Walking with Poles

For my pal, Sherry... here's an article on the benefits of using poles during your walks (outside, as opposed to WATP).

Walk With Poles
	Drop pounds and tone your whole body! by Selene Yeager

One simple addition to your walks can help you drop pounds and tone your whole body, without feeling like you're working any harder. The secret is pole walking--striding with special rubber-tipped walking poles. It's popular in parts of Europe and is catching on at spas across the US as a way to combine the calorie burning of cardio with the body sculpting of weight training in one easy workout. But you needn't take a pricey vacation to learn how to do it. Pole walking is based on the idea that the more muscles you use, the quicker you become fit. When 32 people performed a walking test--with and without poles--they burned 22 percent more calories when using poles. "Your upper body contains about 50 percent of your muscle mass," explains study researcher Lawrence R. Terry, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse. "Regular walking doesn't engage those muscles. Pole walking does, so you use more energy." That means if you normally burn 400 calories walking, you can boost your burn to almost 500 calories by using a pair of poles--without walking faster! Although you're technically working harder, it feels easier. "You move more efficiently with poles, so it feels like less work," says walking expert Robert Sweetgall of Clayton, MO, author of Walking Off Weight (Creative Walking, Inc., 1989). Marty Anderson, 72, of Northbrook, IL, who walked off 35 lb, agrees. "Once I started using poles, I could walk a lot longer." Strength Training on the Go "As you plant and press down with the poles, you work your chest, back, abdominal, and arm muscles hundreds of times per mile," says Tom Rutlin of Madison, WI, former ski instructor and creator of Exerstrider walking poles. "Because poles improve your posture, you plant your heels more firmly and really work your butt and hip muscles. Research has shown that women walking with poles had significant decreases in hip circumference compared with women walking without poles." "My stomach is hard as a rock!" says Judy Regan, 44, of Pasadena, CA, who started walking with poles 8 years ago. "And my arms and legs have muscle definition that I thought you had to lift weights to get." Less Stress on Joints If you have painful knees or achy hips, walking poles may make exercise less painful. Poles can ease the impact on joints by transferring force from your legs to the poles, explains Michael R. Torry, PhD, director of the Biomechanics Research Laboratory at Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation in Vail, CO. For example, the average woman walking at 3 mph may experience 190 lb of force (or 1 to 1½: times her body weight) each time her foot strikes the ground. That could add up to 425,856 lbs every mile, says Dr. Torry. Walking poles could reduce that impact by up to 5 percent, a savings of 6 tons per mile! Walk Off the Weight! After two pregnancies left her 80 lbs overweight, Kathleen Keeler, 47, of Brooklyn, knew she had to take action. "But exercise was impossible," she says. "I had arthritis in my knee, and I was so out of shape that I couldn't walk a block without pain and exhaustion." Kathleen's sister suggested walking poles. "At first, I walked for 20 minutes. I was a little tired, but thrilled that I could do it. Before long, I was walking for an hour! My clothes started getting looser, and I wasn't even dieting." Duly inspired, Kathleen began a concerted effort toeat less junk food. "Two years later, I've gone from a size 22 to a 12. My knee doesn't hurt anymore. And I'm proud of how I look!" Getting Started Proper technique is important for getting the most from your pole walking workout. The basic form is similar to regular walking, but you have poles striking the ground in time with your heels. "The most common mistake people make is swinging their arms in an unnatural rhythm--left arm, left leg--instead of alternating," says Tom Rutlin, creator of Exerstrider walking poles. "But everyone gets the hang of it in a matter of minutes." Here are Rutlin's tips for your first time out: Step 1: Grasp the poles lightly. Holding them too tightly doesn't give you more control; it only tires your hands. Step 2: Let the poles drag. Start walking as you normally would, with your arms hanging loosely and the poles dragging behind you. Do this for about 1 minute. Step 3: Shake hands. While walking, alternately extend your arms as though you were going to shake hands with someone. Don't lock your elbows. That's how high the pole will rise on the upswing. Now plant the tip of the pole on the ground as your arm comes forward. Step 4: Push off. As your arm swings back from the handshake position, push the pole against the ground, and propel yourself forward. Feel the effort through your torso. Keep your arms fairly straight, and swing them like pendulums. Quick Tip Pole walking is like a rhythmic march: Poles and heels alternately strike the ground. If you're having trouble keeping your arms and legs coordinated, try humming a marching tune. The beat will help you keep your rhythm until it becomes natural. With walking poles, you can turn your walk into a total body workout and burn up to 50 percent more calories. To learn about a variety of different poles and to purchase walking poles check out our affiliate, Walker's Warehouse.