What is Nordic Walking?

"A stepping stone to becoming more active in changing your life for the better." Peter, Director & Lead Instructor, Nordic Walking for Health. "Taster sessions, health (shorter) courses and fitness (longer) courses are offered on weekdays and at weekends all year round in a variety of ways to suit individual needs."

Due to its origins, Nordic walking is a bit like cross-country skiing without the skis. It is a new way of walking that can improve health, well-being and quality of life. As merely an enhanced form of natural walking, Nordic walking is suitable for all abilities and ages of people, who can walk swinging their arms. By exercising the upper and lower parts of the body simultaneously, it can:

• Improve and maintain your general health and fitness
• Enable you to keep fit at the level you want or need – from social walker to performance sportsperson
• Provide you with a new and different outdoors leisure activity
• Achieve specific: health benefits, fitness benefits social and emotional benefits

First developed in Finland during the 1930s for cross-country skiers to keep fit in the summer, Nordic walking evolved into more of a recreational activity in the early 1980s. The first official Nordic walking poles were launched in 1997 by Exel plc. Nordic walking is one of the fastest growing recreational fitness activities across the world with participants in nearly 40 countries. The International Nordic Walking Association (INWA) estimates that, globally, there were about 7 million people Nordic walking at least once a week in 2006.*

By the end of 2007, Nordic Walking UK (NWUK), a national organisation, claim to have trained over 450 INWA-certified Nordic Walking Instructors in the UK. These instructors taught an estimated 35,000 people to Nordic walk (up from 15,000 in 2006 and 3 to 4000 in 2005).* Other national organisations also exist, e.g. British Nordic Walking, which is now the approved training agency for the INWA certification. NWUK claim to have trained 1,000 instructors by the end of 2009, its course now recognised by the YMCA via its central qualification (CYQ).

In order to get the most out of Nordic walking, effective technique is essential.

It is recommended that you consult your doctor before taking part in a new exercise, should you be concerned in any way.

*The REPs Journal pp19-21 Issue 12 May 2008

Where can I do it?

Nordic Walking for Health covers a large part of East Sussex from Brighton & Hove eastwards along the South coast to Newhaven, Seaford and towards Eastbourne, inland to Lewes and northwards to the Ashdown Forest, covering Burgess Hill, Hayward's Heath, Forest Row, Crowborough and Uckfield.

Taster Sessions

Taster sessions are held on weekdays and at weekends. Click on courses above for weekend dates. Click on contact above to book a session (places must be booked in advance).

Nordic Walking for Health runs Nordic Walking taster and course sessions from a number of locations in and around:

Brighton & Hove

The NIVEA SUN Yellowave Beach Sports Venue, 299 Madeira Drive BN2 1PS (01273 672222)

riptide Fitness Centre, Kings Road Arches BN1 1NB (01273 725444)

Stanmer Tea Rooms, Stanmer Park BN1 9PZ (01273 604041)

Preston Park Rotunda Cafe, Preston Road BN1 6HN (07505 122 924)

Red Roaster Coffee Shop, 1d St. James Street BN2 1RE (01273 686668)

Pavilion Tea House, Hove Park, Park View Road, BN3 7BF (01273 727003)

On the Brighton to Saltdean Undercliff Path

The Ovingdean Cafe on the beach

The White Cliffs Cafe, Saltdean (01273 309219)

Lewes, Seaford, Friston Forest and the Seven Sisters

The Outdoor Shop 55 Cliffe High Street, Lewes BN7 2AN (01273 487840)

The Hikers' Rest Cafe, East Dean BN20 0DR (01323 423733)

Forest Row and the Ashdown Forest

Global Adventurer The Square, Forest Row RH18 5ES near East Grinstead (01342 825069)

Duddleswell Tea Rooms TN22 3BH (01825 712126) near Crowborough

Regular Nordic Walking Clubs will then be run for competent Nordic Walkers in each area.

Gift Vouchers

Gift Vouchers are now available from Nordic Walking for Health for that special, fun and unusual present!
Single vouchers are worth £25 each entitling the recipient to a one and a half hour, introductory one-to-one training session that also includes the hiring of Exel Nordic Walker Trainer poles.