NORDIC WALKING BLOG

Walking Poles For Mobility

Seniors and anyone with a balance issue should never be recommended to use 2-piece or 3-piece twist-lock or flip-lock walking poles. The members of the Senior Hiking Group above are 100% using quality one-piece poles sized to their specific heights. One-piece poles prove to be safer, lighter, stronger, more durable and much more user-friendly than cheap/flimsy collapsible poles flooding the market from China.

I use my 125cm SWIX Nordic Walking Poles while teaching Nordic Walking Classes, while hiking in the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Nordic Walking on pavement, while running hills, in the Grand Canyon, up Pikes Pike, in the White Mountains, in the Sierras, on the beach, in town, in the country, ......

I use 150cm cross country ski poles when classic skiing. Pole length doesn't need to change due to terrain changes. I've been coaching ski racing for over 30 years and I refuse to fall for all the marketing hype about collapsible poles. My vote is don't buy them. Look for quality one-piece poles sized for your specific height.

When I teach Nordic Walking Classes all my students use the correct length poles. We don't start out with short poles that provide poor biomechanics and bad habits. We start out with the Perfect Length Poles.

Perfect length poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back - better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout - burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

Don't get scammed by collapsible poles. Not only are they falsely marketed they are almost ALL made in good old China and cost anywhere between $20.00 and $200.00 per pair. None of them meet our quality standards here at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System.

Skiers never use cheap/flimsy collapsible poles. They would destroy the cheap/flimsy twist-lock and flip-lock gadgets. Skiers use one-piece poles. Seniors and anyone with a balance issues should avoid collapsible poles. One-piece poles are also superior for everyday use for athletes.

Please let me know if you have any questions at any time.

Have a great day! Ski Walking is the best,

Pete - owner/founder/coach The American Nordic
Walking System and WWW.SKIWALKING.COM 
Nordic Walking Poles

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 231-334-3080

The Ultimate Cross-Trainer For Skiers And Nordic Walkers

 There is still 2 1/2 feet of snow on our back deck.

Our driveway here at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System headquarters is long, but it is shoveled by hand - no plow, no snow-blower. Just man-power by the owner/founder/coach of SKIWALKING.COM Pete Edwards.

We are green company. We only use shipping boxes that are made from recycled materials. We don't snail mail invoices - we email them. We recycle. Our company car is a SMART Car - the highest rated gas engine vehicle available here in the USA . The SMART Car can carry my 206cm Classic Race Skis as well as 6 full pole bags with about 20 pairs of Nordic Walking Poles in each when the passenger seat is folded forward.

The straps on Edwards' cross country poles (skate, classic, plus roller ski poles - both skate and classic) are identical to the awesome patented straps on all of his Nordic Walking Poles. These fingerless glove type straps are patented by the Salomon Ski Company and are not only ideal for walking, but they are the preferred straps of cross country skiers - including world cup and olympic skiers.

Edwards' poles are all one piece poles. There are not cheap/flimsy twist-locks or flip-locks - all of those 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles costing $20 -$200 are made in China and designed for the dumpster in record time. All of Edwards' one-piece poles prove to be safer, lighter, much more durable and much more user-friendly than cheap/flimsy collapsible poles from China.

The quality SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles from SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System are custom fit to each individuals height. There are 16 standard sizes and it is easy to custom fit. All poles come with a PerfectFit Guarantee. And a LifeTime Breakage Guarantee. Cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece poles come with a "guarantee" to break/fail guarantee.

A good day during the winter is when Edwards' has to shovel the long driveway to HQ in the morning and again in the afternoon. He might not be able to squeeze in any time on his cross country ski on those easy days, but he is confident that the workouts shoveling snow and the fresh air are the ultimate cross-trainer.

 

Nordic Walking and Cross Country Skiing During The Annual Heikinpaiva Celebration

Nordic Walking was a planned part of the annual Heikinpaiva celebration and parade through downtown Hancock, Michigan. Over 100 parade participants Nordic Walked the parade route that finished at the Finnish American Heritage Center.

