Nordic walking

What it is

Two poles change everything. Nordic walking takes ordinary walking and adds specially designed poles you plant and push against with each stride, turning a lower-body stroll into a full-body workout that engages the arms, shoulders, chest, and back. It began as summer training for cross-country skiers in Finland, who wanted to keep their upper-body conditioning when the snow melted, and it spread across Europe as a genuinely effective, joint-friendly form of exercise.

The numbers behind it are striking. Research suggests Nordic walking can burn around 20 percent more calories than regular walking at the same pace, while engaging roughly 90 percent of the body's muscles. Yet because the poles share the load, it actually reduces strain on the knees and hips, which is why it is widely recommended for older adults, people in rehabilitation, and anyone whose joints object to running.

The technique is the part people get wrong. This is not walking with hiking poles for balance. The poles angle backward, and you actively push through them, releasing each one behind you in a specific rhythm coordinated with the opposite leg. Done correctly it feels powerful and flowing. Done as a casual prop, it gives almost none of the benefit, which is why a lesson or two pays off enormously.

The honest trade-off is the small learning curve and the slightly self-conscious look of striding along with poles. Get past both and you have one of the most efficient, sustainable forms of whole-body exercise around.

How it works

Get the poles right first, because the wrong ones make good technique impossible. Nordic walking poles are different from trekking poles: they have a slanted rubber paw for pavement, removable spike tips for soft ground, and a glove-like strap that lets you push through and release the pole behind you. Sizing matters, with a common guide being your height multiplied by about 0.68, giving roughly a 90-degree elbow angle when the pole is planted.

The motion is the whole skill. You plant the pole angled backward beside the opposite foot, push down and back through the strap, and open your hand to release it behind you, then swing it forward again. Arms and legs move in opposition, exactly as in a natural walk, just amplified. The classic beginner error is reaching the pole forward and tapping it like a walking stick, which does nothing. A single lesson from an instructor fixes this faster than any video.

Start on flat, firm ground to groove the rhythm before adding hills. Build up gradually, since the upper-body engagement makes it more tiring than it looks, and your shoulders and triceps will let you know. Keep a relaxed, upright posture and let the poles drive you forward rather than just carrying them along.

Benefits

Burns Around 20% More Calories Works About 90% of Your Muscles Gentler on Knees and Hips Than Running Improves Posture and Balance Widely Used in Rehabilitation Doable Straight From Your Door

What you need

Here's what to gather before you start. The essentials are marked.

Nordic walking poles: dedicated ones such as Leki or Gabel, not trekking poles

Correct pole length: roughly your height times 0.68 for a 90-degree elbow

Comfortable trainers: supportive shoes with decent cushioning

Removable tips: rubber paws for pavement, spikes for trails

A starter lesson or class: optional but speeds up technique enormously

Breathable layers: the upper-body work warms you up fast

FAQs

Are Nordic walking poles the same as trekking poles?

No, and the difference matters. Nordic poles have a special strap that lets you push through and release the pole behind you, plus angled rubber paws for pavement. Trekking poles are designed for support and balance and lack the release strap, so they cannot deliver the proper poling action. Using the right poles is essential to get the benefits.

How much fitter will it actually make me?

Meaningfully, if your technique is right. Research shows it burns around 20 percent more calories than ordinary walking at the same speed and engages roughly 90 percent of your muscles, including the whole upper body. The catch is that casual pole-tapping gives almost none of this, so the gains depend entirely on pushing through the poles correctly.

Is it suitable if my knees are bad?

Often yes, which is a large part of its appeal. Because the poles share the workload, Nordic walking reduces strain on the knees and hips compared with walking unaided or running, and it is widely recommended in rehabilitation and for older adults. As with any exercise, check with a professional if you have a specific condition.

Do I really need a lesson?

You do not strictly need one, but a single session is the best value in the activity. The poling rhythm is easy to get wrong, and most self-taught beginners just carry the poles or tap them forward, missing the benefit. An instructor corrects this in minutes, after which you can practise on your own.