Learn Nordic Walking

You only get the full benefits of Nordic Walking if you use the right technique. Our training is based on the International Nordic Walking Federation (INWA). Their ten step teaching method helps you develop a highly effective, sportive and safe walking style. We cover this curriculum in four hours of training - delivered in two courses (or you can also take private lessons): 

• The Foundation course (2 hours) teaches posture, pole use and dynamic walking technique. This course is mandatory to join our group walks.
• The Optimizer course (2 hours) helps you increase your speed and fitness impact.

Why is it so important to learn Nordic Walking properly?

Nordic walking is a full body workout and has many well-documented health benefits. To get the full benefits, you need a good technique. This is different from walking with trekking sticks.  You use the poles to propel yourself forward, engaging 90% of your muscles and burning up to 45% more calories than regular walking.  It is easy to miss these great benefits and to build up bad habits, which may damage your health (for example, bent wrists or bad posture can lead to joint pain).

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Poles and Equipment: Nordic Walking Poles are special

Please contact us before you buy poles, so that you get the size and type right. ​

You will need dedicated Nordic Walking poles with the typical gloves/sleeves. These will enable the 'push-back' motions that give you a full-body workout. Trekking or Walking poles (with ribbons) can't be used for this sportive way of walking. 
You can borrow poles for the course and your first few walks. After this, you will need to buy your own poles to join the group. We have Covid-19 measures in place to keep our poles clean and safe.

Eugene enjoys his new sportive poles: The excellent Gabel X5 with a Carbon content of 85%. The higher the carbon content, the better the pole. We can give you advice on what to choose based on your walking style and frequency.

What else you may need

• Trainers or running/walking shoes (no hiking boots with hard soles, you need to be able to roll your feet).
• Appropriate outdoor clothing (rain and sun protection, thin gloves in winter). ​​
• Some walkers like to bring a small backpack - shoulder bags won't work.

Level One:  Foundation Course
Get started with fitness walking

In this 2-hours course, you will learn a walking style that helps you achieve solid fitness results, without damaging your body through bad technique. We focus on steps 1-5 of the INWA teaching method, and have a short look at steps 6-10. Details about the teaching method are at the end of the page. The Foundation Course is mandatory if you like to join our Group Walks. ​

Content:

• Basic information about Nordic Walking and different poles
• Posture: Create an awareness of good posture and enable you to self-correct
• Walking technique: Practice the basic moves of Nordic Walking, with the correct arm and leg rhythm. Train your feet to create a rolling/pushing forward motion 
• Pole technique; place the poles correctly and at the right angle - propel the body forward with your arms
• Trail etiquette and safety: how do deal with horses, dogs, bad weather, etc.

Who can participate:

• You do not have to be fit to join the course, but you need to be able to stand for two hours and swing your arms.
• The course does not contain two hours of walking. The greatest part of the course is basic exercises and feedback, and then we go on a ca. 20 min walk. We will take a sit-down break in the middle of the course.

Costs: £45 (pole-hire included). If you repeat the course (e.g. after a break to refresh your technique), you only pay £25.
Meeting point: Studland Road/High Lane, Hanwell, West London - see map

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Dates of the Foundation course (2-hour session)

• Saturday morning (9.30-11.30am): 25 Feb; 18 or 25 March; 1st April,  22 April; 13 May; 3 June; 8 July; 5 Aug, 9 Sept;  21 Oct; 18 Nov; 9 Dec 2023. 
• We also offer private lessons

Level Two: Optimizer Course
Fine-tune your technique

In additional 2 hours, you will fine-tune your Nordic Walking technique, so that you can achieve increased fitness benefits. We will focus on steps 6 to 10 of the INWA teaching method.

Content:

• Advanced walking technique (arm-swing with full extension of the pole, release of the pole at the end of the move)
• Improved body dynamics (appropriate body-rotation, leaning forward, etc)
• Safe and smooth uphill and downhill techniques
• Speed drills and agility
• Each participant will receive feedback and individual advice on how to improve

Target group: This course is for you if

• you have done our Foundation course, practiced your walking for a while, and  now would like to improve your technique
• you used to be an experienced Nordic Walker, but you have let things slip a bit. This is an ideal refresher course.

