Scandinavian walking - the benefit and harm of the newfangled hobby

Scandinavian walking - the benefit and harm of this popular sporting activity is widely discussed among adherents of a healthy lifestyle. The new sport is simple and accessible, it can be used by anyone regardless of the level of physical fitness, health or social status. This is an excellent universal method that allows you to strengthen the cardiovascular system, maintain the tone of the body or lose weight.

Scandinavian walking: what is it?

The technique of Scandinavian walking originated in Finland in the forties of the last century. An unusual kind of sports activities were then called differently: Nordic, Nordic or Finnish walking. And the pioneers of the popular method were skiers - professionals who tried not to lose their skills in the warm season, and so they persevered in training even in the summer.

Of course, the absence of snow did not bother them, and it was impossible to get on skis, but the athletes could hone their walking skills by training with ski poles. The originality of this approach has not gone unnoticed by specialists, because with a minimum of physical effort the muscles of the arms and legs, the shoulder belt actively work, the cardiovascular system is strengthened, and metabolic processes are improved. And physical exercise in the open air is very useful for health.

Soon a unique technique began to be used in physiotherapy exercises in order to rehabilitate patients who had suffered spinal trauma. Over time, Scandinavian walking went to the masses and quickly won appreciation among the most diverse segments of the population. This technique is practiced not only by athletes, but also by those who wish to support themselves in excellent physical shape, recover from a serious illness or lose weight.

The new sport has become truly massive, for a walk with ski poles there are pensioners, students, respectable businessmen and ordinary townspeople. So what's the use of this walk and what does it give the body? The answer to this question will be found in our article.

Features of the

equipment Nordic walking is a way of moving in the usual way, but with the support of the ski-like sticks. Such adaptations, or as they are affectionately called - Nordics, look like ski poles only at first glance. In fact, they are considerably crusty and equipped with special rounded tips made of graphite, which do not get stuck in loose ground.

Thanks to this, you can confidently move on any rough terrain, land, sand, grass. For walking along the asphalt, the tips of the sticks are covered with softening rubber caps. Sami sticks for Nordic walking are made of light and strong materials: carbon fiber, aluminum. There are cast walking sticks( with a fixed length) or telescopic sticks( the length of which can be changed depending on the height of the person).

There are no special requirements for equipment. Dressing is necessary for the weather, but in such a way that clothes are free and do not constrain movements. Give preference to fabrics made from natural materials, which are good for air and do not create a greenhouse effect that provokes excessive sweating.

You can wear comfortable shoes, sneakers or sneakers on your feet. The main thing is that there was not a high heel, and the sole did not slip and was stable. It is advisable to choose shoes that protect the ankle. This will help avoid accidental injury to the feet of the nordic point.

Handles of sticks for Nordic walking are equipped with special fasteners - tambours, which are made in the form of gloves without fingers. This allows you to securely fix them on your hand so that you can tightly grip the handle and push off when walking. During the movement it is important that the hands can easily transfer part of the body weight to the supports and unload the musculoskeletal system in the region of the hip joint, knees and ankle.

Who is recommended for Nordic walking?

The new sport often acts as a rehabilitation therapy. Nordic walking is advised for patients who have undergone surgery on the spine or undergoing recovery from a serious injury or serious illness.

This is a universal kind of physical activity. Nordic walking can be recommended to retirees, pregnant women, athletes. It is useful for those who want to lose weight, bring the figure back to normal and again become slim and fit.

Walking does not require special physical training, but it helps to maintain vitality and strengthen health. Regular walks in the open air will benefit anyone. Walking along the alleys of the park, the square or choosing any other route with a pleasant natural landscape, a person rests in the soul, gets rid of the stress factor and psycho-emotional overload. In addition, experts recommend Nordic walking with health problems such as:

• chronic respiratory diseases;
• osteochondrosis;
• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• dysfunction of the cardiovascular system;
• insomnia;
• chronic constipation.

Daily walks for 1 - 1.5 hours will help to strengthen the muscles, fix the nervous system, relieve the depressive conditions and help restore a good mood and positive attitude to life.

What is useful for Nordic walking with sticks?

