbow, we were both puzzled. There were no obvious exercises in her program that could have been responsible for the ongoing pain.

“What have you been doing outside of your workouts?” I asked. “Moving heavy furniture, vigorous raking, overly-enthusiastic cleaning?”

We eventually agreed that the injury must have been caused by carrying home a particularly heavy bag of food from the grocery store.

But after four weeks of physio, the nagging pain was still there..

“There must be an everyday activity that’s irritating your elbow,” said her therapist.

After some thought my client realized that, yes, there was one action she was doing multiple times each day (perhaps even each hour) with her left arm: flicking her wrist to check her step count on her new Fitbit!

The ultimate cure? Simply a temporary switch of the watch to her other wrist and a more-relaxed approach to tracking her stats..

Lose 5 Pounds by Hardly Trying

If you’re determined to lose weight but not having success, try this approach: change just one thing.

My personal training client John cut back on his nightly alcohol consumption and has seen immediate results.

He still has a nightcap each night. But now it’s only one glass, and that one glass is just a bit smaller than it used to be.

It makes sense that he’s lost five pounds over the last few weeks, by hardly trying, because alcohol is extremely dense in calories.

(One gram of alcohol has seven calories per gram, proteins and carbs have four calories and fat has nine .)

The beauty of this approach to weight loss is that it takes very little effort. No need to weigh your food or to drastically change your cooking or food consumption habits.

Simply commit to one small but permanent change.

Not a drinker?

• If you love sweets, could you eat dessert just on weekends?

• If you snack while watching t.v., could you switch to healthier choices on some nights?

• If you drink pop, could you substitute soda water for some servings?

Give your new habit two weeks to develop and stick. Then, if you’re feeling particularly energetic, you could change one more thing if you like.

But don’t overwhelm yourself.

After all, this lazy weight loss method is meant to take no effort at all.

Ready to Transition?

If you’re an outdoor exerciser— a walker, Nordic walker, runner or cyclist—the change of seasons signals that it’s time to switch over to a new workout wardrobe.

Here in Toronto, the sun is just a little warmer, and the snowbanks have almost melted away. But there’s still a chill in the air.

What to wear, what to wear

Take my advice. Ditch the bulky down coat and multiple layers that got you through winter so well.

Your new best friend is a light down vest.

It will provide a wind break and keep your core cozy.

At the same time it will free up your arms and armpits to help avoid the build up of too much heat and perspiration.

If you’re a Nordic walker, the sleeveless design is perfect because it lets your arms swing freely from the shoulders. Bulky jackets, cross-the-body purses and backpacks can all limit your shoulder movement making it tricky to use your poles properly.

Go shopping

Of course, you really should have at least two down vests:

• A slightly puffier one is perfect for cold days when worn under or over a light jacket in the winter.

• A light down vest over a thin sweater or T-shirt is ideal for spring and fall. It’s also great for layering under winter coats.

• An extra-light vest is excellent for holidays in places where the temperature might suddenly dip. Look for the type that comes in a tiny pouch that occupies almost no room in a suitcase, pocket or backpack.

• You can buy them just about anywhere. Uniqlo has lost of options at reasonable prices, and MEC always has a good variety.

The big question: What colour for your new spring vest?

I suggest going for something bright and cheery to express your joy at finally shedding those heavy winter layers.

Could Push-ups Foretell Your Future Health?

A new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that men who can pump out 40 consecutive push-ups are substantially less likely to experience a heart attack than men who can complete just 10 or fewer.

Here are the surprising findings:

• Men who completed at least 11 push-ups had less risk of developing heart problems in the following decade than those who could do fewer than 10.

• Most eye opening? The men who did 40 or more push-ups had 96 percent less risk of heart problems in the next 10 years than those who quit at 10 or fewer.

• To the researchers’ surprise, push-up proficiency proved to be a better predictor of future heart problems than the classic treadmill aerobic assessment.

So get down and give me 11!

If you can’t do 11, no worries. Start where you are, and gradually work your way up….hopefully to 40!

******

If you’re one of my personal training clients, you know exactly how many push-ups you can do..

My clients all do push-ups and for two key reasons: they’re super-efficient at strengthening every muscle in the body, and they’re the most empowering exercise of all.

And now, of course, heart health is a third reason.

If you shy away from push-ups, don’t be intimidated by them.

There is a variation for every fitness level—from the basic standing-at-the-kitchen-counter option to the advanced feet-elevated-on-a-bench version.

I Know If You’re a Professional Writer

As writers (professional or otherwise), we should all have the same goal: to hold our readers’ attention so they keep reading.

Here are five quick tips to eliminate some of the road blocks that can stop readers in their tracks.

1. Keep it tight
Delete unnecessary words and phrases. (Contrary to some thinking, more words don’t make you sound smarter or more eloquent.)

For example, instead of, “at this point in time,” try, “today” or “currently.” Instead of, “I had the opportunity to meet,” say, “I met.”

2. Get it right
Learn how to correctly use “that” and “which” as well as “that” and “who.”

For example: “The dogs, which were barking loudly, looked dangerous.” And: “I prefer the person who had the great résumé.”

3. Get this right too
Use the words “less” and “fewer” correctly. If you can count it, use “fewer.” Otherwise, use “less.”

For example: “I have less milk and six fewer cookies than John.”

4. Careful with the caps
Job titles are (usually) only capitalized when they precede a name.

For example, “I admire Prime Minister Trudeau. He is the second-youngest prime minister we’ve elected.”

5. Make it easy on the eyes
Break your copy into multiple paragraphs, and use bullet points and numbered lists to create more white space. Even if your writing is brilliant, pages that are dense with words are visually intimidating to readers.

Test Drive #1: Outbound Heated Mittens

Keeping my body toasty warm while I’m walking, running and Nordic walking is never a problem. After all there are so many great options when it comes to winter socks, pants, jackets and accessories.

But my hands are almost always ice cold, no matter what kind of gloves or mitts I wear.

Cold hands can be a particular problem for Nordic walkers — when you’re holding poles there’s no option to stick your hands in your pockets or your armpits for a quick warm up.

But this winter I discovered battery-operated mitts. Hurrah!

Like an electric blanket for your hands, the soft fuzzy lining starts heating up as soon as you flip the ‘on’ switch.

Sure the battery packs are a bit big (they each take 3 AA batteries), but they’re really not that noticeable.

I have yet to try them in a deep freeze, but at -5C they they have performed beautifully.

Interested in your own pair? I got mine at Canadian Tire for $44.99, and the brand is Outbound Heated Mittens.

(They get a surprisingly low rating from the small number of reviewers on the Canadian Tire website, but don’t let this stop you from trying them for yourself.)

FEBRUARY 2019 UPDATE: My mitts got a good cold weather testing this past weekend: skating at Patinage en Forêt in Quebec (minus 15C) for one hour and skating on Ottawa’s Rideau Canal for two hours (minus 12C). My hands were perfectly warm. In fact, the mitts eventually got too warm and my hands got sweaty….so I had to turn them off!

DECEMBER 2023 UPDATE: I believe that these gloves are unfortunately no longer being stocked by Canadian Tire. Look for them or other brands at other sporting good stores. Also, handle them with care. While mine continue to work well, one of my participants was a bit rough with hers and this damaged the heat-conducting wires…and they are no longer conducting heat.

JANUARY 2025 UPDATE: Check this link for my latest heated mittens Test Drive.

Note: As with all of my Test Drive blog posts, I’m sharing simply because I love the product—no sponsorships or renumeration involved!