iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Want to burn calories? Those Nordic walking machines apparently live up to the hype.
According to U.S. News & World Report, when done correctly, Nordic walking — which mimics the motion of cross-country skiing — can burn up to 40 percent more calories than regular walking, reduce knee and joint stress, boost oxygen consumption which benefits the brain, and help realign the body after a day hunched at a desk.
Dr. Pam Roberts, a family physician who teaches Nordic walking as a health and wellness coach at The Summit Medical Fitness Center in Kalispell, Montana, says walkers “are getting a higher level of fitness, but they’re not feeling the drudgery of it.”
Nordic walking has a low risk for injury and can be done almost anywhere safe to walk, and with the right equipment.
“Anybody can take a walk, but this is so much more effective because you’re using your upper body as well. The poles defray a lot of the tension and the stress from your knees and your joints,” Bill Rosson, who co-founded HYVA, the Nordic walking organization in New York City, says.
It’s a good idea to take a class from a certified Nordic walking instructor or watch a video online.
“You just have to get down the basic cues,” Rosson says.
There’s no harm, however, if you don’t, he says: “Worst-case scenario: You get a nice walk.”
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