Do  your adjustable Nordic walking poles no longer tighten? Here's a way to fix that:


Reading

In case you're interested: A short Kindle book about Nordic walking. It uses a specific approach to teaching Nordic walking.
Poles

Available at Amazon: The rounded tip with these poles can help with the push-off that's part of the Nordic walking stride, but the wrist straps are conventional. That makes it harder to get full extension by letting go of the poles.
A friendly reminder about Nordic walking in Tuscaloosa this Saturday!

I didn’t know that Scarlet Johansson, Ben Stiller, and Adam Sandler are Nordic walking fans. Do I know who they are? Do I care? But I do care about helping you grow in Nordic walking!

<image008.jpg>And since I have your attention, here’s a friendly reminder about another Nordic walking session. Come to the gym of First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa and learn about Nordic walking, a fun and effective way to exercise. It’s also a great social activity because you can walk with other people and enjoy their company.

We’ll be indoors, so dress comfortably. We’ll practice with Nordic walking poles to burn calories, tone muscle, and improve overall health. This will be a free session. For more information about Nordic walking, check out the Nordic Walking Guy blog and the Facebook page.

If the weather permits, we’ll go outside to Government Plaza and walk there. As the weather gets better, we’ll go to other venues to practice and enjoy each other’s company. 

Instructor: Leroy Hurt, Associate Dean at The University of Alabama and a certified Nordic walking instructor
When: Saturday, February 27, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM.

Location: 721 Greensboro Avenue  |  Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401. The gym (Family Life Center) is on 23rd Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets.
Weight generates a whole new set of problems

Business Insider and WalletHub linked to a Journal of the American Medical Association study about weight problems in the US. Here are some highlights:
  • Purpose:
    • "Update an earlier study about "the prevalence of overweight and obesity by sex, age, and race/ethnicity."
    •  Compare "the values with those of the earlier study."
  • Method.
    • The data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2007-2012).
    • The data covered adults 25 years old and older and excluding pregnant women.
    • The Body Mass Index (BMI) formula was weight (kilograms) ¸ height (meters squared). BMI categories were:
      • Underweight (<18.5)
      • Normal weight (18.5-24.9)
      • Overweight (25.0-29.9)
      • Obesity class 1 (30.0-34.9)
      • Obesity class 2 (35.0-39.9)
      • Obesity class 3 (≥40).
  • Results.
    • "…39.96% of men and 29.74% of women were overweight."
    • "…35.04% of men and 36.84% of women were obese."
    • "Compared with 1988-1994, the distribution of the population’s weight status has increased in the past 20 years."

WalletHub took it another step and described most of the weight problem areas as falling in the Southeastern US. Those states with the most weight problems tended to have a higher prevalence of chronic diseases and lower levels of physical activity.

What this means.
  • Over 2/3 of people living in the US have high BMI. If we accept the argument that BMI may be overly aggressive in calling people overweight, the evidence of our own eyes suggests that people living in the US may have weight problems.
  • Diet and activity are important managing healthy weight, especially as we grow older.

The Nordic Walking Guy says Nordic walking can help increase people's activity levels because it's a fun way to engage the whole body. People can also enjoy each other's company if they walk with others.

Reading

In case you're interested: One of a number of books about Nordic walking sold on Amazon in Kindle and paperback. There is extra information about the health and rehabilitative benefits of Nordic walking.
Nordic Walking: A Systematic Review

A research article in the European Journal of Human Movement in 2014 summarized the research being done on Nordic walking.

Purpose: "…to find and analyze published studies on NW with the aim of presenting the state of the art on the subject and suggesting avenues for future research."

Method: The researchers reviewed online collections of research articles and grouped them into these categories: physiological, biomechanical, and fitness.

