Nordic Walking World Record Attempt Coming To FinnFest 2013

Nordic Walking World Record Attempt June 22nd During FinnFest 2013

Nationally renowned fitness expert and coach Pete Edwards will be on hand to provide the free lessons and the free use of quality Nordic Walking Poles (not collapsible poles) during FinnFest 2013 coming to the beautiful  Houghton/Hancock area of Michigan’s Upper Penninsula.

Edwards’ quality one-piece walking poles are not just for skiers deprived of snow during the summer. These quality poles often replace the use of canes and/or walkers for those with balance issues. Individuals with balance issues, MS, Parkensons, neuropathy and other balance issues have found huge success walking with one-piece poles that are sized correctly and when instructed with the correct technique. Edwards speciality is finding the Perfect Length Poles for individuals and teaching the best technique for each individuals situation. Edwards provides safe, user-friendly and doable techniques for all ages and all fitness levels.

On Saturday, June 22nd, the goal is to have over 2,000 Nordic Walking participants complete the 3km (just under 2 miles) route and shatter the Guinness World Record for most simultaneous Nordic walkers. Real Nordic Walking Poles equipped with rubber tips and the correct technique will be manditory requirements.

According to Nick Mahood, SWIX USA Nordic Walking Director, “Pete Edwards, the owner/founder/coach of WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and The American Nordic Walking System, has single-handedly introduced thousands of Americans to Nordic Walking through his enthusiastic Nordic Walking clinics! I have no doubt that Edwards is the #1 retailer of Nordic Walking Poles in the USA! You can quote me on that!”

Edwards has been coaching runners and skiers for over 30 years. Edwards is a former ski school director, ski race coach and running coach. Edwards has coached State Champions (individuals + teams), All-Americans and National Champions. He has skied in 50K marathons and won 26.2 mile running marathons. His skiers have been hill bounding and ski walking with poles when deprived of snow since 1981. Hosting Nordic Walking clinics is extremely enjoyable for Edwards and he especially enjoys hosting Nordic Walking clinics for MS, Parkinson’s and Diabetes support groups, plus Wounded Warrior Programs.

Don’t believe all the marketing hype about collapsible poles. One-piece poles will always prove superior because they are safer, lighter, more durable and much more user-friendly than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles from China and equipped with plastic twist-locks and/or flip locks.

Edwards carries 16 different lengths of both SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles – to ensure a Perfect Fit here at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM for all his customers.

Walking with poles is the best!

Nordic Walking And Improved Sleep Quality

Nordic Walking burns more calories than regular walking. Fact. Nordic Walking provides all the wonderful health benefits of cross country skiing but you don’t need skis, you don’t need snow and you never fall down if you use dependable one-piece poles sized to your height.

Weight loss has a direct link now to improved sleep quality according to a John Hopkins study. The winning combination of course would be improved diet and an effective exercise program. And walking is a natural and easy choice for many Americans. Walking with poles takes that walking campaign to a new level – basically turbo charging the average walking program.

Here is a link an article about weight loss and improved sleep quality:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121106125450.htm

Walking with poles also has many of the benefits of walking with hand weights and/or ankle weights. However, Nordic Walking doesn’t have the negatives of hand weights and ankle weights. I have been coaching runners and skiers for over 30 years and have NEVER approved of hand weights or ankle weights because of the risks involved. Walking with the Perfect Length Poles and the correct technique can ensure that your Nordic Walking program is nothing but positive.

Where hand weights and ankle weights often put added stress on the weight-bearing joints, the poles actually radically reduce the stress to the shins, the knees, the hips and back. Plus the poles radically improve balance and stability.

The Perfect Length Poles trick us into walking with perfect posture so only as we keep our chin up. The American Nordic Walking System provides instruction for all ages and all fitness levels. There are special instructions for those with balance issues too. The one-piece poles from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System are sized specifically to each individual’s height and come with a Perfect Length Guarantee. One-piece poles from SWIX of Norway and EXEL of Finland prove to be safer, lighter, stronger, more durable and much more user-friendly than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles equipped with twist-locks or flip-locks that poorly secure the pole pieces together. These collapsible poles tend to rattle, vibrate, gradually collapse or fail/collapse unexpectedly altogether. Seniors and individuals with balance issues should NEVER be sold collapsible poles.

