Nordic walking can burn 700 calories per hour

Нордическая ходьба поможет сжигать 700 калорий за час

Nordic or Nordic walking continues to become more and more popular among Europeans. It is this sport that today is preferred by those who used to be engaged exclusively in running. The peculiarity of this useful walk is that during such a walk a person holds ski poles. Despite the fact that this attribute is considered purely winter, Nordic walking can be practiced at any time of the year. Find out in the article why Nordic walking with sticks is useful, as well as about the Nordic walking technique.

The founder of Nordic walking is Juha Mieto. In the 70s, he became a pioneer in the national team of the country, including races using two ski poles in the summer training program. Over time, Mieto gained followers, such athletes were nicknamed "bog skiers". As a result, thanks to Nordic walking, they showed excellent results in competitions. As for Juha Mieto, he was an Olympic medalist several times, and in 1976 he achieved the main goal of becoming an Olympic champion.

Benefits and Benefits of Nordic Walking with Poles

Unlike the usual jogging, during Nordic walking a person is not tense. Here the speed – not at all the main goal, the walk takes place at a leisurely pace, while stops are allowed, this allows you to devote time to breathing exercises and stretching.

Nordic walking is great for older people and those who are trying to lose weight. By the way, in an hour of such a workout you can burn 700 calories, for comparison, an hour bike ride burns 500 calories, and jogging of the same duration – 300 calories. Jogging can be too much for overweight people suffering from heart problems, so in this case, this sport is a worthy alternative. Moreover, for Nordic walking, even diseases of the knee joints are not an obstacle, since the load is distributed on the sticks, which act as two “additional legs”.

So, Nordic walking helps to lose weight, maintain muscle tone, improve the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. In addition, such training helps to strengthen the immune system and increase the amount of happiness hormones in the blood. Therefore, in addition to the benefits for physical health, Nordic walking also improves the emotional state of a person.

However, the difficulty of Nordic walking should not be underestimated. To achieve the desired result, certain rules must be followed.

Nordic walking technique with poles

To master this trendy sport, follow these guidelines:

be sure to keep your back straight, do not lean forward;
just like in cross-country skiing, during Nordic walking, the right leg and the left leg must work simultaneously, then – left leg and right arm;
at the moment when the hand is directed forward, the hand is tightly compressed around the handle, and when backward – on the contrary, relaxes;
when walking, the foot should first be placed on the heel, and then – on the toe;
don't forget to stick to a measured pace, the best is when you can say a phrase consisting of 5 words without choking;
to measure the rhythm of breathing – follow the steps – inhale for one-two, exhale for three-four-five;
Start Nordic walking with 20-25 minutes, gradually increasing the duration, adding 5-10 minutes to each workout;
to keep in shape, it is enough to do 3 workouts per week, lasting 30-40 minutes;
If your main goal is to burn fat and lose weight, you need to practice Nordic walking for at least one hour every day. Provided that you train regularly, in a month you will be able to say goodbye to 2-3 kilograms.

Before you start classes, it is better to consult with a specialist. Such training is recommended for people suffering from diseases of the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases. It is better to abandon this type of activity for those who have serious heart disease, infectious diseases, as well as in case of exacerbation of diseases of the internal organs.