Costs: £35, pole-hire included. If you repeat the course (e.g. after a break to revisit your technique), you only pay £25.

Optimizer Course (Two hours course -  in one session, small group size)

• Saturday morning (10-12am): 4 March 2023
• Saturday afternoon (1-3pm): 25 March; 22 April; 13 May. 
• Tuesday morning (10-12am): 18 April, 20 June. 
• More courses will be scheduled per request. 

Meeting point: Studland Road/High Lane, Hanwell, West London - see map

Private Lessons - customised to your needs

We offer private lessons to get you started with Nordic Walking or to improve your technique:

• Cost per private lesson (1 hour, pole-hire included): £45.
• For beginners we recommend 2-4 lessons, based on your learning style.  To cover the teachings of the initial Foundation course, you will need at least two lessons (in one or two sessions), which will cost £80 in total.  
• If you bring along a second person for your private lesson; this person pays £30 (per hour), after this every additional person pays £15, up to 6 people.
• For people with Nordic Walking experience who have done a course with an INWA associated teacher before, we recommend an initial lessons to assess your technique and develop any weak spots. After this you may want to schedule further lessons to improve your technique and avoid developing bad habits.

• After your Foundation-course level Private Lessons, we also offer Private Walks where you can receive some feedback and suggestions, but the focus here is on the walk, not the technique - click here for more info. 

​Our 10 steps Teaching Method
based on the International Nordic Walking Federation (INWA)

 1.  Posture

• Keeping your body in alignment
• Feet forward, straight back, squared but relaxed shoulders, chin level, chest out, stomach in, lengthened spine

2.  Walk with correct Arm-swing

• Create the basic movement for Nordic walking
• Maintain good posture whilst walking
• Swing your arms from the shoulder joint (not from the elbow)
• Coordinate your arm and leg rhythm

• Learn the correct angle of the pole (roughly 45degrees)

3.  Place

• Find the right position for your pole (roughly by your back foot, pole is at 45degree angle)
• Practice the right grip of the pole: Close your hand softly around the pole handle – use the pressure of a friendly handshake

 4.  Push

• Propel the body forward  by pushing down/back into the glove
• Use a smooth, steady pressure, with a progressively relaxing hand
• The more firmly you can push the pole, the faster you will go

5.  Swing forward

• Swing the pole forward clean and crisp, avoiding pole bouncing, dragging or double planting
• Keep your knuckles pointing down towards the ground
• Reach forwards as if to make a low handshake

Foundation Course:
We focus on the first 5 steps. If you put them together, you are Nordic walking and can join our walks. You will have found a smooth, relaxed way to propel yourself forward, using most of your muscle, while avoiding straining your joints.
We also take a glance at the other steps, specially step 8: the swing forward and step 10: body rotation.

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6.  Extend fully

• Push further behind you; Keep the tip of the pole in touch with the ground as long as possible
• Push your hand past the pelvis – ultimately, you have a straight line from the shoulder to the tip of the pole. The pole is like a continuation of the arm – parallel to your back leg

7.  Release actively

• Release your grip and let go of the pole-handle
• Press the heel of your hand against the strap
• Learn how to open and close your hand with the right timing

8. Align your footwork

• Roll your foot from heel to toe
• Coordinate the push your foot with the final push-back of the pole

9.   Upper Body Dynamics: Lean & Rotate

• Create more forward momentum and increase your speed
• Lean from your ankles, not your waist – keep your chest open
• Integrate movement of the upper and lower body; allow your torso to gently rotate as you push the pole backwards
• Enables you to go faster, as you can extend/push your poles even harder

10. Breathing technique

• Keep your breathing down in your lower belly area, even if you work out hard; no shallow breathing 
• Find a breathing rhythm that supports your walking speed

Optimizer Course:
We revisit the first 5 steps, and then work on steps 6-10. When  you use these advanced methods of Nordic walking, you engage more muscles. This burns more calories and  kick-starts your metabolism.  It also opens your chest and boosts the circulation the whole way down your spine, bringing  oxygen and nutrients to the discs and vertebrae.

Andrea is a certified Nordic Walking instructor.