My athletes have used one-piece ski poles since 1981 for summer training when deprived of snow. They are sturdy and dependable. Collapsible poles would be total joke and break/collapse.

Skiers know that one-piece poles are superior.

Snowshoers that received free collapsible poles with their new snowshoes have learned that hard way that free isn’t necessarily good – these free snowshoe poles ended up in the dumpster in record time because the cheap/flimsy twist-locks couldn’t hold up. The best poles for snowshoeing are one-piece poles. The same for roller skiing and roller blading (in line skating). The same for downhill (alpine) skiing, Nordic skiing (both skate and classic cross country), ………

Regardless of your Nordic sport the more fresh air you can get the better. Burn those calories and breathe in that fresh air. Lose weight and feel better about life. Lose weight and sleep better.

Many of my happy customers report that they no longer require special medications or that they have cut their medication requirements (costs and health risks) in half since initiating their Nordic Walking campaigns. Doctors and PT’s all across the country are recommending our quality one-piece poles to their clients. Those doctors and PT’s recommending collapsible poles are only doing so because they didn’t know there was a superior option, but when one of their clients show up with our quality one-piece poles they totally agree that one-piece is superior to collapsible poles. Those instructors that recommend collapsible poles only do so because the companies they represent don’t have a one-piece pole option. There is a lot of confusing and conflicting info out there. At SKIWALKING.COM LLC and the American Nordic Walking System we tell you the truth about one-piece poles being superior. No bull. No baloney. And maybe that is why all the rating services have us at 100% positive in the customer satisfaction arena. Collapsible poles could never achieve such high ratings – there just isn’t enough lipstick out there to turn them into something they aren’t.

Get out and walk. Eat smart. Have FUN and sleep like a rock.

Nordic Walking Up On The Sleeping Bear Dunes And The National Lakeshore

Nordic Walking The Sleeping Bear Dunes

I love Indian Summer! Ski Walking barefoot up on the dunes in late fall is the best. My favorite route is from Glen Haven to Devil’s Hole. It takes about 2 hours (longer if I didn’t use poles) and the route passes this ghost tree forest pictured above. The views from the top of the dune ridge includes Sleeping Bear Bay, Pyramid Point, North and South Manitou, Alligator Hill, Miller Hill, Little Glen Lake and countless miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. No wonder Good Morning America rated the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore the most beautiful place in the USA.

Whether I’m on a solo hike, with family or friends or teaching a Nordic Walking Class, I always use my trusty one-piece Nordic Walking Poles and always make sure everyone else has the perfect length poles for their hike across the dunes. Walking the beach and in deep sand on the dunes is tough, but the poles make it easier, while at the same time you end up working your arms to. The best part is that the perfect length poles trick us into walking with better posture and the improve biomechanics ensure a more enjoyable walk.

Lets face it – us guys we walk like apes. The perfect length poles and the correct Nordic Walking technique automatically force us to walk with perfect posture as long as our chin is up. Same with women. Anytime a woman that use inhaler takes one of my Nordic Walking Classes they end up not needing their inhalers after all because the correct length poles and correct technique trick them into walking with the hips forward, chest out and shoulders back – opening up the airways and allowing them to walk faster and farther. How cool is that.

Perfect length poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back – better walking posture is bio-mechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout – burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

I only use one-piece poles for personal use – while running hills with poles (Nordic Running), roller skiing, hiking the dunes, ski walking, hill bounding, teaching Nordic Walking Classes, classic cross country skiing and skate cross country skiing. And when I teach Nordic Walking Classes all my students receive one-piece poles sized specifically to their heights. I would never consider 2-piece or 3-piece collapsible poles for any of my activities. NEVER. Cheap/flimsy collapsible poles just aren’t strong enough, durable enough or user-friendly enough. One-piece poles will always prove to be safer, stronger, much more durable and much more user-friendly than cheap/flimsy collapsible poles flooding the market from China and costing anywhere from $30 – $200.00 per pair.

