FITNESS & FUN FIRST
New Year. New you.
This season, with the start of a brand-new decade, we invite you to give Nordic walking aka Urban Poling a go. Pick up a pair of poles and walk yourself to better health.
Urban Poling is getting ready for its 15th year in business this summer and we feel humbled and proud of being Canada’s top supplier of walking poles! For anyone that’s new to the game, pole walking engages approximately 90% of your body’s muscles and actively works both your upper and lower bodies. In so doing, you burn at minimum 20% more calories, compared to regular walking. As per cardiologist, Dr. Aaron Baggish, at Massachusetts General Hospital, you also help increase your “ ‘good’ ” HDL cholesterol, as well as cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and endurance” (McPhillips, 2019).
Why does this matter? Well for starters, you reap significant health benefits, but you also get to discover the joy of walking, only in a slightly different fashion. Here are some tips we recommend to keep in mind when you’re getting started:
- Dress appropriately for the weather. This means if it’s cool outside, you want to make sure you’re dressed in layers.
- Footwear is important. Focus on function over fashion. Comfort and performance are key.
- Hydration is also very important. We encourage you to carry a water bottle with you so that if at any point in your walk you need to quench that thirst, you’re ready. Light snacks are also a great option to pack with you, especially if you’re going on long walks and/or hikes.
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, have fun. When it comes to Nordic walking, it really is about both the health gains as well as the fun factor. Why leave that behind?
We understand that for some it might be a little intimidating to try this form of activity, but no sweat! Everyone’s a beginner at something at some point in their life, and we encourage you to rise above your apprehensions and recognise the several pros of pole walking. Grab a friend, your spouse or even your pup and hit the ground…walking! We’ll help you to take your first step correctly and confidently. Discover a class near you on our website www.urbanpoling.com and see what we’re all about. Together, let’s take the right step in the right direction.
Work Cited
McPhillips, 2019: https://www.wellandgood.com/good-sweat/nordic-walking/
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