WALKING (TREKKING) POLES to help LOSE WEIGHT

fitzie63

I just found this excellent article about how walking poles can help us with fitness & weight loss. Enjoy!
"Can walking poles help your daily walks?

Are you walking regularly to get in shape or lose weight? Are you looking for ways to get more out of your walking routine? Find out how using walking poles can help you turn your walk into a full-body workout.
What are walking poles?

Walking poles are, unsurprisingly, poles that often have rubber tips that grab the pavement and wrist straps that secure the poles to your arms. With one walking pole in each hand, you grip the handles and push off with each stride.
How can walking poles improve your workout?

Moving your arms with the walking poles increases the intensity of your workout and helps you burn more calories. It also works the muscles in your chest, arms, shoulders, and upper back, so your leg muscles aren’t the only ones getting toned. But walking poles can also make walking more comfortable for the rest of your body. They help improve balance and stability and help you maintain proper posture. Using walking poles can also help reduce stress on your lower back, hips, and knees, which is especially helpful for people with joint pain.

If you’re looking to get more out of your walking routine or if you struggle with aches and pains after walking, using walking poles may be the answer."

fitzie63

HERE'S MORE.... "THREE REASONS NORDIC WALKING CAN HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT"

"Nordic walking was initially called ski walking, and this may have had something to do with the fact that this physical activity involves the use of poles that resemble ski poles while you walk. The exercise of Nordic walking originated from the off-season activity that was meant to train skiers, which is called ski walking.

Ski walking itself was already in existence for decades as a means for cross-country skiers to train on dry land during the off-season. Observant ski coaches noted a relationship between the victories of cross-country skiers who did the dry land training during the summer and the practice of ski walking. Nordic walking has been established as conditioning your core and upper body, which makes it similar to Nordic skiing. Here are the there reasons Nordic walking can help you lose weight.
1. More Calories Burned

The first reason that Nordic walking is so effective at helping you lose weight is because of how intense it is as a physical activity. The use of the poles in Nordic walking pressures you to use more muscles, which has an effect on burning calories at a faster pace than just ordinary walking. The beauty of Nordic walking is that even though you are exerting yourself more due to the poles, you will not feel this any harder than if you were just jogging. This is because the poles actually aid in propelling you along your way so that you still feel comfortable and not out of breath. The additional benefit to Nordic walking is that for all its extra intensity, you will not get pain in the joints or knees because of the help in propulsion you get from the poles.
2. Fat Burning Zone

The second reason that Nordic walking can help you lose weight is because it puts your body into something unique called a fat burning zone. This unique characteristic of Nordic walking means that you lose weight faster and more effectively than if you simply ran. The problem with running to lose weight--which Nordic walking corrects--is that runners often run at a pace where their heart rate is so accelerated that their bodies end up not burning fat for fuel, but sugar for fuel instead. Through the fat burning zone that is a direct result of Nordic walking, you get to burn 40 percent more fat than you would if you ran.
3. Easily Incorporated into Routine

The final reason Nordic walking can help you lose weight is because of how convenient it is. Because you can fit Nordic walking into your schedule, you are more apt to use this exercise to lose weight. For example, you can easily Nordic-walk your way to work instead of taking your car or other transportation if your place of work is located at a reasonable distance from your home. Additionally, there are also adjustable and portable Nordic walking poles that you can take with you anywhere in your bag."

Nanadena

I did mine this morning for 6.65 miles on a gravel road. It really increases the effectiveness of your walk.

Improvised

Thanks for the info. I purchased some poles a couple of months ago, that I plan to use after my 6 week postpartum checkup.

kent4j

I have some poles that I used this weekend in the woods. I was searching for some info on YouTube and Google on the proper height adjustment and wow found some great info on the added calorie burn 48% more than without) and the benefits to the joints.. I'm going to try them on my regular walks since I have knee and back pain. Lots of great videos on keenfit.com

johnwhitent

I have some poles that I used this weekend in the woods. I was searching for some info on YouTube and Google on the proper height adjustment and wow found some great info on the added calorie burn 48% more than without) and the benefits to the joints.. I'm going to try them on my regular walks since I have knee and back pain. Lots of great videos on keenfit.com

Have you tried your same walk wearing a hrm both with and without poles? I would trust the real world test of a friend more than an article. I do believe that the poles would help, but I'm not so sure about a 48% higher calorie burn. Let me know if you have done this test or if you do it sometime soon. I am curious but I'm just not in a buying mood unless something really enhances my health and fitness. They probably are very valuable to one with knee and back issues but for myself I would love to see an objective number on the calorie burn.Thanks!

linergyfit

I've just started pole walking in place of regular walking. Lots of good info about pole height adjustment, technique, etc. on keenfit.com

Calories burned are approximately the same as cross country skiing or 40% more than regular walking.

I've also ordered a door gym (least expensive way for strength building). Waiting for that to arrive....hope it has some exercise instructions with it.

Quick question to all the other pole walkers out there: Did you experience sore muscles in your upper body after use? I'm pretty sore right now but I don't know if that's from the pole walking or from helping my husband lace and unlace his boots all this past week (he injured his back)...or maybe both.