Quality SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles come in 16 different lengths to ensure a Perfect Length Guarantee. All of these quality poles from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System come with real Nordic Walking straps, metal tips for trails and off road, removable rubber tips/asphalt paws for pavement and a free Nordic Walking DVD.

Our dependable and user-friendly one-piece poles are enabling individuals to walk more comfortably, more efficiently and more effectively. Every day we receive thank you cards and happy customer emails. Walking with poles is the best (one-piece poles make it better yet).

Walking with poles is the best (especially when using one-piece poles that are sized correctly).

Nordic Walking Success At 2011 Employee Wellness Fair

Nordic Walking Classes A Success At Employee Wellness Fair

For the fourth year in a row free Nordic Ski Walking Classes were made available to employees of Hagerty Insurance (the industry leader in antique car and antique boot insurance) during Hagerty’s annual Employee Wellness Fair.

Health and fitness providers provided testing, screening and suggestions for a healthier lifestyle during the Employee Wellness Fair. Free Nordic Walking Instruction and the free use of REAL Nordic Walking Poles was provided by WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System. ALL 16 lengths of Nordic Walking Poles were available to accommodate the heights of all individuals – more lengths than any other Nordic Walking Company in North America (the few companies that carry one-piece poles only supply a limited number of sizes).

Perfect length poles automatically encouraged all participants walk with a super straight back. Better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout – burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

Participants in the Nordic Walking Classes commented that they could feel the improved posture while walking with the correct length one piece poles. Many participants also commented that they noticed that more muscle groups were involved while walking with poles – much more so than regular walking.

WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System are dedicated to the simple fact that quality one-piece Nordic Walking Poles from SWIX and EXEL are far superior to cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece twist-lock and/or flip-lock poles flooding the market from China. Numerous participants in the Nordic Walking Classes commented on their dislike of their telescoping/collapsible yard tools and/or adjustable walking poles that proved to be a hassle. The one-piece Nordic Walking Poles provided for the lessons and for demo proved to be lighter, simpler and much more user-friendly than cheap/flimsy twist-lock and flip-lock poles that tend to rattle, vibrate and/or collapse unexpectedly. One participant commented how she even tried to tape her cheap collapsible poles that would never cooperate.

Hagerty Insurance encourages staff to participate on the Hagerty Insurance bike and Nordic ski teams.

The quality one-piece Nordic Walking Poles caught the attention of other health and fitness providers during the event – including doctors, physical therapists, personal trainers, health education professionals and others.

The SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles were all equipped with comfortable fingerless glove type straps (patented by the Salomon Ski Company) and removable rubber tips/asphalt paws for use on carpet, tile, pavement, indoor/outdoor tracks and other hard surfaces (the metal tips are used for snow, ice, trails and the beach).

Over 400 employees participated in the Employee Wellness Fair.

Nordic Waking Poles Make Front Page News in Ionia, Michigan

REAL Nordic Walking Poles from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM

FREE Nordic Walking Classes came to the Ionia County Comminission On Aging earlier this fall and an article complete with three color pictures made the front page of th Ionia Sentinel Standard WEEKENDER back on Oct. 17th, 2010. The article heightlighted the many benefits of walking with Nordic Walking Poles.

The free Nordic Walking Classes were hosted by Pete Edwards, owner/founder of WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System – headquartered up in Glen Arbor, Michigan. Edwards also provide REAL Nordic Walking Poles for all the participants to test drive during their classes. Edwards’ specializes in providing the Perfect Length one-piece Nordic Walking Poles for each individual. His company offers 16 different lengths of Nordic Walking Poles.

When using the perfect length Nordic Waking Poles we automatically walk with a super straight back – better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout – burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

The 3 Basic Levels Nordic Walking – From The American Nordic Walking System

Level 1: Casually walking, trekking and hiking with the poles is healthy and good – burning over 20% more calories than regular walking! Remember to keep your chin up, fingers relaxed and poles slightly angled back. Each pole plants inline with the opposing foot’s heel – alternating and never out in front unless going down a steep hill. When done correctly you will immediately notice your improved posture – walking taller and with a straighter back – automatically without having to think about it. If you notice one or both or your rubber tips slipping be sure to practice on grass with the rubber tips off.