Scandinavian walking with sticks is a kind of amateur sport, which every year becomes more and more popular. So, if on a warm summer evening you see a group of pensioners, cheerfully moving towards you, pushing off the asphalt with ski poles, do not panic. They are not mad at all, but are engaged in a fashionable sport and are strengthening their health. What is the use of Scandinavian walking? Let's list the main advantages of a sporting activity:

• Scandinavian walking does not require special training, equipment and expensive equipment. You can study all year round, regardless of the weather outside the window. All that is needed for classes is comfortable shoes, free, but warm clothes and special walking sticks( Nordics).
• Walking with sticks corrects the posture, reduces the burden on the spine, strengthens the back muscles, trains the legs, keeps the muscles of the thighs and buttocks toned, but at the same time reduces the load on the joints and knees.
• During training, up to 90% of muscle groups are involved. At the same time, a person does not exert excessive effort and does not exhaust himself with training. Regular walking allows you to improve the work of the cardiovascular system, tighten the stomach, burn excess fat. And even daily walks in the fresh air contribute to the development of endorphins - "hormones of joy", which give a good mood, help fight depression and daily stress.
• Unusual sport activates the work of all body systems, supports it in tone, normalizes blood circulation processes, which allows to saturate tissues with oxygen and useful substances and regulate metabolism.
• Scandinavian walking helps to fight obesity and overweight due to the fact that during walking with sticks burned by almost 50% more calories than with normal walking.
• For those wishing to lose weight, the use of walking with Nordics is obvious. A small 30-minute walk will burn more than 300 calories, while in running, the same amount of calories is consumed in 1 hour. Even cycling, in which the main load is borne by the muscles of the legs, will provide a loss of only 500 kcal per hour.

So Scandinavian walking is the most optimal option for people who are far from sports and are forced to lead a sedentary lifestyle associated with office work. It would seem - an ordinary pleasant walk, but taking into account the fact that the muscles of the shoulder girdle and hands are involved, the calorie consumption significantly increases.

Scandinavian walking with sticks: benefit and harm

Scandinavian walking has a beneficial effect on the nervous and respiratory system, strengthens the heart and blood vessels, reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood, normalizes blood pressure. Daily walks increase the endurance of the body and help to recover faster after injuring joints or surgical interventions affecting the musculoskeletal system.

Another undoubted advantage of the unusual sport is the increase in bone density. As you know, with age, bone tissue loses calcium, which greatly increases the risk of fractures and the development of a disease such as osteoporosis. Therefore for the elderly this kind of physical activity is optimal. Advantages of walking with sticks are many, but are there any contraindications to this occupation?

Harm from Scandinavian walking can not be compared with the benefit of this exercise, because there are practically no contraindications to outdoor walks. But there are some limitations and there are very few of them. So, it is not recommended to go for a walk( especially in the winter and autumn time of the year) if you are sick with the flu or ARI.This is a common recommendation, since everyone knows that treatment of colds and infectious diseases requires compliance with bed rest.

Another contraindication concerns people who have recently undergone surgery on the abdominal organs, as well as those who suffer from arrhythmias, heart failure, pressure spikes, severe diabetes, scoliosis. In addition, it is not recommended to go for walking with sticks in the presence of an inflammation in the pelvic region and in some conditions during pregnancy associated with the threat of miscarriage. In all other cases, active training will give a good mood and good health.

How to choose walking poles?

Walking sticks( Nordics) - the main accessory for this type of sports activities. They need to be selected correctly. Regular ski poles are not suitable for these purposes, they are too long. To practice Finnish walking, the accessory should be selected in accordance with the growth of a person. For example, with an increase of 170 cm, the optimal length will be 110-120 cm.

But in the event that a person is weakened after surgery or a serious illness or has aching legs, a longer stick will be needed to transfer the main load to the hands andshoulders. For those who have problems with joints, suffers from cervical osteochondrosis or excess weight, the support should be shorter.

This is a very important point - if the length of the sticks will be chosen incorrectly, there will be an overload in the area of ​​the back and knees. And this will reduce the health effect of walking. So in everything there should be an individual approach, therefore, before acquiring the necessary accessory for Finnish walking, be sure to consult with a specialist in this field( preferably with a coach).

