Nordic walking involves using poles similar to ski poles as you move. Unlike a regular walk, this kind of walking incorporates your upper body muscles in addition to your lower body muscles. According to the International Nordic Walking Federation, Nordic walking began as an off-season workout for skiers and has been around since the mid-1900s.
After the workout program, participants were observed for 14 weeks, and their functional capacity ― or their ability to exercise or perform daily activities that require physical effort ― was tested by measuring how far they walked in six minutes.
Nordic walking yielded the best results.
In other words, those who committed to the 12-week Nordic walking program were most able to show increased exercise capacity during the six-minute walk test. And one’s functional capacity is “an important predictor of future cardiovascular events in patients with [coronary artery disease],” the study stated.
This is important for everyone, but especially for those with coronary artery disease.
Here’s how to reap the benefits yourself.
To get started with Nordic walking, you’ll need a set of trekking poles and a good walking route. Nordic walking can be done in quiet, paved neighborhoods or on rocky, hilly terrain ― it’s not just for hikers on trails.
When walking, maintain proper posture by pushing your shoulders back, and keep your head straight so your ribcage stays upright and open. Use the poles to strike the ground on either side of your feet as you walk, ensuring that they hit in the middle of your stride. The poles should be kept at an angle and you should grip the pole as it hits the ground so you have better leverage to push off. This will help you to engage your upper body. Repeat as you walk.
A normal resting heart rate by age, what it means if your heart is beating slower or faster than it should and ways to adjust your lifestyle to support it.
Lizzo said quitting veganism helped her lose weight and feel more energetic. Her personal trainer told Business Insider she hasn't considered taking Ozempic.
Kelly Osbourne took her two-year-old son to the pumpkin patch this week – and the pictures reveal that the older she gets, the more she takes after her beloved father Ozzy Osbourne. See the pictures here..
A mother said her 13-year-old daughter died in pain from sepsis in hospital because of a “pervasive belief” in the NHS that “parents are an irritant and they’re wrong”.
Boki, the European Brown Bear who underwent pioneering brain surgery yesterday at a wildlife park in Kent, is awake and "doing as well as can be expected" according to vets.