Nordic Walking during the winter festival parade was just a warm-up for the record breaking attempt this coming June during the Finn Fest USA 2013 "A Midsummer Eve's Dream" June 19 - 23, 2013 in Michigan's Copper Country. Thousands of participants from around the world will be coming to the Houghton/Hancock area and only 1,200 are required to Nordic Walk the 3km distance with real Nordic Walking Poles (must be equipped with rubber Nordic Walking tips or asphalt paws for pavement). The participants in the world record breaking attempt must also use the correct Nordic Walking Technique. FinnFest 2013 website: http://www.cityofhancock.com/pictorial-view.php?target=148

Pete Edwards, the owner/founder/head coach at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM LLC and the American Nordic Walking Company has been asked to help with this world record breaking attempt. The 1st test was rounding up 100 happy and willing participants for the Heikinpaiva parade this past January. Edwards taught Nordic Walking lessons and loaned out, at no charge, over 100 pairs of REAL Nordic Walking Poles. Edwards' speciality is promoting REAL Nordic Walking Poles (equipped with removable rubber tips/asphalt paws), selecting the Perfect Length Poles for each individuals specific height and teaching Nordic Walking Classes. His other Nordic passion is cross country skiing and the Houghton/Hancock area has world class skiing up at Michigan Tech, over in Swede Town, down the road at Chassel and the beautiful river trail that is part of the Maasto Hiihto trail system. For cross country ski info check out www.keweenawtrails.com

Perfect cross country ski conditions made the successful trip to annual Heikinpaiva celebration a world class vacation. A perfect combination of enthusiastic Nordic Walkers and miles of world class cross country skiing made the trip to the Keweenaw Peninsula the ultimate working vacation.

Edwards has been coaching runners and skiers for over 30 years. And when it comes to Nordic Walking no one in North America has taught as many classes or introduced Nordic Walking to more individuals. Edwards discovered personally that Nordic Walking radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back when he had to give up marathon running, but Nordic Walking saved the day and minimized the stress to the knee that had been bothering him. His skiers had been dune climbing, ski walking and hill bounding with poles for over 3 decades so the "use of poles" made total sense to him. Edwards promotes and personally uses  quality one-piece poles equipped with the ultimate straps (comfortable fingerless glove type straps patented by the Salomon Ski Company) when roller skiing, cross country skiing (skate and classic), ski walking, running hills, trekking in the Sleeping Bear Dunes, .......

Edwards is dedicated to the simple fact that one-piece Nordic Walking Poles are far superior to cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles that come with undependable twist-locks or flip-locks. Edwards carries 16 different lengths of SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles.

For more info go to WWW.SKIWALKING.COM or call 231-334-3080

Nordic Walking and Weight Loss

I received a thank you note this week from another happy Nordic Walking customer who lost 90 pounds thanks to Nordic Walking and Weight Watchers! Walking is one of the easiest exercises that we can do to help get us back on track. Other customers have had huge success with Nordic Walking and TOPS. Walking with poles not only burns more calories, turbo charging the average walking campaign, the poles themselves help to radically reduce the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Really.

Everyday here at the American Nordic Walking System we receive thank you cards and thank you emails from happy and grateful customers that are walking much more successfully now that they have their dependable one-piece Nordic Walking Poles. One-piece poles prove to be safer, lighter, stronger, much more durable and much more dependable than all the cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles equipped with twist-locks or flip-locks that attempt to hold the pieces of the poles together. We have received hundreds of testimonies from happy customers. In addition to weight loss success, there are so many other success stories. While hosting classes at a Diabetes Expo this past week one happy customer reported that he had cut his medication dosage in half since losing so much weight. Another proudly told how her poles have enabled her to walk to her cabin in the woods after several years of being unable to because of the uneven terrain and balance issues.

After hosting hundreds of Nordic Walking classes and clinics during the past eight years I have developed a pretty good feel for sizing everyone into the correct length poles. ALL my customers receive a perfect length guarantee. ALL 16 sizes (lengths of poles) of SWIX from Norway and EXEL from Finland are in-stock and ready to ship. Once I know how tall someone is I personally select the perfect length poles for their height.

When using the perfect length poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back - better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout - burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

There are many more benefits to walking with the correct length poles than just weight loss and the reduction of stress to the weight bearing joints while doing so. The mental and physical benefits of fresh air and exercise are huge. Endorphins often kick in while walking with poles. Just getting out of the house is a really big step for many. Quality one-piece poles can play a role in helping to launch a much needed walking campaign. We all need to get off the couch and start walking!

