\u200bWalking is an excellent form of exercise for older adults. It\u2019s not only a safe form of exercise, it is also gentle on knee and hip joints and builds lower body strength. One of the great things about walking is that the only cost involved is a good pair of shoes. There\u2019s no charge for walking around the neighborhood, in the park, or even at the mall. While walking is, no doubt, one of the best ways your senior family member can get exercise, there\u2019s a new form of walking that can step up the action and might even keep the older adult safer. It\u2019s called Nordic walking and it gets the whole body moving.<\/p>\n
What is Nordic Walking?<\/strong><\/p>\n Nordic walking is walking while using telescoping poles. The poles resemble ski poles but are specially designed to enhance the way people walk to work the upper body as well. As the person walks, they match their strides with the movement of their arms. Nordic walking uses about 80 percent of the body\u2019s muscles, offering a full body workout. While it provides a better workout, walkers don\u2019t perceive it as being any harder than regular walking.<\/p>\n Nordic walking got its name from a trend that began in Finland in the 1990s. Finnish cross country skiers found that if they walked with poles in the off season, it kept them in better shape for when the snow fell. Walking with poles caught on with people who don\u2019t ski because it turned out to have some benefits that regular walking did not.<\/p>\n