The name ‘Nordic Walking’ already implies its origin: the North – to be more precisely, it comes from Finland. Nordic Walking is a special form of walking which incorporates the use of poles to increase one’s fitness level. It all started when ski athletes in Finland needed a routine to work on their fitness during the summer months. They went on mile-long walks and used ski poles to work out their upper body and arm muscles. Soon it became apparent that this type of walking is a great full body workout that is both, time-efficient and health-promoting.

Over the years Nordic Walking gained tremendous popularity throughout Europe and even plays an essential role in physical therapy. Many European health and wellness spas offer Nordic Walking within their medical wellness arrangements, because it is a great exercise for burning calories and building cardio-vascular fitness, while reducing stress on the joints. The latter aspect is especially beneficial for the overweight, who find it hard to walk for long periods of time. With the help of the poles the body’s weight can be balanced more evenly taking away pressure from the hips, knees and ankles. Therefore, Nordic Walking is a comfortable, yet effective exercise for weight loss. In addition, it strengthens the upper body and abdominal muscles and increases the physical endurance in as little as three months.

Recommended for: improve cardio-vascular fitness, weight loss, muscle strength, upper body work-out, increase in physical endurance, overall well-being