Prevention Magazine and The Mayo Clinic Publish Nordic Walking Articles

Both Prevention Magazine and The Mayo Clinic have published articles proclaiming the many wonderful benefits of Nordic Walking - walking with special fitness poles. Nordic Walking Poles are a fantastic cross-trainer for world class athletes and they also help to radically improve balance and stability for those with walking and balance issues. The poles when sized correctly and when used with the ideal technique also help those with sore knees, hips and/or backs walk much more comfortably.

Ski coaches know that one-piece poles are far superior to cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles - especially all those flooding the market from China.  Athletes only use one-piece poles and avoid collapsible poles because they are not dependable or user-friendly. Individuals with balance and stability issues should only use one-piece poles sized specifically to their heights.  Individuals with balance issues should NEVER use cheap/flimsy 2-piece or 3-piece collapsible poles because they rattle, vibrate, gradually collapse or fail unexpectedly. Quality one-piece poles will always prove to be lighter, safer and much more durable than collapsible poles - regardless of the marketing hype promoting collapsible poles.

Real Nordic Walking Poles by SWIX and EXEL are made in Norway, Finland and Italy - not China. They come in 16 different lengths (no cheap twist-locks or flip-locks). They also come with a free Nordic Walking DVD, printed instructions, real Nordic Walking Straps (comfortable and effective fingerless glove type straps patented by the Salomon Ski Company), removable rubber tips/asphalt pads for pavement and durable metal tips for off-road surfaces (dirt trails, the beach, grass, snow and ice). SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles in 16 different lengths to ensure a Perfect Length Fit and the come with a LifeTime Breakage Guarantee. Collapsible poles with their cheap/flimsy twist-locks or flip-locks are guaranteed to break, rattle and/or vibrate.

SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System are running 100% Satisfaction Ratings. Quality one-piece
construction sized specifically to each individual's height. Safer, lighter, stronger and much more user-friendly than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles.

I only use one-piece poles that are sized correctly for all the Nordic and Alpine Sports that I love. I would NEVER cross country ski with collapsible poles (skate or classic), never downhill ski with collapsible poles, never roller ski with collapsible poles, never hike with collapsible poles, never snowshoe with collapsible poles, never teach Nordic Walking Classes with collapsible poles and never recommend cheap/flimsy collapsible poles to seniors or anyone with a balance issue.

Nordic Walking Classes Return to The Village at Bay Ridge's Annual Health Fair

Nordic Walking Poles and instruction will be available again this year at the Annual Health Fair hosted by The Village at Bay Ridge on Thursday, April 19 in Traverse City, Michigan. Along with Nordic Walking Classes and Nordic Walking Pole "test-drives" there will be blood pressure checks, hearing + eye care info, breathing checks, massages and much more.

Nordic Walking helps to radically improve the balance and stability of seniors - enabling them to walk faster, farther and with more confidence. Real Nordic Walking Poles are a durable one-piece design sized correctly to each individual’s specific height and prove to be far superior to the cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles flooding the market from China.

Nordic Walking Classes will be hosted by Pete Edwards the owner/founder/coach of WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System. Edwards is committed to the simple fact that his one-piece poles from SWIX of Norway and EXEL of Finland are safer, lighter and much more user-friendly than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles that rattle, vibrate, gradually collapse or collapse unexpectedly. Edwards has been coaching skiers for over 30 years and knows that one-piece poles are ideal for skiing and walking. Seniors should never get scammed into cheap/flimsy collapsible poles. One-piece poles will always prove to be superior.

One-piece walking poles prove to be more comfortable and effective than canes and walkers in almost every situation. Two poles provide the same comfort and stability that many find while pushing a shopping cart.

Not only do seniors and individuals with balance issues find that the correct length walking poles enable comfortable and effective walking, but so do Wounded Warriors. Nordic Walking Poles are radically improving balance, stability, gait, walking posture and walking comfort of Wounded Warriors! Quality Nordic Walking Poles from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System have been donated to Wounded Warrior Programs at Walter Reed, Fort Lewis/Madigan/McChord, Fort Carson, Vicenza in Italy and Kaiserslautern Military Community in Germany.

For more info please contact Pete Edwards the owner/founder/coach at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System.

Phone #: 231-334-3080

Email: [email protected]

 

Nordic Walking Success Generates Thank You Cards - Happy Thanksgiving!