* Level 1 With A Punch (firm pole plant): Continue to keep those fingers relaxed – DON’T grip the poles. Take advantage of your comfortable Nordic Walking Straps – patented by the Salomon Ski Company. Feel the pressure in the heel of your hand effectively being distributed into the cradle of the strap verses squeezing and gripping the poles. Punch the rubber Nordic Walking tips/asphalt paws into the road/walking surface with a firm pole plant – in sync with the opposite heel. This additional punch will beef up the effectiveness of Level 1. Remember – fingers relaxed and NO white knuckling!

Level 2: Requires the arms to fully stretch out and slightly down, keeping the poles slightly less angled back and almost perpendicular. This full arm extension will help to burn over 30% more calories than regular walking! You will find that your walking pace will speed up and your stride will naturally lengthen. Never fake a long stride – allow it to happen naturally. Keep your chin up and fingers relaxed! Shifting from Level 1 to Level 2 is like shifting gears in a car. Level 2 reinforces improved walking posture when done correctly. Again, the poles are NEVER planted in front of the lead heel unless your are descending a steep hill.

*Level 2 With A Punch (firm pole plant): A little punch goes a long way. Utilize that full arm extension and combine it with a nice little punch – punch the rubber tip into the walking surface while keeping the fingers relaxed and NOT gripping the poles (pressure from the heel of your hand into the cradle of the comfortable patented straps).

Level 3: Includes the full reach + a firm pole plant/punch (don’t be gentle), constant pressure from the heel of the hand into the cradle of the strap and a follow-through push when the hand lines up with the hips. Level 3 is big in Europe, but most Americans don’t want to be bothered. Level three burns over 40% more calories than regular walking. Level 3 requires maximum push and can only be effectively done with real Nordic Ski Walking Poles. And remember the poles are NEVER planted in front of the lead heel unless you are descending a steep hill. The American Nordic Walking System does NOT recommend faking a long stride and we do NOT recommend leaning forward at any time – especially when going faster. It is all about good biomechanics. Cheap/flimsy collapsible poles equipped with twist-locks and flip-locks can not hold up to the stress of Level 3. As in ski racing, one-piece poles always prove to be safer, lighter and stronger.

Steep Uphills: When climbing hills be sure to keep your chin up – biomechanically a very good thing! Do NOT lean forward into the hill – leaning is biomechanically a very bad thing! Allow the poles to naturally keep your back super straight – eliminating lower back pain. Your poles will help to engage more muscle groups. Take advantage of your special Nordic Walking Straps and keep your fingers relaxed. Apply pressure into the cradle of those comfortable straps.

Steep Downhills: When descending a steep hill feel free to plant the poles out in front – your knees will LOVE the radical reduction in stress. Double poling can also be effective in extremely steep and challenging terrain – planting both poles at the same time. Do NOT sit back on the downhills. Our quality one-piece SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles have been tested in the Grand Canyon, the Appalachian Trail, the White Mountains, in the Lake Tahoe area, in Alaska, plus the Rocky Mountains – and passed with flying colors! Again – don’t squeeze your poles. Trust those fancy patented straps.

Intervals, Speed Walking and Nordic Running: A great way to help jump start the metabolism is by adding short speed bursts of 20 yards to 200 Yards of faster Nordic Walking or Nordic Running. I LOVE Nordic Running up the hills on my favorite xc trails. The perfect warm-up for intervals or Nordic Running is at least a mile of more casual Level 1 Nordic Walking – a gentle and effective warm-up. As a running and ski coach, I prefer my athletes to do their stretching after their workouts and warm-up with at least a mile of Nordic Walking. One-piece SWIX or EXEL Nordic Walking Poles are ideal for Nordic Running too. Collapsible poles are not designed for the added stress of heavy use. One-piece poles are ideal for serious athletes and individuals with balance issues. Skiers already know that one-piece poles are far superior to cheap/flimsy collapsible poles. One-piece poles are ideal for skiing, walking, roller skiing and inline skating (roller blading).

