Nordic Walking is one of the fastest growing recreational fitness sports in the world and has its roots in the early 1930s in Finland as an off season training method of the competitive crosscountry skiers. Development of Nordic Walking in its present form as a recreational physical activity for all started in early 1980 in Finland, and in 1997 the first official Nordic Walker poles were introduced to the public by one of the world's largest pole manufacturers, Exel plc. The estimated population of Nordic Walkers at the end of the year 2007 was over 7 million.

Nordic Walking is fitness walking with specially designed Nordic Walking poles to engage the upper body during walking. It offers a very efficient, aerobic and easy way to improve your physical condition irrespective of age, sex or physical condition.

Nordic Walking can be up to 46% more efficient than regular walking (Cooper Institute Research 2000) depending on the intensity of the exercise.

Nordic Walking Training

Nordic Walking can be done for 20 -90 minutes at a time (excluding time for warm up and cool down). The pace should be steady and the heart rate should rise up to 65-85% of maximum heart rate (calculated by 220-age). Warm-up and cool-down should be an integral part of each training session.

It is possible to Nordic Walk at different levels depending on your aims and physical condition. Participate in INWA Nordic Walking lessons so that you can learn how to Nordic Walk at health, fitness and sport levels. Local INWA certified instructors can help you learn the technique/s and they can also build design an effective training program for you. 

Different targets for Nordic Walking

Health level

- Rehabilitation
- Relaxing
- Recovery 

Fitness level

- Improving physical condition
- Weight management
- Increasing aerobic capacity

Sport level

- Physical challenge
- Increase muscular and aerobic and anaerobic power

All levels

- Enjoying exercising
- Variety to training