Nordic Walking Poles are not created equal. There is a lot of marketing hype out there, but when it comes to logic and physics there are a lot of reasons why one-piece Nordic Walking Poles from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System are consistently running 100% positive in all of the satisfaction ratings. Cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece twist-lock and flip-lock poles can never achieve such high ratings.

One-piece poles that are sized correctly are hassle-free. Collapsible poles tend to rattle, vibrate and/or collapse unexpectedly. Collapsible poles have twist-locks or twist-locks and these often prove to break or they refuse to hold their settings. While one-piece poles are lighter, safer and much more durable. At WWW.SKIWALKING.COM LLC and the American Nordic Walking System there are 16 different lengths SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles to select from - ensuring a perfect fit.

Perfect length poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back - better walking posture is bio-mechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout - burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

Today I received another thank you card from a happy customer. She had taken one of my Nordic Walking Classes at Northwestern Michigan College and shared this with me: "I went walking with a group of 10 ladies yesterday and I used my new Nordic Walking Poles. We walked for an hour and without the poles I would not have made it. You and they are a blessing. Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving"

Everyday we receive thank you emails and cards in the mail.

Many of our new customers found us after their 1st pair of poles (collapsible poles from other sources costing anywhere from $20.00 - $200.00 per pair) failed miserably. Typically one of the twist-locks or flip-locks just refuses to lock into position. Seniors and those with balance issues should especially avoid cheap/flimsy collapsible poles and opt for durable/dependable one-piece poles that are sized correctly.

Skiers know that one-piece poles are the best for skiing. And when it comes to walking why compromise with your poles? One-piece poles will always prove to be superior.

Nordic Walking With Neuropathy

Nordic Walking Poles often enable those suffering from Neuropathy to walk taller, more confidently, longer, with reduced pain and often corrects foot drag! Sound to good to be true? Walking with the correct technique and the perfect length poles almost always helps those suffering from Neuropathy walk with improved confidence and for longer distances.

Over 10 million Europeans are already walking with poles in the city (with the special rubber tips/asphalt paws on), out in the country and up in the mountains (typically with the rubber tips off and utilizing the durable metal tips).

And now here in the USA Nordic Walking Poles are replacing canes and walkers. Durable one-piece Nordic Walking Poles are far superior to the cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece poles flooding the market equipped with poor twist-lock and flip-lock system that add unnecessary weight, rattle, vibrate and unexpectedly collapse.

Durable and user-friendly one-piece poles from SWIX of Norway and EXEL of Finland are exclusively available here in North America at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System. Quality one-piece walking poles prove to be safer, lighter and much more durable than collapsible poles flooding the market from China.

If you feel comfortable pushing a shopping cart and find the cart helps with posture and reduces the stress to the weight bearing joints you really should try real Nordic Walking Poles that are sized correctly for your height. At WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System there are 16 different lengths available to ensure a perfect fit and backed by a Perfect Length Guarantee.

While teaching a Nordic Walking Class at NMC (Northwestern Michigan College) during Life Academy's Campus Day one of the participants stated she had Neuropathy and that she hoped the poles would help make walking doable again. After my intro to the history of Nordic Walking and the introduction of the American Nordic Walking System teaching progression I strapped each individual into the Perfect Length Poles for their height and off we went - Ski Walking down the long carpeted campus hallways. Not only was the foot pain gone so was the foot drag and the unexpected relief of serious back pain. The poles hit a home run with each and every participant.

I demonstrated with the help of a $129.95 pair of collapsible poles from Italy (tons better than the junk flooding the market from China) why one-piece poles are always superior. The expensive Italian poles rattled, vibrated and gradually collapsed when pressure was applied. Just imagine the problems with the junk coming in from China.

Quality one-piece SWIX Nordic Walking Poles from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM start at $69.95 per pair and come with a free Nordic Walking DVD. The poles are equipped with real Nordic Walking Straps - patented by the Salomon Ski Company. Durable metal tips are included for off-road including snow, ice, the beach, trails and the dunes. Removable rubber tips/paws are included for pavement and other hard surfaces.

Perfect length poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back - better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout - burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

Walking with poles is the best! Be sure to seek out quality one-piece poles equipped with real Nordic Walking Straps - comfortable fingerless glove type straps.

 

FREE Nordic Walking Santa Claus With ALL Poles From WWW.SKIWALKING.COM And The American Nordic Walking System

 
FREE Nordic Walking Santa Christmas Tree Ornaments are included with every pair of Nordic Waking Poles ordered from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System between now and Christmas.