The researchers discovered these common conclusions:
  • Physiological.
    • "The vast majority of studies found statistically significant increases for oxygen consumption, heart rate and caloric expenditure during NW compared to normal walking and differences in lactic acid levels, especially in untrained participants."
    • "…intense arm movement with poles increases the main physiological parameters compared to walking…[other research pointed out] the increase in oxygen consumption ranged between 5% and 63% depending on the intensity of arm movement and the technical performance of participants."
    • "the effects on the body of intervention programs based on the regular practice of NW (between 3 and 4 times a week for several months) point to improvements in muscle strength of the upper limbs up to 40% and reductions in neck and shoulder pain."
    • "…despite the increase in calorie consumption during NW, effort perception does not significantly increase. Furthermore, given the greater stability provided by the poles, the authors believe that NW can be a perfect activity for elderly people and for subjects with balance and/or stability problems while walking."
  • Biomechanical.
    • "…differences between NW and normal human gait for a given walking speed: longer step, longer contact time, and faster execution speed as well as a reduction in step cadence." In other words, you walk faster.
    • "…lower loads on the knee joint during NW compared to walking. Furthermore, this reduction depended on the technical implementation: the higher the technical level, the lower the joint load." In other words, the better you get, less stress on your knees.
    • "…during NW plantar pressures in the central metatarsals are reduced by up to 40%. The authors also show that the regular practice of NW has a residual effect during walking, local pressures on the central metatarsals
    • being significantly reduced." In other words, the conditioning from Nordic walking makes regular walking easier on your feet.
  • Fitness.
    • "Programs targeted at the elderly have resulted in improvements in upper limb strength, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility compared to traditional fitness programs for the same population group."
    • "NW has also been found to be 106% more effective in improving the speed in comparison with a traditional walking program."
    • "In cardiac rehabilitation programs, NW is a better stimulus in terms of cardiac rehabilitation and in improving the patients’ functional ability."
    • "…positive results were found in training programs for an obese population), in patients with vestibular disorders, in patients with chronic lower back ache in subjects suffering from claudication as a consequence of peripheral arterial disease, patients with Sjögren's syndrome, associated with rheumatism, in individuals with
Parkinson's disease, in depressed patients, in breast cancer patients, in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease."
  • Less than positive results:
    • "…patients who had suffered hemiparesis perceived NW to be less comfortable compared with a four-way support walking frame or a simple stick."
    • "…all groups improved in terms of weight loss but no significant improvement was found in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), evidences do not support the role of NW as beneficial stimulation from the physiological point of view in patients with type 2 diabetes, although no contraindications in this respect have been proved with such populations either."

Overall, they concluded:
  • "These features [described above] have contributed to its increasing popularity, being perceived as an activity with high potential to improve fitness and health, especially in populations with impaired mobility."
  • Nordic walking was especially effective for "special populations (elderly, obese, diabetic, etc.), as these groups often have difficulty in doing physical exercise on a regular basis. Their participation in an activity similar to walking but with greater benefits from the physiological viewpoint is very attractive."

The comprehensive review of research helps explain the Nordic Walking Guy's 3 rules of Nordic walking.
  • Walk with purpose. Notice how Nordic walking leads to a faster pace if you stay focused. It falls between walking and running, so to stay at that level, you have stay focused on keeping up the pace.
  • Be consistent. All the research showing positive results came from test participants exercising 3-4 days per week for a number of weeks. They weren't haphazard in their exercise.
  • Don't eat like a teenager. It's no surprise the A1c levels in Type 2 diabetics weren't as affected. Since A1c is more of an average of glucose levels, It takes a commitment to managing your diet over a longer period of time to get your A1c levels. I guarantee a Nordic walking session will bring your glucose level down after that session. However, keeping it down enough to lower your A1c takes more than just a session. You have to stay at Nordic walking and away from that bowl of Cookies 'N Cream ice cream.
Another Nordic walking session in Tuscaloosa!

Hi there! It’s already February and time for another Nordic walking session. Come to the gym of First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa and learn about Nordic walking, a fun and effective way to exercise. It’s also a great social activity because you can walk with other people and enjoy their company.

We’ll be indoors, so dress comfortably. We’ll practice with Nordic walking poles to burn calories, tone muscle, and improve overall health. This will be a free session. For more information about Nordic walking, check out the Nordic Walking Guy blog and the Facebook page.

If the weather permits, we’ll go outside to Government Plaza and walk there. As the weather gets better, we’ll go to other venues to practice and enjoy each other’s company. 

Instructor: Leroy Hurt, Associate Dean at The University of Alabama and a certified Nordic walking instructor
When: Saturday, February 27, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM.

Location: 721 Greensboro Avenue  |  Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401. The gym (Family Life Center) is on 23rd Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets.
Video

From Amazon: Some DVDs that teach the use of poles for walking/hiking/trekking and for balance/mobility.
Research: Effects of Nordic Walking on Body Composition, Muscle Strength, and Lipid Profile in Elderly Women

A research article in Asian Nursing Research in March, 2013. Here's information from the article:

Purpose: "...investigate the effects of Nordic walking on body composition, muscle strength, and lipid profile in elderly women."

