Self-Taught Nordic Walker? You’re Probably Making This Mistake
Nordic walking looks simple, but one small change in your Nordic walking technique can make a surprisingly big difference.
One of the most common mistakes I see in clients who have tried to teach themselves is swinging their arms mainly from the elbows instead of letting the movement come from the shoulders.
Why is the Nordic walking arm swing so challenging?
You’re not alone if you’re confused about the correct technique. When people see poles, they usually immediately think about hiking. But hiking poles and Nordic walking poles have very different purposes and techniques.
Swing your arms like long pendulums. Don’t lock your elbows,
but keep them as straight as possible and with
as little movement as possible.
Hiking poles are used for balance and stability on uneven terrain. Nordic walking poles are designed to increase the intensity of your walking workout by engaging your upper body and helping to propel you forward.
It’s easy to pick up the wrong technique by watching others. Look at photos and videos online and you’ll see plenty of people Nordic walking with bent elbows and generally poor technique. If you see it often enough, you might assume that’s how Nordic walking is supposed to look.
Also, walking with the arms bent, or continuously bending and straightening from the elbows, takes much less effort than swinging the arms like long straight pendulums. Without direction or correction, the body almost always defaults to this more comfortable bent-elbow action.
Think long arms
When you Nordic walk, imagine your arms as long pendulums swinging from your shoulders. Keep your shoulders relaxed and allow your arms to swing up to a handshake position, then back down low on the side of your thighs in a smooth rhythm. Don’t lock your elbows straight or make the movement rigid. Just keep your arms as long as possible.
With this long arm swing, you create a powerful arc. Your poles can then do what they were designed to do: with a strong down-and-back push on the ledges, they will propel you forward and add upper-body involvement to your walk.
Follow these steps on your next Nordic walk
Start with your hands low at the side of your thighs with your arms straight. Your poles should be behind you with the boot tips on the ground.
As you begin walking, let your arms swing naturally from the shoulders keeping your elbows straight.
Lengthen your stride as your arm swings gradually become bigger.
Swing up to a handshake position, then back down to hands low
beside your thighs.Apply a down-and -backpressure to the handles’ ledges, taking your
hands back to the side of your thighs.
Once you’ve got it just right, you’ll be surprised by how powerful and challenging your walking immediately feels.
Still struggling? Technique need polishing? Join one of my Quick-Start Clinics to learn to Nordic walk with confidence.
