 |
||||
Walk It Off Urban poling enthusiast get odd looks and an amazing workout 
At first glance, Sister Patricia St. Louis looks like she’s practicing for the ski slopes, pushing her urban walking poles as she carves her way across the asphalt in Orange, Calif. “I get a lot of strange looks,” says the nun, who is nearly 70. “People ask me if I’m getting ready for the Olympics.” What she is getting is a terrific upper body and cardio workout that is one of the fastest growing fitness routines in the U.S. Originating from Finland under the name of Nordic walking and sometimes referred to as urban poling, this upright, outdoor exercise with specially designed poles has encouraged more than 1 million Americans to tackle their city slopes. “Walking is easily the most popular exercise in America, with over 80 million walkers, making the growth potential for Nordic walking in America unprecedented compared to any other new exercise introduced to this country,” says Bernd Zimmermann, president of the Los Angeles based American Nordic Walking Association (www.anwa.us), which promotes the education and expansion of the sport. With the simple addition of specific Nordic walking poles, Zimmerman says, “you actively engage your upper body to turn walking into an energizing total body exercise that burns up to 40 percent more calories, tones your arms and upper body and reduces stress on your knees and joints. It’s an easy way to get a better workout in less time, and it can be done anywhere you currently walk for exercise: sidewalks, roads, trails and even indoor tracks and malls.” “Urban poling is for everyone,” says Mandy Shintani, owner/co-director Urban Poling Inc. in North Vancouver, BC, Canada, which trains instructors and sells poles. “Our biggest users are women 35-55 for weight loss and toning and then older adults for stability and balance. Kids, hikers, walkers and ex-runners love poling. Marathoners do poling for cross training. It is easy to learn, very social and a ton of fun.” Unlike some sports that require expensive equipment, Nordic walking requires a relatively inexpensive investment. Nordic Walking poles range in price between $60 and $200 and may include high-end features that telescope the pole for different terrain, as well as reduce noise and vibration while pounding the pavement. One word of caution, says Zimmerman: “Don’t be tempted to use skiing, hiking or trekking poles, which are designed and meant to be used for a totally different purpose.” While it looks as easy as cross country skiing, people picking up urban poles for the first time may want to learn from a certified instructor or check into ANWA’s website for nearby classes. More experienced Nordic walkers can engage in Nordic walking marathons. For Sister St. Louis, who bought an Urban Pole 300 to get her started, Nordic walking was a sport she stepped into slowly, but quickly found her footing. “You start off very simply dragging the poles, then you start moving them slowly, like you are shaking hands,” she describes of her first experience. Now she Nordic walks on paths, sidewalks and everywhere she can. “It’s a very good cardio workout. It makes me walk taller. And it’s effortless.” |
||||
|
||||
