Freedom of Movement Festival in Russia

Nordic walking is one of the important forms of movement exercise. See the translation on the Facebook page.

 

It doesn’t include an urge to take a selfie in front of a gym mirror

An interesting article found via Instapundit: A single exercise session can have positive effects on your brain.

Main points:

• “…physical activity may protect against neurodegeneration and other aging-related forms of cognitive impairment.”
• “…exercise was shown to increase levels of dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.”
• “Dopamine helps the brain to learn and is involved in the rewarding circuits.”
• “…serotonin…relieves anxiety and depression.”
• “…a single exercise session seemed to increase levels of so-called neuromodulators. These include endogenous opioids and endocannabinoids - that is, "feel good" chemical substances that are naturally produced by the brain when we exercise. These account for the runner's high effect and exercise-induced states of euphoria.”

A good Nordic walking excursion, even around your neighborhood can create those changes. A bonus: you can socialize with a walking partner, gaining even more psychological benefit.

Nordic walking compared to cross-country skiing

An article from a few years ago compared cross-country skiing and Nordic walking. Cross-country skiers invented Nordic walking so they could keep working out when there was no snow. 

Cross-country skiing is certainly the more taxing of the 2 activities, but there are ways to increase the intensity of Nordic walking. For example, turning your Nordic walking route into a circuit with different bodyweight exercises like pushups, planks, and lunges can get your heart rate up in no time.

Cross-country skiing	Nordic walking
Exceptional cardio-vascular workout	Excellent but lower intensity
Heavy upper body involvement	Full engagement of the upper body
Less beginner-friendly; must master skiing	More beginner-friendly
Low impact but terrain may be rough	Low impact on more hospitable terrain
Higher intensity for more fat-burning	Lower intensity but upper body involvement increases fat-burning over regular walking