Nordic, Schmordic—Why Would I Walk With Poles?

Walking is pretty hard work, especially for those of us who might be hauling the equivalent of an extra hundred pound bag of taters around. Which is why any sedentary gal (like me) has to naturally wonder—if it’s so much work just to put one foot in front of the other, why would I bother to bump it up by walking with a set of sticks?

Why indeed! Since my strategy of choice happens to be getting rid of the baggage that burdens my stomach (and hips and thighs and a few other unmentionable places), any activity that melts more calories while I’m taking my daily stroll is certainly of interest to me. And burn more calories Nordic walking does (although just how many I’ll leave for another post).

As an added side benefit, Nordic walking might also mend your shoulder and back pain, all without making you break so much as a sweat. And if you’re tempted to take a tumble, your poles may even break the fall (if you don’t get poked in the process). Hey–they might even come in handy for scaring that yapping rascal who keeps trying to sink his teeth into my cosmetically altered leg (not that I’d actually hit the little feller—but his face is invading my space).

True, I feel a bit self-conscious when taking a Nordic walk. I wouldn’t go swinging those sticks at Macey’s, or even the streets of New York (though I hear there are plenty of stranger things going on in that city). But anything that works my arm, shoulder, and upper chest muscles without making me sore surely seems worth a try.

Yep—I’m all revved up and ready to go just now. Too bad it’s already dark—guess I’ll have to wait ‘til tomorrow. Will keep you posted, however, as things progress (or regress, depending on your perspective).