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Nordic Walking Iowa
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Choosing the right poles for Nordic Pole Walking is absolutely critical for your enjoyment, safety and success with your new sport.
One Piece Nordic Walking Poles
My personal preference leans to the side of favoring one-piece Nordic Walking poles for several reasons. 1) Since there are fewer moving parts there is less to fail, 2) they are lighter and more durable than twist-lock and flip-lock adjustable poles, 3) they are quieter since some adjustable poles can rattle a bit with each pole plant, 4) they have a better balance and swing as pointed out by some Nordic Walking experts and finally 5) adjustable poles should be checked every time for tightness and users with arthritic hands often find the twist lock mechanism painful to use.
Adjustable Nordic Walking Poles
Reasons in favor of adjustable poles include situations in which persons of differing heights will use the poles in the same household, children who are still growing, or for using the poles in varying circumstances like long up or downhill stretches. In addition, some experts suggest that in the beginning stages of training it is easier to adjust your poles somewhat shorter and then lengthen as your technique improves.
Hand Straps
The same as cross country skis, the best Nordic Walking poles are equipped with comfortable fingerless glove type straps - patented by the Salomon Ski Company eliminating the need to grip the poles and allowing the pressure
to be applied with the heel of your hand into the cradle of the straps.
Poles for Sale
The Poles
that Nordic Walking Iowa uses for all classes and has available for
sale are one-piece poles which are available in 14 different lengths in
5cm increments and
equipped with SWIX or EXEL fingerless glove-type straps - patented by
the
Salomon Ski Company.
At the end of every Clinic I open the Nordic Walking Store where I make available the very best Nordic Walking poles at near-to-wholesale prices.
I will custom fit a set of Excel or Swix Nordic Walking poles to exactly your size
and intended use be it health, recreation or peak fitness. If for
some reason I don't have exactly what you need I can have it shipped to
you with FREE SHIPPING within a couple of days.
Selecting the Right Shoes
A walking shoe has very different requirements than a
running shoe because of the different stride and foot placement. According to Therese Iknoian in her excellent
book Walking Fast, in the walking stride your foot initially contacts the
ground at the middle of the heel and then there is the “roll-through” phase
where the foot will roll along the outside edge towards the toes before rolling
back to midline at the ball of the foot and pushing off with the middle toes.
Because your foot strikes the ground with a
fraction of the impact of running 1-1.5 times your body weight instead of 3-4
times, a walking shoe does not need anywhere near the same amount of cushioning
as does a running shoe.
When looking for shoes for walking keep the following
things in mind
The Heel
Walking shoes should have a rounded or beveled heel since in walking your heel
strikes first and then should roll through smoothly from heel to toe.
The Toe
To aid the roll through and especially the push-off phase, a noticeable bend
upwards at the toe called toe spring is very helpful.
Torsion
Because the force moves from mid heel to the outside of the foot and then back
to the middle of the ball of the foot, some “torsional flexibility” can
help. Mark Fenton in his book The
Complete Guide to Walking recommends the “twist’em test. “Grab the heel and
toes of the shoe firmly and give a twist to look for modest flexibility, so
your foots independent suspension can work.”
In addition it is recommended that you shop for shoes in the afternoon and bring along the socks that you plan on wearing for walking. Make sure the shoe gives you a little extra room at the toe (some say ½ inch) and the forefoot and that the heel fits snugly. Removable insoles are a must in case you want to put in custom orthotics or specially designed replacement insoles that are commercially available. Take the shoes home and walk around the house for a few hours to test them out before hitting the trail. That way you can return them if they don't fit or feel just right.
Cleats for Icy Conditions
When walking on the ice you definitely want to have something to give you the extra traction to walk and most importantly to stay safe and prevent slips and falls. One brand of cleats that fit on your walking shoes and is often recommended in these cases is the Stabilicers Product ... Check out their website.
Shoe Manufactures
Claire Walters makes some great recommendations in her
new book titled Nordic Walking which I highly recommend. Without making specific recommendations as to
models I list some of the major manufactures below who produce shoes specifically
designed for walking.
Adidas www.addidas.com
Asics www.asicsamerica.com
Avia www.aviashoes.com
Easy Spirit www.easyspirit.com
Lowa www.lowaboots.com
Merrell www.merrellboot.com
Mizuno www.mizunousa.com
New Balance www.newbalance.com
Nike www.nike.com
Puma www.puma.com
Reebok www.reebok.com
Ryka www.ryka.com
Salomon www.salomonoutdoor.com
Saucony www.saucony.com
