The Nordic Walking Scam And The Lip Stick On A Pig Thing

Unfortunately at the holidays thousands of well meaning Americans order walking poles for their spouse or parents not knowing that poles that they just ordered were nothing close to real Nordic Walking Poles. By total accident they ordered cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles that were marketed as "real Nordic Walking Poles" but were in reality just cheap/flimsy telescoping/collapsible/adjustable length poles mass produced in China. Sure these cheap/flimsy poles came with a lot marketing hype and many had "Nordic Walking" printed on them, but were they really the ideal choice for the targeted audience? NO - these cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles are not ideal for every day use or for seniors or for anyone with a balance issue. Only quality one-piece poles equipped with real Nordic Walking Straps are the real deal. In North America the only one-piece poles equipped with REAL Nordic Walking Straps are made by SWIX and EXEL - both are available from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System.

Big Box Stores also stock those cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece poles from China. Many of the floor models at these big box stores are defective and just spin for infinity - never tightening and allowing them to be taken for a test drive. Quality one-piece poles don't have that problem. And the only source in North America for real Nordic Walking Poles in 16 different lengths is WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System.

Cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece poles vary in price from $20.00 per pair to $200.00 per pair. They all tend to rattle, vibrate, gradually collapse or fail unexpectedly. REAL Nordic Walking Poles are a one-piece design and are custom fit to your height. Companies that offer only 6 or less different lengths of poles are unable to provide the Perfect Length Poles to their customers. At WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System we offer 16 different standard lengths and also custom fit those in-between sizes and back it all up with  a Perfect Length Guarantee. Prices start at a reasonable $69.95 per pair for a complete package that includes the Perfect Length Poles, free Nordic Walking DVD, printed instructions, patented comfortable straps (patented by the Salomon Ski Company), durable metal tips (for snow, ice, trails, grass, the beach and the sand dunes), removable rubber tips/asphalt paws for pavement and 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.

At WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System we offer both SWIX Nordic Walking Poles from Norway and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles from Finland. These quality Nordic Walking Poles are the real thing and not cheap/flimsy crap from China.

Many of our customers accidentally purchased or were given as a well meaning gift 2-piece or 3-piece collapsible poles. Many of these poles came right from the store or online retailer with defective twist-locks or flip-locks and the poles couldn't be set at the proper length - they just kept spinning and twisting without catching and tightening as advertised. Luckily, many of these disgruntled individuals found us and our hassle free one-piece Nordic Walking Poles - Real Nordic Walking Poles.

The mass produced and inexpensive 2-piece and 3-piece poles are all made in the same factories in China and all have a typically short life span due to their cheap/flimsy design. Typically these imitation Nordic Walking Poles either come with no straps or old-fashion/cheap loop straps or velco slings that are no where near as effective and comfortable as real Nordic Walking Straps. All of the straps on our SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles are the comfortable patented fingerless glove type straps. These are REAL Nordic Walking Straps - patented by the Salomon Ski Company.

Cheap/flimsy mass produced poles are often identical the to "free" poles often included in SnowShoe packages. And these cheap/flimsy snowshoe poles have the worst reputation. This past week one of my new customers said that his new $140 Leki poles (made in China) vibrated even more than his cheap snowshoe poles. Clearly showing that 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles will NEVER come close to the quality and positive performance of one-piece poles that are sized correctly.

Skiers, Ski Shops and Ski Rental Shops all know that 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles wouldn't hold up for downhill or cross country skiing. These same cheap/flimsy poles should never be sold to seniors or anyone with a balance issues. Only quality one-piece poles can provide the added safety, strength and user-friendly advantages.

Don't get scammed by cheap/flimsy collapsible poles. If you did return them. And don't be embarrassed that you fell for all that lipstick and marketing hype put into those cheap/flimsy collapsible poles from China. Tons of lipstick on a pig doesn't make that pig something that it isn't. Real Nordic Walking Poles are a quality one-piece design and at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System we sincerely feel that it is an ethical violation to sell seniors and those with balance issues cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles. We only recommend quality one-piece poles for walking, hiking, treking, downhill skiing (alpine), Nordic skiing (skate and classic cross country skiing), snowshoeing, roller skiing and Nordic blading (inline skating).