Individuals With Balance Issues: For individuals with balance and stability issues it is recommended to keep the poles straight up and down – perpendicular to the ground. Do NOT focus on the arm movement as much as on enjoying the added balance and stability provided by the poles. Remember to NOT squeeze the poles – take advantage of the comfortable patented straps and keep your finger relaxed (no white knuckling of the pole grips!). Nordic Ski Walking is no longer just for athletes and expert skiers. One-piece Nordic Walking Poles are also ideal for individuals using canes and walkers too – including those with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s (PD), Neuropathy and other balance issues.

* Seniors and individuals with balance issues should also avoid cheap/flimsy collapsible 2-piece and 3-piece twist-lock and/or flip-lock collapsible poles.

Snow & Ice: When the roads and trails are slippery, feel free to keep the poles a little more perpendicular and NOT angled back. The added stability is a good thing. Remove rubber Nordic Walking tips and use the durable metal tips.

Don’t Fake A Long Stride: PLEASE don’t fake a long stride! As you work your arms (reaching forward) your tempo will naturally speed up and your stride will safely and naturally lengthen. Faking a long stride will only lead to injury.

Don’t Lean Forward: PLEASE don’t lean forward! Take full advantage of the radically improved posture that the correct length poles provide all of us. Especially don’t lean into the hill when Nordic Walking up steep terrain. Your ankles will naturally flex and your back will appreciate the awesome posture that your poles naturally provide on all types of terrain.

Be Sure To Consult Your Physician: Always consult your doctor prior to launching any new fitness campaign.

When hosting Nordic Walking Classes I always travel with a pretty big stash of durable and user-friendly one-piece poles in 16 sizes. It is a hassle to travel with such a large inventory of pole lengths, but our SWIX and EXEL one-piece Nordic Walking Poles do not have twist-locks or flip-locks – just solid one-piece and dependable user-friendly goodness. I have heard from numerous Nordic Walking Instructors that try to teach classes with twist-lock/ flip-lock poles and report how embarrassing it is when their collapsible poles refuse to lock into place and don’t cooperate during classes. With our one-piece poles there are no hassles, no equipment failures, no participant disappointment and no instructor embarrassment.

Quality SWIX and EXEL one-piece Nordic Walking poles prove to be safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles with that tend to rattle, vibrate, freeze-up and/or collapse unexpectedly.

Nordic Walking Classes Return To Grand Traverse County’s Annual Employee Wellness Expo

 

Nordic Walking Classes will again be offered at the annual Grand Traverse County Employee Wellness Expo. Pete Edwards the owner/founder/coach of SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nodic Walking System will offer free Nordic Walking Lessons and free Nordic Walking Pole test-drives. The Wellness Expo will be held at the Traverse City Civic Center from 11:15 am to1:45 pm on Friday, August 20th.

 

Real Nordic Walking Poles will be provided – one-piece poles from SWIX and EXEL. Edwards has been coaching runners and skiers for over 25 years and knows for a fact that one-piece poles that are sized correctly prove to be safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap/flimsy twist-lock and flip-lock poles from China. Just go to REI’s website and check out all of the poor reviews for twist-lock and flip-lock poles. Most of these cheap/flimsy poles are made in China. Skiers don’t use cheap/flimsy twist-lock or flip-lock poles because they are inferior to one-piece poles that are sized correctly.

 

Edwards’ offers 16 different lengths of Real Nordic Walking Poles in lightweight and stable pairs. Edwards also can custom build user-friendly and quality poles for individuals over 6′ 7″. Edwards refuses to charge extra for custom built poles. And he refuses to falsely promote collapsible/telescoping poles over proven superior one-piece poles.

 

Edward’s also donates Real Nordic Walking Poles to Wounded Warrior Programs in the USA and Europe. Edwards has donated hundreds of pairs of his SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles to Wounded Warriors stationed at Walter Reed, Fort Lewis/Madigan/McChord, Fort Carson, Vicenza in Italy and Kaiserslautern Military Community in Germany.

