All of my Nordic Sports Poles are equipped with comfortable fingerless glove type straps patented by the Salomon Ski Company. My skate and classic cross country ski poles have the same quality straps as my roller ski poles, snowshoe poles and my Nordic Walking or Ski Walking Poles.
Why does the strap matter?
Originally there were poles with either no straps or simple inexpensive loop straps. The new fingerless glove type straps revolutionized cross country ski poles - the fingerless glove type straps eliminate the need to ever grip or squeeze the poles and ALL of the power is transferred effectively from the heel of the hand into the cradle of the strap. ALL of the Nordic event medals are won with Salomon patented straps.
All of the Nordic Walking Poles from SKIWALKING.COM and The American Nordic Walkign Systemare equipped with real Nordic Walking Straps patented by the Salolom Ski Company. The poles come in 16 different lengths because one-piece poles like these are safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap/flimsy collapsible poles.
The American Nordic Walking System is a teaching system based on the positive biomechanics necessary for effective and efficient running and skiing. And when it comes to taking advantage of the fingerless glove type straps it is important to remember that there is no squeezing or gripping of the poles. Trust the straps and the hinge to the pole between the thumb and forefinger. Other individuals teach a lot of gripping or squeezing and usually those individuals are not familiar with the superior Salomon patented straps.
There is a lot of wrong info out there in the Nordic Walking community. At the American Nordic Walking Systemwe never teach sitting back when going downhill - that is silly and ridiculous and looks stupid. When going downhill feel free to plant the poles a little bit out in front of you - the poles help to take the stress off the knees and support the back. Do NOT sit back - very bad for the knees.
I laughed really hard today when a supposed USA Nordic Walking expert was advising people to grip their poles? Do cross country ski racers grip their poles? Are beginner skiers told to grip their poles? If Nordic skiers don't grip/squeeze their poles. Why would Nordic Walkers need to grip and release their poles? My advice is always to keep the fingers relaxed and NEVER grip the poles. When teaching classes it is hard for many new to Nordic Walking to stop squeezing their poles. To help I ask them to guide the pole with the little finger at most and as an exageration practice sticking the other fingers out straight. This proper technique is so successful and user friendly that even individuals with arthritis and/or carpal tunnel can effectively walk with the fingerless glove type straps.
I laughed even harder when I read in the same article something about "greater spinal rotation" - no kidding. Where in over 25 years of coaching did I miss the part about wanting spinal rotation while walking, running or skiing? It was silly when my ski instructors used words they didn't understand and it is silly to hear supposed Nordic Walking experts saying such dumb things. The gift of Nordic Walking is the improved posture and the decrease in the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Spinal rotation doesn't sound so good for the back and it has no place in Nordic Walking.
The same supposed Nordic Walking expert went on to refer to the "unmistakable swing of your shoulders and hips" when Nordic Walking correctly. The hips and shoulders are square when Nordic Walking - there is no stressful swinging when Nordic Walking, Ski Walking, Roller Skiing, Snowshoeing, Cross Country Skiing, hiking with poles, trekking with poles, hill bounding with poles......
Nordic Walking puts a natural bounce in your step, but hopefully never "swings your shoulders and hips"
The American Nordic Walking System provides safe and effective instruction- no squeezing, gripping, twisting, swinging. Just simple healthy biomechics.