Varieties of Scandinavian walking

Specialists distinguish several types of sport walking with sticks:

1. Reinforcing. This is the most common form of walking, aimed at overall recovery of the body and rehabilitation after a number of diseases or surgical interventions. Assumes an average load on all muscle groups, ideally suited for the elderly.
2. Sports. Provides training with loads of the greatest intensity. This kind of walking is optimal for professional sportsmen, as well as amateurs regularly engaged in sports. Classes are aimed at increasing the endurance of the body and presuppose significant physical exertion. More common in the summer.
3. Classical. This is the gold of the middle, which combines a complex of optimal loads that help maintain the body in tone. Regular exercises help to strengthen the muscular frame and lose weight. Classical version of walking is ideal for middle-aged people who are watching their figure and want to lose extra pounds.

Technique

The correct technique of Scandinavian walking is very important, it will ensure an even distribution of the load and will achieve the desired health effect. It is advisable to hold the first sessions with the coach, who will explain all the nuances of using sticks while walking. During training, observe the basic rules of movement:

1. You always need to start training with a little warm-up using sticks. Relying on them, you need to do a few sit-ups, slopes, turns, stretch marks.
2. While walking, keep your back straight, the body slightly tilt forward, its turns should be free.
3. All body movements should be rhythmic, similar to the principle of walking on skis. First forward, at the same time, the right leg and left arm are thrown out, then the left foot and the right arm. At the same time, it is necessary to follow that the hands move like a pendulum, and the amplitude of movements is 45 degrees. This will involve the muscles of the arms and shoulders.
4. The hand that is in front is considered to be the supporting one, at this time the brush should compress the handle of the stick. The hand behind is relaxed and the fingers unclench. Do not be afraid to lose a stick, it is held on the hand with a special glove( lambskin).Such a release of the palm is necessary to relieve tension and remove spastic fatigue in the wrist joint.
5. You have to walk in a special way - in the technique of rolling. That is, first the support is made on the heel, then the middle part of the foot and the toe touch the surface. After that, the other leg becomes the supporting one. Simultaneously with the jogging movement of the foot, the opposite hand is repelled by a stick. With this technique, not only the shoulder belt, but the whole body and practically all muscle groups are involved in movement.
6. When walking, try to keep your breathing steady and rhythmic. One breath should have 2 steps, one exhalation - 3 steps.
7. In the process of Scandinavian walking, sticks become a continuation of the hands. And it helps to relieve the load from the most vulnerable areas: the feet, knees, the lower part of the spine. While walking, try to withstand a given measured pace and do not take your breath away. The first workout should not be long, only 20 minutes walk to get the result. Then the load and duration of training can be gradually increased.

When can I feel the first results from walking? Of course, overall improvement in well-being and strengthening of the muscular corset can not be achieved in a few sessions. Training should be regular, and then within a month - another will become noticeable positive changes.

Scandinavian walking for slimming

For those who decided to lose weight with the help of fashionable sports, it should be understood that the more energy costs, the faster it will be able to get rid of fat deposits. Therefore, the load should be more intense and differ from the measured pace of strengthening training. Experts advise to adhere to the following rules:

Refuse to eat 1 hour before exercise and within 1.5 hours after. Such a break will help the quickest splitting of fats. During walking, glucose reserves will be consumed, and to maintain metabolism the body will have to start the lipolysis process, which will lead to a rapid reduction in body fat.

Use weighting. Going to practice, you can put on a discharge vest, put backpack behind your back, and fix special weighting on your hands and feet. This will help increase the energy costs of the body and accelerate weight loss.

Increase the walking speed. This should not be a walking step, but an energetic walk. To accelerate the pace of movement, make wide sweeps with your hands. You can use load variables. To do this, alternate fast walking in a time interval of up to 3 minutes with walking at a calm pace for 6 minutes.

Choose complex routes. Route your route not along the alleys of the park, but along the rough terrain with alternating descents and ascents. Use all the opportunities presented by nature. Climb along mountain trails or walk on loose soil, sand.

Remember that the duration of the training should not be less than 40 - 60 minutes. Over time, you can walk longer( up to 1.5 hours).For those who want to lose weight, this is especially important. After the first half an hour the body expends the available energy reserves and only after this begins the process of splitting fats.

Scandinavian walking is not without reason called a sport for lazy people. And this is true, since it does not require special efforts or significant material costs for the classes. You can do this kind of sport for everyone, both young people and pensioners. We need only correctly prioritize and understand that the main thing in life is health!