Method: A control group  that didn't do anything different, a walking group  that walked normally 3 days per week for 12 weeks, and a Nordic walking group that Nordic walked 3 times per week for 12 weeks. All the groups had similar backgrounds, builds, starting strength levels, and lipid profiles.

What the researchers found:
  • "The Nordic walking group and the normal walking group showed more body weight change compared to the control group. "
  • "…we confirmed the need…to manage obesity for elderly women aged from 60 to 69, and showed that a Nordic walking program to be beneficial as a obesity management program."
  • "In muscle strength, the Nordic walking group and the normal walking group showed an increase in muscle strength in grip strength, sit to stand, and arm curl."
  • "…the Nordic walking group showing significant increase in upper extremity muscle strength than the normal walking group, a remarkable outcome because the participants in this study had never experienced a continuous exercise program."
  • "Nordic walking can energize upper body muscles by using poles and give stability while walking. Thus, Nordic walking is a suitable exercise for the elderly."
  • "In terms of blood lipid levels, the Nordic walking group and the normal walking group showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol compared to that of the control group."
  • Specifics:
    • "In total cholesterol levels, the Nordic walking group showed a significant decrease…The normal walking group showed a significant decrease…However, the control group did not show significant changes."
    • "In triglyceride levels, the Nordic walking group showed a significant decrease…The normal walking group did not show any significant changes…The control group did not show any significant changes."
    • "In HDL cholesterol levels [good cholesterol], the Nordic walking group showed a significant increase…The normal walking group did not show any significant changes…The control group did not show any significant changes."
    • "In LDL cholesterol levels [bad cholesterol], the Nordic walking group did not show any significant changes…The normal walking group did not show any significant changes…The control group did not show any significant changes."

Nordic walking works!

Notice some things related to what the Nordic Walking Guy's 3 rules of Nordic walking:
  • Walk with purpose. The research highlighted the potential for Nordic walking to help with health issues that come with age.
  • Be consistent. Notice the women walked 3 days per week for 12 weeks and the results showed the fruit of their efforts. They kept it up so they could reap the rewards of Nordic walking.
  • Don't eat like a teenager. The LDL cholesterol levels didn’t change much, evidence you must also  manage your diet to help the exercise give you full benefits.
Poles

Available at Amazon: These poles have the Nordic walking tip but not the wrist strap. They only have the standard hiking wrist strap, which doesn't help with full extension. You can attach a Go-Pro camera.
Reading

In case you're interested: Check out this book about Nordic walking from Amazon in Kindle and paperback. It includes a technique for people who don't feel comfortable with the full extension for classical Nordic walking.
Stress, child development,  and well-being

I came across an article about research suggesting maternal stress affects motor skills in expectant women. Some points made in the article:
  • The researchers tracked 2,900 expectant women, who reported stressful events at 18 and 34 weeks.
  • After the children were born, the researchers tested the motor development of the children at ages 10, 14, and 17.
  • The children of mothers who reported more than 3 stressful events scored lower on motor skills tests.
  • The researchers also found that stressful events later in pregnancy affected motor development more.
  • Poor motor skills can affect other areas of children's development and later lives.
  • Financial stress was a very common stressor.

Some tidbits I've come across over the years:
  • My wife and I took a course at our church called Financial Peace University that emphasized staying out of debt. I'm sure there are other such programs offered in communities. This happened to be the one we took.
    • The point was that debt, specifically credit card debt, was a major source of stress.
    • We've been successful at managing our credit card debt, and other people in that course have gone to a cash only lifestyle to stay out of debt.
    • That usually involves follow the adage: Use it up or wear it out; make it do or do without.
  • I've seen where researchers say that prayer supports, among other benefits, better health and stress relief. The spiritual is oft neglected in our hurry-up world. There are a number of resources for prayer that can get you stared.

It goes without saying exercise is an important antidote to the negative effects of stress and anxiety. I would like to suggest that Nordic walking can be a core activity for dealing with stress. Here are some thoughts on the relationship between Nordic walking and stress:

  • Expectant women can enjoy the benefits of full-body exercise because Nordic walking is low impact.
  • Nordic walking facilitates reflective mindsets because you're outdoors and in natural surroundings. Pray on your own? The outdoors, especially trails, provides a great environment for that.
  • You compete against yourself, not others, when you're Nordic walking. That means you can focus on improving against your own efforts and tailoring your efforts to your needs and goals. That in itself can be a stress reducer.
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