 

Edwards is aware that twist-lock and flip-lock poles are sold under the false impression that they fit all sizes. That false claim makes cheap 2-piece and 3-piece poles an easy sell, but the quality of these poles is often terrible. Edwards is also aware that the customer satisfaction ratings for cheap/flimsy twist-lock and flip-lock poles are extremely low despite the hype about collapsible poles being able to fit all heights (false statement in that most collapsible poles do not extend tall enough for individuals over six feet).

 

Despite the hype that collapsible poles are supposedly better for travel is the simple fact that most two-piece poles don’t fit into most travel bags.

 

Despite the hype that collapsible poles are necessary for hilly terrain, another false statement, is the simple fact that one-piece poles are lighter and superior to cheap twist-lock and flip-lock poles. Check out this blog article that clarifies the truth about the best poles for use in hilly terrain: http://nordicsportsusa.blogspot.com

 

There is also a lot of hype about collapsible poles being better for travel – another typical false statement in that most 2-piece poles don’t fit into today’s travel bags. And 3-piece poles come equipped with two twist-locks or flip-locks and prove to be twice the hassle and headache.

 

The perfect length poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back – better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout – burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

 

Edwards has hosted Nordic Walking Clinics for expert skiers, sport teams, running clubs, walking clubs, individuals with balance issues, knee issues or new knees, hip issues or new hips, back issues (including those with rods in their back), weight issues, multiple sclerosis (MS), parkinson’s (PD), neuropathy, arthritis, bursitis, scoliosis, lumbar stenosis, fibromyalgia, post polio, osteoporosis, stroke recovery, cancer recovery and other limitations to walking. Nordic Walking poles are helping thousands of Americans get off the couch, successfully get outside, start walking safely and effectively launch much needed walking campaigns.

 

Don’t get scammed by cheap twist-lock and flip-lock pole from China. Please go to SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System for more information about Nordic Walking and the many health benefits of walking with poles. We offer 16 different lengths of quality SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles – not just 3 sizes or 6 sizes that can’t possibly provide the perfect length poles for individuals looking for the real deal in Nordic Walking Poles.

 

Walking with poles is the best!

 

 

REAL Swix and Exel Nordic Walking Poles

REAL Nordic Walking Poles from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM

Nordic Walking at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf Inn and the Carroll and Jane Rikert Ski Touring Center

Nordic Walking Poles Come In Handy While Hiking The Cross Country Ski Trails At The Carroll and Jane Rikert Ski Touring Center

 

Some of our favorite cross country ski trails in the USA are up at Middlebury College’s Nordic Center – adjacent to the college’s Bread Loaf Inn.

During the winter cross country skiers use one-piece ski poles hit the trails – groomed for both classic (diagonal) cross country skiing and skate (freestyle) cross country skiing. The poles for skating are longer than those for classic. The poles for Nordic Nordic Walking are shorter then classic poles – a lot shorter.

When using the perfect length Nordic Walking poles the poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back – better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout – burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

Cross country (Nordic) and downhill (Alpine) skiers know that one-piece poles are stronger, lighter and more durable than twist-locking adjustable length/telescoping/collapsible poles. Nordic Running (using Nordic Walking Poles while running) is tough on poles too and one-piece poles are the first choice for Nordic Running too. For Nordic Walking in the city or in extreme conditions, one-piece Nordic Walking Poles also prove to be far superior. Cheap twist-locking poles often rattle, vibrate and/or collapse unexpectedly. Seniors and individuals with balance issues should avoid cheap twist-locking poles. While testing one-piece poles in the Grand Canyon, the Green Mountains, on the Appalachian Trail, in the Rockies and in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore we have consistently found that our one-piece poles are hassle free. The feedback we consistently receive about one-piece poles –vs- twist-locking poles is consistent too – most individuals have trouble with their twist-locks (even with the twist-locking poles costing up to $200 per pair). I would NEVER consider using twist-locking poles while hosting free Nordic Walking Classes for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s (PD) support groups.

While off-road Nordic Walking we remove the rubber tips and expose the durable carbide metal tips of our SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles from SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System. When back on pavement we put the removable rubber tips (paws) back on. The rubber tips act as a shock absorber and silencer – eliminating the annoying clank of the metal tip on pavement.

Walking with poles is the best!