In Nordic Walking it is crucial to walk with what is known as an ‘active’ foot. In other words, ensuring that you strike the ground with your heel, roll through the centre of your foot and push off from your toes. This is a movement that can be used in everyday life, not just Nordic Walking, and will put a wonderful spring into your step, taking years off your appearance! This is a complete contrast to walking with a flat foot or shuffle that is commonly associated with ageing.
Effects of walking with an active foot.
- Automatically engages all the muscles through the leg from the ankle to the all important glutes, thus strengthening and toning those muscles. NB walking with a flat foot considerably reduces the number of muscles used, leading to muscle atrophy and weakening, making joints less stable and falls more likely.
- When you work leg muscles correctly, you will feel a spring in your step. This triggers a reaction in your upper body, namely your shouldaers automatically begin to rotate.
There are two particularly useful visualisations for perfecting the foot roll.
- The first is to imagine you have lemon halves under your feet and you are trying to squeeze all the juice out of the cut lemons as you roll through your foot.
- Alternatively, pretend you have Velcro stuck to the sole of your foot and you have to work hard to peel your foot off the floor, exaggerating the movement.
DISCLAIMER
These workouts have been designed for clients of Nordic Walking East Anglia, who have all been taught the correct Nordic Walking technique by a qualified British Nordic Walking Instructor. They have also been shown how to perform these exercises in face to face lessons; this film is merely a prompt. Individuals participate in these exercises at their own risk and must ensure they have adequate and non-slip floor space in which to participate and agree that they have no health concerns that prevent them from taking part. These exercises are designed to be carried out outside, however, if individuals perform the warm-up and cool-down sessions indoors there is a danger of collision with or damage to furniture, light fittings, etc. as well as potential for injury