The Best Nordic Walking Poles For Tall Individuals

I just took an order over the phone from a new customer that is 6' 5 1/2" inches tall. He asked if we had poles that would work for his height and with all honesty I was able to say yes we have quality one-piece poles perfect for his height. Here at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System we carry 16 standard pole lengths and we can custom fit individuals in-between sizes.

I assured this new customer that 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles would not work for someone that tall. He commented that he had just gotten off the phone with a company that assured him that their collapsible poles would work just fine. The sad but true thing about collapsible poles is that they are horrible for even in the height range they are designed for and they are extremely horrible for those outside the range. When you extend an already cheap/flimsy pair of collapsible poles to their maximum setting they are then at their weakest, most bendy and most unreliable setting. And even at their tallest setting the poles would be way to short for someone 6' 5 1/2".

Ideally the Perfect Length Poles put the elbow at about 90 degrees and the forearm parallel to the ground when the individual is standing tall and strapped into the poles. It just goes to show that the companies selling these cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece poles are just out to sell and don't care if the poles fit correctly or not. The few other companies that carry one-piece poles here in North America only carry 5 or 6 different lengths at most and they can't fit the majority of Americans with such a small size curve. We carry 16 different lengths of SWIX and EXEL poles. There are tons of poles on the market, but there are very few quality poles out there. SWIX and EXEL poles are the most respected in Europe - for walking and for skiing.

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 Perfect Length Poles. ALL my customers receive a perfect length guarantee. ALL 16 sizes are in-stock and ready to ship. Once I know how tall someone is I personally select the perfect length poles for their height.

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 the cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles from China flooding the market - they are online and in every big box store. One-piece poles from SWIX of Norway and EXEL of Finland will always prove to be safer, lighter, stronger, more durable and much more user-friendly than all the flimsy collapsible poles priced from $20.00 - $200.00 per pair. Seniors and individuals with balance issues should NEVER use collapsible poles - but the companies promoting them will gladly sell you a pair. Most individuals looking for Nordic Walking Poles are sold "trekking" poles by accident too. Those collapsible poles don't have the real Nordic Walking Straps and they don't usually have the rubber tips/asphalt paws for pavement. Collapsible poles have plastic twist-lock and flip-lock mechanisms

Skiwalking.com LLC and the American Nordic Walking System have 100% positive satisfaction ratings because we provide the quality SWIX and EXEL one-piece poles with a Perfect Length Guarantee. We don't scam our customers with collapsible poles. We always recommend sturdy and user-friendly one-piece poles that are sized correctly.

Nordic Walking Success - With COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common lung diseases. It makes it difficult to breathe.

Walking with the perfect length poles and the correct technique can radically improve the walking campaigns for those suffering from COPD. When using the correct length one-piece Nordic Walking Poles we automatically stand taller, with the hips forward and the shoulders back. Keep your fingers relaxed (don't grip, squeeze or white knuckle the pole grips) and our chin up. Be sure your poles are one-piece and that they are equipped with the fingerless glove type straps. These are the real Nordic Walking Straps and they are patented by the Salomon Ski Company. They can be found on all SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles - quality one-piece poles. Other poles include no straps, simple loop straps or cheap velcro slings and are equipped with cheap/flimsy twist-locks or flip-locks that attempt to hold the collapsible pole pieces together.

Students in my classes that have inhalers have NEVER needed to stop and use them - even on 2-mile hikes and mile long hills. Quality Nordic Walking Poles can really help make walking doable and more fun for those suffering from COPD and/or asthma.

Individuals with COPD and/or asthma should avoid cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece poles regardless of the marketing hype behind them. Typically collapsible poles are much heavier, they tend to rattle, vibrate, gradually collapse or unexpectedly fail altogether. The twist-locks and flip-locks are not user-friendly and are often reported to have failed. Heavier collapsible poles are not a good idea for seniors, anyone with a balance issue or those with COPD. One-piece poles that are sized correctly will always prove to be lighter, safer, stronger, much more durable and much more user-friendly than poles from China with twist-locks and flip-locks.

At WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System the SWIX and EXEL poles come in 16 different lengths and come with a Perfect Length Guarantee. We also have special instructions for those with balance issues.

A happy customer ordered another pair of our Nordic Walking Poles for herself yesterday. A friend of hers insisted that because of her COPD she couldn't walk the 1/2 mile to view a waterfall. She reluctantly tried her friend's SWIX Nordic Walking Poles and was shocked to discover that she could cover the whole mile so effortlessly. She hijacked the poles and happily refused to return them. We shipped out a replacement pair the same day we heard the story.

Everyday we hear similar success stories. Success stories regarding: balance issues, knee issues or new knees, hip issues or new hips, back issues (including those with rods in their back), weight issues, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's (PD), neuropathy, arthritis, bursitis, scoliosis, lumbar stenosis, fibromyalgia, post polio, osteoporosis, stroke recovery, cancer recovery and other limitations to walking.

Many of our new customers accidentally purchased collapsible poles from other sources or received them as a gift and found that one or both of the twist-locks or flip-locks was defective. They loved the concept of walking with poles but had huge problems with the twist-locks or flip-locks. Problems with twist-locks and flip-locks on 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles is typical. And that is why we insist that quality one-piece poles will always prove to be safer, lighter, stronger and much more user-friendly - always.

Nordic Walking in the USA and Canada

The articles published this year in Prevention Magazine and in the Mayo Clinics’ newsletters have encouraged thousands of individuals all across North America to seriously look into Nordic Walking and the many wonderful benefits of walking with poles. The maximum benefits however come from walking correctly, walking with the correct length poles and walking with quality equipment. Nordic Walking Poles are no longer just for expert skiers deprived of snow during the summer - the poles also radically improve balance and stability, plus reduce the stress to the knees, hips and back.

Unfortunately thousands flocked to discount stores, big box and even sport shops in search of walking poles. Thousands more bought poles online. All assumed they were purchasing suitable, user-friendly and durable walking poles. Most came home with or were shipped cheap/flimsy collapsible two-piece or three-piece telescoping poles. Most made in China and most were actually trekking poles equipped with simple loop straps that have nothing to do with Nordic Walking. And many of the poles that were marketed as Nordic Walking Poles either didn’t have a straps of any sort or the poles were equipped with cheap Velcro slings inferior to a real pair of fingerless glove type Nordic Walking Straps.

Individuals with balance issues should NEVER use cheap/flimsy collapsible poles because they not only tend to rattle, vibrate and gradually collapse, but because they are reported to fail and collapse without warning. The twist-locks and flip-locks on collapsible poles just can’t be trusted. That is why skiers refuse to use them for skiing or Nordic Walking.

Most of the readers of these wonderful Nordic Walking articles (that appeared in Prevention Magazine and the Mayo Clinic’s newsletters) actually had balance issues, joint issues, weight issues or other issues that restrict their walking campaigns. Seniors should never use 2-piece or 3-piece collapsible poles. Seniors and individuals with balance should only use sturdy one-piece poles that are sized specifically to their heights. At the American Nordic Walking System and WWW.SKIWALKING.COM there are 16 different lengths of quality one-piece poles available to ensure a perfect fit.

I always ask potential new customers with walking restrictions if they feel the most comfortable walking while pushing a shopping cart and 99.99% respond with an enthusiastic “yes, of course.” Quality one-piece poles that are sized correctly will always prove to be safer, lighter, more durable and much more user-friendly than falsely marketed collapsible poles.

At the American Nordic Walking System and WWW.SKIWALKING.COM we supply quality one-piece poles made by SWIX of Norway and EXEL of Finland. All of our poles are equipped with the real Nordic Walking Straps – not loop straps and definitely not Velcro slings. I personally use these straps every single day attached to quality one-piece poles. I use them while teaching Nordic Walking classes and when I’m out exercising – hiking with poles on the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, running hills – Nordic Running, roller skiing with longer poles and when the snow flies both my classic and skate cross country skis have the same awesome fingerless glove type straps – patented by the Salomon Ski Company (a real sign of quality).

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.

