Nordic Walking FAQs

1. What is Nordic walking?
Nordic walking is a full-body exercise that combines walking with specially designed poles to engage your arms, shoulders, and core.

2. How is it different from regular walking?
Nordic walking uses specially designed poles and a specific poling technique to increase calorie burn, improve posture, and strengthen the upper body.

3. How is it different from hiking?
Hiking poles minimize effort by helping improve balance and stability for walking on rough terrain and tackling hills, while Nordic walking is designed to maximize effort by increasing the challenge of regular walking.

4. Do I need special equipment?
Yes, Nordic walking requires adjustable poles designed specifically for the activity.

5. Can I use my hiking or ski poles?
Hiking poles, downhill ski poles, cross-country ski poles, and Nordic walking poles are all different, so it’s important to use poles designed for the activity.

6. Do I need specail clothes?
No, wear the same clothes and footwear that you would wear for a brisk walk.

7. What does research say about Nordic walking?
Research over the past 30 years shows that Nordic walking is a full-body exercise that burns more calories than regular walking, improves cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, balance, and posture, and can benefit heart health, functional ability, and overall quality of life.

8. Do I need professional instruction to start?
While Nordic walking isn’t extremely difficult to learn, most people find that at least one lesson with a certified instructor helps them to efficiently learn proper technique and avoid injury.