The Nordic Walking Christmas Ornaments are hand crafted from wood and hand painted right here in the USA - NOT China! My dad makes these for me when he isn't swamped making the gifts, the crafts and the Christmas trees that he donates to a children's hospital up near Buffalo, NY.

 
Our one-piece Nordic Walking Poles make great gifts. All we need to know is how tall the person is that poles are for. Once we know how tall they are we select the Perfect Length Poles for their height - ALL 16 sizes are in-stock and ready to ship. And we ship FAST.

Our one-piece SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles prove to be safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece twist-lock and flip-lock collapsible poles. Collapsible poles tend to be clunky and they often rattle, vibrate, gradually collapse or collapse/fail unexpectedly. Collapsible poles often end up in the dumpster and headed for the landfill.

Our Nordic Walking Poles come with a Perfect Length Guarantee, 100% Satisfaction Guarantee and a LifeTime Breakage Guarantee. ALL customer satisfaction ratings are at 100% positive.

All of our SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles come with rubber tips/asphalt paws and are ideal for pavement and other hard surfaces. Remove the rubber tip/paw and the durable metal tip is exposed (ideal for grass, trails, the beach, snow and ice). They also come with REAL Nordic Walking Straps - comfortable fingerless glove type straps patented by the Salomon Ski Company.

Nordic Walking Poles not only help to turbo charge the average walking campaign they help to radically reduce the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. We have hundreds of awesome testimonies from happy Ski Walkers that LOVE our one-piece Nordic Walking Poles.

I enjoy hosting Nordic Walking Clinics here in Glen Arbor and Traverse City, Michigan plus all across the country - from sports teams to senior centers. to YMCA's.

We also donate our super strong and dependable one-piece poles to Wounded Warrior Programs at Walter Reed, Fort Lewis/Madigan/McChord, Fort Carson, Vicenza in Italy and Kaiserslautern Military Community in Germany.

When using the correct length/perfect length Nordic Walking Poles they help us to automatically walk with a super straight back - better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout - burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

And don't forget that Santa Claus was spotted Nordic Walking in shorts this summer:

 
If you've been naughty Santa will bring you a pair of heavy, clunky and/or cheap/flimsy collapsible poles made in China. If you've been good you'll get fancy one-piece Nordic Walking Poles from SWIX and EXEL.

Santa's knows best: Walking with poles is the best!

 

 

Can a Walking Workout Really Be as Good or Better than Running?

Great article about Nordic Ski Walking was posted at the Huffington Post! Malin is one of the top Nordic Walking professionals here in the USA.

My approach to teaching Nordic Walking is based on the benefits of Ski Walking with poles, Hill Bounding with poles and the European Nordic Walking method and merging the best of these activities with what I've learned from coaching runners and skiers for over 25 years. The American Nordic Walking System is all about good biomechanics (NO leaning) and proves to be safe and effective regardless of age or fitness levels. Here at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM  and the American Nordic Walking System there are three basic levels - casual Level 1 burns about 20% more calories than regular walking, Level 2 includes a full arm extension and burns 30% more calories than regular walking and Level 3 includes the full arm extension and pressure into the cradle of our comfortable patented Nordic Walking straps.

There is a level of intensity and exertion that will work effectively for any age and any fitness level - including those with balance, stability and gait issues. Nordic Walking is no longer just for expert skiers deprived of snow. I especially love hosting free Nordic Walking classes for Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's (PD) and Diabetes support groups, plus Wounded Warriors Programs.

WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System has donated hundreds of pairs of poles to Wounded Warriors Programs. We also exclusively promote and recommend durable and user-friendly one-piece poles that are sized correctly - we offer 16 different lengths. Our SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles prove to be safer, lighter and much stronger than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece twist-lock and flip-lock collapsible poles.

Runners and walkers can both benefit from using real Nordic Walking Poles - burning more calories, working more muscle groups and radically reducing the stress to the weight bearing joints. I have been coaching runners and skiers for over 25 years and walking with poles has provided an effective warm-up for my athletes and also been an ideal option for anyone suffering from shin splints, runners knee or other stress related injuries.

Link to the original Nordic Walking article that appeared in the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jill-s-brown/can-a-walking-workout-rea_b_779813.html

Walking and running with poles is the best!