Nordic Walking During The Holidays

Even Santa Claus knows enough to get out the Nordic Walking Poles and get more bang for his exercise time - burning more calories than regular walking and radically reducing the stress to that old football injury. And of course being Nordic himself, Nordic Walking Poles only make sense any time of year.

Over the holidays we all tend to eat and drink more while exercising a little less. Sure fine-tuned athletes can get away with that, but the rest of us can't afford it.

According to the Surgeon General "the enemy is within us - being sedentary. Walking is the biggest bang for our buck. Thirty minutes a day of walking will prevent many cases of diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic diseases. Walking is the simplest, easiest way for most people."

Originally Ski Walking was reserved for elite cross country ski racers deprived of snow. These skiers in the know used and still use exclusively one-piece poles that are sized to their specific heights. While roller skiing today I used durable one-piece poles and knew for a fact that cheap/flimsy collapsible poles would have been a horrible choice for this fun, but intense workout. One-piece poles in ALL situations will prove to be safer, lighter and much more user-friendly than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles equipped with twist-clocks or flip-locks that are mostly made in China. Many of my happy customers no longer use their old canes and/or walkers. The correct Nordic Walking technique and the Perfect Length Poles have enabled many of my customers to walk taller, with more confidence, with less pain and walk longer distances more comfortably thanks to their user-friendly and reliable one-piece Nordic Walking 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.

At WWW.SKIWALKING.COM LLC and the American Nordic Walking System we offer 16 different lengths of quality one-piece poles. These poles are ideal for all ages and all fitness levels. I just got off the phone with happy customer that found Nordic Walking everyday helped to relieve her back pain. She had tried collapsible poles and couldn't get the left pole to stay in position - a common problem with all collapsible poles regardless of price. Most of the collapsible poles flooding the market are from China.

Our quality one-piece Nordic Walking Poles are made by SWIX of Norway and by EXEL of Finland. These real Nordic Walking Poles are found exclusively in North America at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System – World Headquarters based in Empire, Michigan.

So during the holidays get out and try to walk that 1/2 hour a day that the surgeon general suggests - with or without poles, just get out and walk.

Happy Holidays!

Nordic Walking With The Piping Plovers In the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

One of the best ways to tour the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is with hiking poles. The 4-wheel drive action works great in the sand. The poles eliminate back-pain that many encounter when walking on the sand dunes or along the beach.

This summer we Ski Walked past several marked nesting areas of the Piping Plover - an endangered shorebird slightly smaller and shorter legged then the killdeer.

The greatest concentration of Piping Plovers in the Great Lakes occurs at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. More info about the Piping Plover can be found here: http://www.nps.gov/slbe/naturescience/pipingplover.htm

My favorite Ski Walk this summer has been up at Glen Haven - the views are spectacular. The route passes through a ghost tree forest.

My favorite wooded trail in the Sleeping Bear Dunes Area is up on Alligator Hill with a trailhead located behind Glen Arbor.

I do all of my hiking with durable and user friendly one-piece Nordic Walking Poles from SWIX or EXEL. SWIX out of Norway and EXEL out of Finland. Quality one-piece walking poles with real Nordic Walking Straps (comfortable patented straps - patented by the Salomon Ski Company). One-piece walking poles that are sized correctly prove to be safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles that tend to rattle, vibrate, collapse gradually or  fail unexpectedly.

Real Nordic Walking Poles and helpful instruction can be found at SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System.

For more information about the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore check out:
http://www.nps.gov/slbe

Nordic Walking Instruction and Nordic Walking Poles - Another HUGE Sucess At Senior Health Fair

Real Nordic Walking Poles were provided no charge during free Nordic Walking Lessons during the 2011 Bay Ridge Senior Health Fair on April, 6, 2011.

The Village at Bay Ridge, a retirement community, in Traverse City, Michigan hosted Nordic Walking Pole demo/free rental, Nordic Walking Classes and Instruction, blood pressure checks, hearing device displays and testing, nutritional information, breathing tests, fire department safety tips, senior legal service information, eye care information and much more.

The Nordic Walking Classes where held both indoors in the long hallways and outside on the beautiful grounds - including a paved walking path around Bay Ridge's pond. All participants used durable one-piece poles sized to each of their specific heights - 16 different lengths were available to ensure a Perfect Length Guarantee. All of the Nordic Walking poles also were equipped with REAL Nordic Walking Straps - comfortable fingerless glove type straps patented by the Salomon Ski Company. The poles were also equipped with removable rubber tips/asphalt paws that proved ideal for the carpeted hallways and the paved walkways outside. The adventurous removed the rubber tips/asphalt paws and test the durable metal tips on the grass.

The poles were provided by SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System. The classes were taught by Pete Edwards, North America's leading Nordic Walking Instructor and the owner/founder/coach of SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System. Edwards has introduced thousands of Americans to Nordic Walking and has hosted Nordic Walking Classes from Coast to Coast.

The fitness levels of the Nordic Walking participants varied from super active individuals to restricted individuals to using canes, walkers and even wheelchairs. In all situations the one-piece Nordic Walking Poles proved to be a huge success. Many participants were reluctant to try Ski Walking or Nordic Walking - assuming it was only for skiers or more active individuals. Once they were asked if they felt most comfortable walking when pushing a shopping cart they all responded "yes - how did you know" and then they were informed that the poles are even more comfortable and much more versatile.

One participant got up out of her wheel-chair and successfully tested the poles and of course loved them. Ages included individuals over 90 years young. One 90 + year old came using one old ski pole - and claimed one ski pole was better than none and much more comfortable than her cane. She found that two real Nordic Walking Poles sized for her height were ideal.

Some individuals had weight and/or balance issues. Many had knee, hip and/or back issues. In every situation the poles proved to be the most comfortable walking option they had encountered.

Edwards is committed to the simple fact that one-piece Nordic Walking Poles are safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece twist-lock or flip-lock collapsible poles. Edwards has been coaching runners and skiers for over 25 years and would never allow his athletes to use cheap collapsible poles that tend to rattle, vibrate, freeze up, gradually collapse or collapse unexpectedly.

The one-piece SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles provided were often referred to "miracle sticks" and "enablers". Nordic Walking Poles when used correctly really do radically improve balance, stability and walking posture (biomechanically a good thing).

SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles from can be ordered easily at SKIWALKING.COM or by calling toll free: 877-SKIWALK or 877-754-9255

The original Nordic Walking Poles were made by EXEL in Finland. More information about the new EXEL Urban Skier Nordic Walking Poles can be found at EXEL NORDIC WALKING

SWIX makes the world's best ski racing poles and the world's fastest ski wax. More info about SWIX Nordic Walking Poles can be found at SWIX NORDIC WALKING

Don't get scammed by cheap/flimsy collapsible poles making false claims about their durability. One-piece poles are much more user-friendly and do not involve twist-lock systems or flip-locks systems.