Just Add Poles

Nordic walking is a boon for mobility and overall health

- Katherine Ashenburg

I'M A WALKER, logging an average of 9,000 steps a day several times a week around my Toronto neighbourhood. One of walking's great charms for me is that you don't need equipment. But on recent trips to Copenhagen and Stockholm, I noticed tall, fit Scandinavians striding along on city streets with poles, as if they were cross-country skiing without any snow. It was a revelation to learn that the addition of the poles makes it a more vigorous, full-body exercise than simply walking-and, as a 76-year-old looking to stay healthy while enjoying the outdoors, I decided to give it a try.

There's plenty of help online for the novice Nordic walker: stand tall, swing your arms out as if to shake hands and plant your poles with vigour. Then there's the little matter of the glove-like strap on the pole. This allows the walker to grip the pole when thrusting forward and then relax that hand as the other hand pushes forward-a feat of coordination that builds stronger muscles.