Sunday Sounds: A look back at Guy Lombardo's last New Year's Eve performance. Make this your last year for putting off exercise as you think about your resolutions.

Looking for a New Year resolution?

Look no further.

Nordic walking for patients with heart failure


Of different parameters measured, patients improved in the following:
  • They could walk farther than the control group
  • More regularly engaged in physical activity
  • Great right hand grip strength
  • Fewer symptoms of depression

The researchers did not find significant changes in peak aerobic capacity, left-hand grip strength, body weight, waist circumference, or symptoms of anxiety.


The overall conclusion was Nordic walking yielded greater benefits during the 12-week study than standard cardiac rehabilitation care.
Keeping the pressure up for your new year's resolutions

Yes, I'm pushing you to add exercise for the new year


Start Nordic walking in the new year

More reasons why Nordic walking should be in your resolutions.

Add Nordic walking to your resolutions for next year

It's the day after Christmas, so people's thoughts turn to their resolutions for the new year.

Merry Christmas!


Sunday Sounds: You're probably not walking today, so here's some background music to relax by during this season.

Nordic walking to help patients prepare for surgery

Surgeons built their patients' fitness to prepare them for surgery by putting them on a Nordic walking program. They had determined less fit patients fared worse in the surgery. They risk strokes, heart attacks, and infections among other ailments.


Nordic walking's low impact, full-body form helps patients build essential fitness and its format helps patients maintain motivation to continue exercising.
Exercise to reduce complications from chronic kidney disease

A study examined the benefits of exercise for people with chronic kidney disease. It seems "Heart disease is the leading cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD)."

Over the course of a 12-month study, the researchers found:
  • Kidney function decline slowed
  • Cardio-respiratory fitness improved

In a 6-month study with dialysis patients, walking improved physical well-being.


In general, people with chronic conditions benefit from exercise.
Why sleep is a key to good memory

It turns out activity in our brains during sleep is important to good memory. According to a recent study, "During deep sleep, older people have less coordination between two brain waves that are important to saving new memories."

Key points:
  • The coordination mentioned above is "the interaction between slow waves, which occur every second or so, and faster waves called sleep spindles, which occur more than 12 times a second."
  • In the study, "performance was determined by how well their slow waves and spindles had synchronized during deep sleep."

The bad news about "the lack of coordination associated with aging: atrophy of an area of the brain involved in producing deep sleep."

A next step in the research involves "applying electrical or magnetic pulses through the scalp…to boost those brain waves and bring them back together."

Meanwhile, what can we do about it in our own lives? Here are some tips while we're waiting on the research:

Sunday Sounds: A variety of sounds to vary your pace.

Sunday Sounds: A walk in December isn't complete without this.

Sunday Sounds: Some people like to listen to this music all year.

Nordic walking meetup in Tuscaloosa County on 12/2

Join us on Saturday to find out what Nordic walking is all about! No charge; poles provided. Look for the white Nordic walking sign.
  • When: 10 AM; December 2
  • Where:  Monnish Park (1500 Hackberry Lane, Tuscaloosa))

Instructor: Leroy Hurt, ANWA-certified Advanced Nordic Walking instructor

Why Nordic walking?
  • Full body, low impact
  • Increase weight loss
  • Improve cholesterol
  • Improve blood pressure
  • Facilitate rehabilitation
  • Maintain stability and balance
  • Maintain posture
  • Facilitate stress relief
  • Support muscle toning
  • Improve cardiovascular function
  • Improve lung capacity
  • Support immune system
  • Socialize with walking companions
  • You determine the intensity of your workout


Learn more about Nordic walking at my Nordic Walking Guy blog and Nordic Walking Guy Facebook page.
Nordic walking in snow

Winter is coming, so it pays to be prepared.

This video from some time ago illustrates why Nordic walking poles have baskets at their bottoms. It also illustrates how you can take the rubber boots off so you can use the metal tips in snow and soft terrain.

The video also demonstrates how the Nordic walking poles aid in balance and stability should you have to go out in snow and ice.


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