For more info about quality SWIX Nordic Walking Poles: www.swixnordicwalking.com

For more info about quality EXEL Nordic Walking Poles: www.exelnordicwalking.com

Contact phone # here at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System: 231-334-3080

Nordic Walking Size Charts - a bad idea and basically silly

I came across an article posted on the Nordic Walking News Blog and the sizing chart in this article is the worst one I have ever come across. Other sizing charts are off, but this one is horrible. There are no 110cm poles or 105cm poles listed. No 140cm poles either. The silliest thing about including a sizing chart to begin with is that ski and walking pole manufacturers, just like ski manufacturers, measure their skis and poles differently. And all the junk walking poles flooding the market from China are sized all over the place - no consistency at all. Size charts are basically worthless. All these supposed Nordic Walking "experts" are ignorant of this basic fact and include size charts in their articles, videos and even in their books. And just as ignorantly these supposed Nordic Walking Experts promote cheap/flimsy collapsible poles.

At WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System we ship REAL one-piece Nordic Walking Poles all over the world every day and all we need to know is the height of the individual to select the Perfect Length Poles for their height. We back up our sizing expertise with a Perfect Length Guarantee. All of our quality poles also come with a LifeTime Breakage Guarantee and a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.

Every day we hear from new customers that were unhappy with their cheap/flimsy 2-piece or 3-piece collapsible poles from other sources. Their original poles rattled, vibrated, gradually collapsed or unexpectedly collapsed all together. They are always excited about the improved quality of their new one-piece poles that we are shipping out to them and they can't wait for them to arrive. And we ship fast.

In North America you can not find quality one-piece Nordic Walking Poles in stores. You can find a lot of cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles from China, but rarely quality poles and never REAL one-piece poles sized correctly to each individual's height. Quality one-piece SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles in 16 different lengths can be found at WWW.SKIWALKING.COM

Seniors and those with balance issues should NEVER use cheap/flimsy collapsible poles. SWIX or EXEL one-piece Nordic Walking poles, when sized correctly, will always prove to safer, lighter, stronger and much more user-friendly than collapsible poles. Skiers know that one-piece poles will prove superior in every condition and every situation. As a ski coach I know for a fact that cheap collapsible poles are totally inferior to quality one-piece poles.

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 sizes are in-stock and ready to ship. Once I know how tall someone is I personally select the perfect length poles for their height.

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.

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

Have a great day! Nordic Ski Walking is the best,

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

Email: GETFIT@SKIWALKING.COM

Phone: 231-334-3080

Nordic Walking Coming to Diabetes Day Open House

Nordic Walking returns to the annual Diabetes Day Open House on Wednesday, April 11, from 1 - 3 pm at the Bayview Wesleyan in Traverse City, MI.

Nordic Walking Poles can help to making walking more comfortable and much more effective. Free lessons will be offered again this year at the Diabetes Open House.
Quality one-piece SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System will be available for free demo - sized correctly to each individual's height.. These are not the cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles flooding the market from China. Collapsible poles rattle, vibrate and often their twist-locks or flip-locks fail.

Nordic Walking Poles are helping individuals with balance issues, knee issues or new knees, hip issues or new hips, back issues (including those with rods in their back), weight issues, multiple sclerosis (MS), parkinson's (PD), neuropathy, arthritis, bursitis, scoliosis, lumbar stenosis, fibromyalgia, post polio, osteoporosis, stroke recovery, cancer recovery and other limitations to walking. Nordic Walking poles are helping thousands of Americans get off the couch, successfully get outside, start walking safely and effectively launch much needed walking campaigns.

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 the Diabetes Expo you will also receive updated information and educational materials to help control blood sugar. See the latest in blood glucose meters, insulin pump therapy, and learn about the newest therapies and medications. Munson Medical Center diabetes educators will provide carbohydrate counting information, taste-testing, recipes, and meter maintenance (bring yours for an accuracy check). Learn about heart health, exercise options, how to use Community Health Library resources, talk with a Munson pharmacist about your medications, and more.

This free event is sponsored by Munson Medical Center Diabetes Education. Physicians will be on hand to answer questions. For more information about the Diabetes Day Open House, call (231) 935-8200 or visit munsonhealthcare.org

For more information about Nordic Ski Walking go to WWW.SKIWALKING.COM or call (231) 334-3080