For years now, walking has been considered an easy, low-intensity form of exercise. However, although generally not as prevalent as other types of more intense workouts, there is one particular style of walking that is suddenly getting a lot of attention. It's called Nordic walking and recent research has linked it to improved heart health.
The new research, published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, found that people with heart disease had the best improvements in heart function when they did Nordic walking for three months compared to other popular forms of exercise.
«Traditional walking is a great way to improve health,» say the researchers. «However, by engaging muscles that are less activated during walking, Nordic walking may offer additional benefits.».
In addition to the new study, Nordic walking is increasingly appearing in search trends and on social media.
How it benefits the heart
For the study, the researchers gathered 130 people who had coronary heart disease and randomly assigned them to three different groups. One group did a 12-week high-intensity interval training program, another took part in a 12-week moderate to vigorous intensity training program, and the last group engaged in Nordic walking for 12 weeks.
After the end of the programme, study participants were followed up for 14 weeks. During that time, researchers tracked each participant's functional capacity, a measure of a person's ability to exercise or do things that require some physical effort, by seeing how far they could walk in six minutes.
As the study points out, functional capacity is an important indicator of future heart problems in people with coronary heart disease.
While all study participants had good results, the researchers found that those individuals who followed the Nordic walking program had the most noticeable increase in functional capacity compared to where they were at the beginning of the study.
Why Nordic walking is superior
The study did not specifically compare Nordic walking with standard walking, but experts generally believe that Nordic walking is better than standard walking for a few reasons.
Nordic walking is a unique type of hiking exercise that uses specially designed batons - similar to ski poles - to further engage the muscles of the upper body in addition to the muscles of the lower body.
Using a baton reduces pressure on the knees and activating the muscles of the core and upper body increases energy expenditure. Nordic walking can also help with stability, balance and coordination, the researchers point out.
How to do it
To practice Nordic walking properly, you should stand up straight and use the batons to touch the ground as you walk, aiming to touch the ground in the middle of your stride.
They are designed to be held at a 45-degree angle behind you, the researchers add. As you squeeze them with your triceps muscles, you propel yourself forward with each step. The batons should «never be at a 90-degree angle unless you are on extremely rocky terrain,» they point out.
Overall you can see baton as a promotional tool rather than a stabilisation tool, the researchers conclude.
