What Is Nordic Walking? Explained for Walkers and Challenge Walkers
More muscle, less load on your knees.
Nordic walking turns an ordinary walk into a whole-body workout, and it can take real strain off your legs on the descents. Here is what it is, what it is not, and whether it is worth adding to your build-up for a 13, 18 or 23-mile challenge walk.
The short version
- Nordic poles are pushed behind you, not planted in front for balance
- The glove-style strap is what makes the technique possible
- It works on tracks, lanes, railway paths and firm sand, not on tussocky moorland
- It builds the shoulders and core that a rucksack uses
- It will not replace getting the miles in, but it makes the miles work harder
What Nordic Walking Actually Is
Nordic walking came out of Finland, where cross-country skiers wanted a way to keep their summer training honest.
The idea is simple. You use two poles to push yourself along, rather than just planting them for balance.
The poles go in behind you at an angle. You drive back through the arm, open the hand at the end of the stroke, and the strap catches the pole so you never lose it.
Done properly, your arms, shoulders, chest and back are all working. It stops being a leg activity.
💡 Did You Know? The give-away is the strap. A Nordic pole has a glove-like strap you push against, not a loop you hang your wrist through. That strap is doing most of the work.
Nordic Walking Poles vs Trekking Poles: What Is the Difference?
This is the question we get asked most often in the shop, and the honest answer is that they are not interchangeable.
| Nordic walking poles | Trekking poles | |
|---|---|---|
| Strap | Glove-style, holds the hand so you can push and release | Simple loop, mainly stops you dropping it |
| How you use them | Angled back, propelling you forward | Planted forward or beside you, taking weight |
| What they are for | Adding power and upper-body work on good ground | Stability and load relief on steep or rough ground |
| Length | Usually fixed at a shorter, propulsion-friendly height | Adjustable, shortened for ascent and lengthened for descent |
| Tip | Often used with a rubber paw on hard surfaces | Carbide tip for soft, rough ground |
Plenty of walkers own both. If you only ever walk on rough Cheviot ground, trekking poles are the more useful buy. If a good chunk of your training happens on tracks, lanes and railway paths, Nordic poles earn their place.
What It Does for Challenge Walk Training
Here is where it becomes relevant to anyone building towards one of our events.
- It spreads the work. Your arms and back take a share of the effort, so your legs are not the only thing getting tired at mile 18.
- It raises the effort without raising the miles. You are working harder at the same walking pace, which is useful when you have limited time but want a proper training session. Studies put the extra energy cost at around 20% or more, depending on your technique and how hard you drive through the poles.
- It builds the muscles a rucksack uses. Shoulders, upper back and core. Anyone who has finished a long day with aching shoulders knows why that matters.
- It takes load off the knees on descents. This is the one most people notice first. The long drop off the Cheviots into Alwinton is where legs fall apart, and having two extra points of contact changes that.
- It keeps you moving on recovery days. A gentle Nordic session gets you out without adding another hard hill day to the week.
✅ Good to Know: None of this replaces getting the miles in. You still have to walk a long way before you walk a long way. Nordic walking is a way of making the miles you do walk work harder.
Does It Work on Cheviot Ground?
Honestly? Not everywhere.
Nordic technique needs a rhythm, and rhythm needs reasonably even ground. It is excellent on:
- Forest tracks and gravel roads
- Disused railway paths
- Field paths and farm lanes
- Beach and firm sand
- Riverside paths, including the Coquet out of Rothbury
It is much less useful on tussocky moorland, steep peat groughs and boulder fields, which is exactly the ground the Northern Pennine Way Challenge Walk crosses between Byrness and Chew Green.
📍 Local Tip: Use Nordic technique on the approach and the runs-in, and switch to a normal pole plant when the ground breaks up. Most people find their own switching point within a couple of walks.
Getting the Technique Right
The mistake almost everyone makes at the start is planting the pole in front of them and simply carrying it along. That is walking with poles, not Nordic walking.
Three things to get right:
- Plant behind the body. The tip goes in level with or behind your trailing foot, angled back.
- Push, then open the hand. Drive back, then let the fingers relax at the end of the stroke. The strap holds the pole.
- Let the arm swing naturally. Opposite arm to opposite leg, the same as when you walk without poles. Do not force a long reach.
It takes most people about twenty minutes to stop feeling silly and about three walks to stop thinking about it.
Choosing Your First Pair of Poles
We stock the LEKI range, and the choice comes down to how you travel and how much you care about weight.
-
Leki Spin Shark SL £79.99 £100
Adjustable aluminium shafts. The sensible starting point if you are not yet sure of your ideal length. -
Leki Instructor Lite £99.95 £125
Aluminium and carbon. Lighter, and the one instructors tend to use themselves. -
Leki Traveller Alu £99.99 £120
Three-section folding design. Fits in a suitcase, which matters if you walk abroad. -
Leki Traveller Carbon £149.99 £175
The same folding design in carbon. Noticeably lighter in the hand over a long day. -
Gummipuffer Powergrip pads £9.75
Rubber paws for tarmac and hard track. Buy a spare set, because they wear out.
If you want to go deeper on the differences, we have a longer piece on choosing the best Nordic walking poles.
How to Fit It Into a Training Week
A straightforward way to slot it in alongside a challenge walk build-up:
- One long walk a week. Boots, rucksack, proper mileage, no Nordic poles unless the ground suits it.
- One Nordic session midweek. 45 to 75 minutes on a good track, working properly. This is your effort session.
- One easy Nordic walk. Shorter, relaxed, on the days your legs need moving but not loading.
Build the long walk up gradually and let the Nordic sessions carry the intensity. Our free training planner sets out the week-by-week mileage for 13, 18 and 23-mile events, and Nordic sessions drop neatly into the shorter midweek slots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nordic walking just walking with poles?
No. Walking with poles means planting them for balance. Nordic walking means pushing off them behind you so your upper body does real work. The strap design is what makes the difference possible.
Do I need a lesson, or can I teach myself?
You can teach yourself the basics from a good video, and plenty of people do. A session with an instructor mainly saves you from bedding in a bad habit that is then hard to shift. If you would rather be shown, ring us on 01669 621044 and we will tell you what we have coming up.
Will Nordic walking make me faster on a challenge walk?
Not directly on rough ground, because you will not be using the technique there. What it does is build the upper-body and core strength that keeps your posture together in the last few hours, which is usually where time is lost.
How long should my poles be?
The usual starting point is your height multiplied by roughly 0.68, which puts your elbow at about 90 degrees when the tip is on the ground. Adjustable poles let you experiment before committing. Give us a ring on 01669 621044 if you would rather talk it through.
Is it suitable if I have knee problems?
Many people find the extra points of contact take real pressure off the knees, particularly downhill. It is not a substitute for proper advice, so speak to your GP or physio if you are working around an injury.
Can I use Nordic poles on the Northumberland Coast Path?
Yes, and it is one of the better places for it. Firm sand and level coastal path suit the technique well.
Get the technique right on good ground.
Your legs will thank you on the hills.
Poles from £79.99, with free UK delivery on orders over £25.