Do you ... :

• Struggle with gym regimes;
• Dislike running or jogging ~ indoors or outdoors; and
• Want to find a way to exercise anywhere … one that suits your specific needs, constraints and abilities ?

Do you want to ... :

• improve your general health;
• increase fitness levels;
• lose weight safely;
• tone your whole body; and
• enjoy taking exercise out in the fresh air ?

CONTACT US :

telephone 01323 871554 or mobile 07930 738034 

Nordic Walking (NW) ~ a Practical Solution to your Exercise Needs

Some liken it to Skiing without Snow!  This is an incredibly effective route to fitness.  You use 90% of the body’s skeletal muscle to do it!  Your entire upper body gets an aerobic and strength and conditioning workout too. 

It is great when conducted on the Downs in our two base areas : join us on one of our Twin Pole Fitness Walks

OR come along to Seaford on the East Sussex coast for a Wednesday evening from 7 to 8 pm for

our all new outdoor 60-minute class. 

The Nordic Walking style was first developed in the 1930’s to help Finnish cross country skiers train throughout the summer months. Nordic Walking is effective as a sports specific training to benefit diverse sporting needs, BUT is has also been thoroughly researched ~ finding that it carries huge health benefits for all participants, not just those preparing for a sport. There are potential fitness gains for those wanting an all-round workout ~ for a little bit of effort. The formation of the International Nordic Walking Association (INWA) in Finland in 1997 was the culmination of much research and effort, particularly in the last two decades of the Twentieth Century.

We trained with the then UK affiliate of INWA ~ Nordic Walking UK.  The INWA affiliation has now been taken by BRITISH NORDIC WALKING.

As reported in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday 14th February 2009, Nordic Walking offers you ... :

• a truly fun way to improve your health and fitness irrespective of sex, age or where you start from (from ‘couch-potato’ to athlete).
• a great way to socialise as you can 'walk and talk' quite comfortably together whilst exercising during most group NW sessions. This may be in the initial group training classes or for participants in group walks thereafter. Individuals of different fitness levels can work out together and each get a workout to suit their needs;
• great potential also for the individual exerciser ~ for those that wish to find an endurance pursuit that they can undertake solo;
• an aerobic endurance workout that utilises over 90% of the skeletal muscles ~ that is upper as well as lower body and thereby giving a full body workout;
• an exercise form that is capable of burning over 20% more calories than normal walking without poles (subject to your effort level);
• reduced impact on hip, knee and ankle joints ~ substantially less than say running; and
• a sport or pastime that is growing hugely in popularity around the globe (growing in the UK from an estimated 3,000 participants in 2004 to target 30,000 by end of 2006) and now practised in over 40 countries.

However, taking the style a bit further and adding additional drills that are relevant to Nordic Walking makes it eminently suitable for performance sport-specific training.  Ski-conditioning being just one of the many applications for enhancing tone and condition for specific movements.

CONTACT US :

telephone 01323 871554 or mobile 07930 738034 

From our base in the stunning Cuckmere Valley, close to Alfriston, we now offer Nordic Fitness events in both East Surrey and East Sussex.  There we have our own Nordic Walking Training Park, comprising fields and woodland in the Cuckmere Valley.  We also offer tasters from The Tye in the centre of Alfriston, with a final walk along the riverside levees by The Cuckmere; and either in Firle village area or from Seaford Martello Tower.

Needless to say, as fitness consultants we are very excited about Nordic Walking and its potential to help our clients exercise anywhere.

© 2010 : Nigel BENTLEY for WINDOVER FITNESS & LIFEafterFORTY.com CONSULTING with Oakleafe Nordic Walking Group