Looking for a Full Body Workout? Try Nordic Walking

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

Key Takeaways

• Nordic walking initially gained popularity in Finland as a summer workout for cross-country skiers.

• This is one of the latest fitness trends to go viral on TikTok because of claims about its health benefits.

• Nordic walking poles can help engage your core and upper body more than regular walking.

If you’ve ever wanted to try cross-country skiing without snow, Nordic walking might be for you.

This sport took off decades ago as a summer training exercise for Nordic skiers in Finland before catching attention on TikTok. Viral videos claim that Nordic walking burns fat and supports brain health—and there’s some research to back this up.

Nordic walking is similar to traditional walking, but you use two Nordic poles to help propel yourself forward. You can go for a Nordic walk anywhere, including on grass or pavement. While it might take some getting used to, fitness experts say there are benefits to walking with these poles.

“It burns a significantly higher amount of calories when you’re doing Nordic walking versus regular walking,” Benjamin Gordon, PhD, an instructional assistant professor of applied physiology and kinesiology at the University of Florida, told Verywell.

The reason? Nordic walking uses more muscle mass than just your legs. “You have to use your arms to gain traction on each swing of the gait,” Gordon said.

If you want to give this sport a try, you’ll need to invest in Nordic walking poles, which can cost a couple hundred dollars. It may be worth it if you want to add in an upper body workout into your fitness routine, but don’t feel like you have to have to jump on this fitness train if it’s not right for you.

“I definitely don’t discourage people from trying new things regardless, but if you don’t like it, find another exercise that you do like,” Gordon said. “Don’t feel like this is some magic potion that’s going to make you fit just because people are saying it’s a good exercise to do.”

Related: Here’s How Long You Should Walk Every Day to Keep Your Heart Healthy

How to Start a Nordic Walking Routine

If you decide you want to try Nordic walking, you’ll need the right poles to get started.

Nordic walking poles typically have a glove-like strap that fits around your hands. The basic technique involves leaning forward, keeping the poles close to your body, gripping the handles when the poles strike the ground, and releasing your hands as the poles swing backward off the ground. The pole straps are meant to keep you from dropping the poles.

“The pole is an extension of your arm,” Bernd Zimmermann, founder of the American Nordic Walking Association, told Verywell.

These walking poles can also come with tips for different terrain and may be adjustable for different heights.

“Everybody who can walk can do Nordic walking, but it’s important that people get trained correctly,” Zimmermann said.

Watching videos on YouTube can help you learn the right technique, but it might take some time to get comfortable with this exercise. Organizations like the American Nordic Walking Association and International Nordic Walking Federation can also connect you with a certified Nordic walking instructor who can offer individualized training.

Kerry Ann Madden, a NASM-certified master personal trainer based in Groton, Massachusetts, said she recommends that people start with YouTube videos to see if Nordic walking is something they want to try.

If you’ve never done Nordic walking before, you can try to start with a 15-minute routine and build it up from there, Madden added.

“Being sure to incorporate some sort of warm-up and cool-down session is really helpful,” she said.

Related: Walking Just 4,000 Steps a Day May Lower Dementia Risk

Is Nordic Walking Really Better Than Regular Walking?

Research has shown that walking offers tons of health benefits. Walking—with or without poles—could be a way to reach the weekly 150 minutes of moderate activity recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

“While Nordic walking has not been studied as extensively as more ‘mainstream’ forms of aerobic exercise, it has all the ingredients of walking, jogging, and/or rowing lumped into one sport,” Aaron Baggish, MD, a professor of sports science at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, told Verywell in an email.

Research published last year in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology suggests that Nordic walking might improve the functional capacity of people with coronary heart disease more than other types of exercise, like high-intensity interval training.

A study also found that Nordic walking can improve fitness levels for adults with chronic non-specific lower back pain. Another small study published this May suggested that Nordic walking may slow cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s disease, but this study only included 30 participants. More research is needed to validate the findings.

Is Nordic Walking Right for You?

Most experts recommend speaking with a healthcare provider before trying a new workout routine, and Baggish said this is especially important for people who are 55 and older and currently don’t engage in any exercise.

However, he said that Nordic walking doesn’t come with any different risks compared to other forms of aerobic exercise. In fact, he said the poles can actually make walking safer for some people.

“Many individuals have issues with balance or gait instability which make walking or jogging, particularly on uneven surfaces, difficult due to fall risk. The poles provide an additional support mechanism,” Baggish said.

Nordic walking is a workout you can do on your own or with a group. Tons of Nordic walking clubs have cropped up across the country, and it could be a nice way to socialize while staying active.

This workout also encourages people to exercise outdoors, which has been shown to benefit mental health, according to Madden. “So that makes me even more enthusiastic to recommend Nordic walking,” she said.

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What This Means For You

Nordic walking engages core and upper body muscle You should also consider wearing appropriate footwear, getting the right equipment, and learning the proper technique to get the most out of this workout.