Up the benefit: GO NORDIC!

Walking with poles can be tricky to get the hang of first. So when should we use them, and how?

‘Rule number one is to walk naturally and don’t think too hard about when to plant the pole,’ says Gill. ‘Begin by gradually increasing the length of your arm swing as you walk, then start pushing into the poles. You’ll soon find a natural rhythm.’ Here are her tips...

Without using poles, master a good heel-to-toe foot roll while walking, checking you have good posture. Still without poles, practise swinging your arms from the shoulder as you walk, making sure that you do not bend the elbows. Remember, the arm that is forward should be the opposite one to the forward leg. If this goes out of sync, relax and gradually bring in the arm swing again until arms and legs move at the same speed. Practise this for a while. Pick up the poles and tighten the hand straps. Hold the handles with a very loose grip, so the poles rest at an angle with their tips behind you.

Walk forward. Still holding the poles loosely, start swinging your arms from the shoulders, taking each hand to handshake height.

The poles should be bouncing along the ground behind you, and will stop at the point your hand reaches handshake height.

At this point, gently lift them up a fraction and quickly place them back down at exactly the same angle, so that as you learn to push on them, they will propel you forward. Once you feel this, push into the strap with the side of your hand to help you push off from your toes.

NORDIC KNOW-HOW Nordic walking should give you a feeling of lightness, but how can you tell? ‘A good way to check you’re getting it right is to walk without using the poles,’ says Gill. ‘You should feel heavy without them; if you don’t, you’re not quite doing it right, so go back through the routine again.’