Group Walks, One-to-One and Workshops - Poles available to hire

In South-East London (SE10, SE3 and SE7) and further afield

Book Into the Greenwich Class

Nordic Walking

Nordic Walking is an enhancement of ordinary walking – making it twice as effective through the use of two poles!

Originally developed in Finland as an exercise for cross-country skiers during the summer season, now more than 8 million people across the world Nordic Walk on a daily basis, and it is a growing trend across the UK.

It can be done by anybody, anywhere, at a slow or a highly energetic pace. It does not require expensive equipment or clothing.

Nordic Walking may serve you well if:

You would like to get fit in a fun way, while being outdoors and enjoying nature
You have not exercised for a while and would like to get back to it
You are a runner who has knee / joint problems and are looking for an alternative sport
You are looking to strengthen your bones as well as your muscles
You are recovering from an illness, injury or surgery and would like to start to exercise again
You would like to move more fluidly and exercise the whole body: upper, lower and your core
You are keen to improve your body alignment and posture
You are looking to improve and support your mental health
You like to walk with other people, make new friends and have some fun

Session & Workshop Types

LEARN & REFINE NORDIC WALKING WORKSHOPS:

The training is based on the International Nordic Walking Federation (INWA). Their ten step teaching method helps you develop a highly effective, sportive and safe walking style. I cover this curriculum in three hours of training - delivered in two workshops (or you can also take private lessons):

The Introduction to NW course (90 minutes) teaches posture, pole use and dynamic walking technique. This course is recommended before you join group walks.
The Refine & Advance NW course (90 minutes) helps you review & refine your techniques. You also learn new techniques and experience how you can increase the Nordic Walking impact on speed and fitness etc.

WEEKLY GROUP and PRIVATE WALKS of varying intensity from GENTLE to ACTIVE (incl. technique drills) and ENERGETIC / FITNESS (incl. speed and agility drills)

THEMED COURSES & LONGER WALKS AFIELD - contact me to get details on the next one

CORPORATE EVENTS

I am available for corporate events where Nordic Walking can be used to support a variety of goals incl. team building, communication, creativity and well-being.

For regular walks check my TIMETABLE
Click HERE to CONTACT ME for private sessions and information on the next workshop or if you are interested in a corporate workshop for your company.

Nordic Walking Benefits

Nordic Walking is excellent for fitness, weight loss, rehab, heart and back health; it is great for mental health and joyful living as well as giving a general feel of well-being. It is a safe practice for all ages and abilities so EVERYONE can enjoy the many well-documented health benefits. To list just a few in more detail:

Uses 90% of the skeletal muscles - you get a total workout that will improve many aspects of your fitness: cardio-vascular health, stamina, flexibility, alignment, posture, balance and coordination.
Effective aerobic conditioning due to activation of both large and small muscle groups: burns 20-46% more calories than regular walking - can help you lose weight / combat weight gain
Increases lung capacity - through increased mobility in the spine, ribs and chest - and pulmonary health - through increased oxygen uptake
Builds strength in muscles AND bones while being gentle on the joints - especially useful for combating osteopenia / osteoporosis
Reduces back pain, neck and shoulder tension especially when caused by sedentary lifestyle and stress
Supports recovery from a range of conditions, including breast cancer and heart disease & supports rehabilitation after injury or surgery
Great for mental health: Nordic Walking has been shown to bring significant improvements of levels of depression, anger, fatigue and mood swings
Stimulates Vitamin D production from exposure to Vitmain "NL" - Natural Light :)
Brisk walking makes you younger(*) - and if you had a lifetime of it by as much as 16 years! (*)Latest research findings from April 2022 in Science Daily.

You are quite fit already and wonder why you should Nordic Walk?

Once you have learnt the basics you can Nordic Walk at a higher intensity more easily and for longer enabling you to get maximum fitness benefits.
You can include skipping, running, intervals and hills to build strength and endurance.
A more varied exercise programme is easier to stick to and Nordic walking is ideal cross-training.
It is stimulating to try something new and learn a new skill.
Nordic Walking allows the same intensity of running without the high impact: if you use the correct Nordic Walking technique at 7.7km/hours, your oxygen intake is similar to running at 9.8km/hours.

There's a growing body of research about the benefits of Nordic Walking - for the scientific perspective check out the British Nordic Walking website.

Nordic Walking & Women's Health

Women's health has always been close to my heart and in my work I aim to support both physical and emotional health for women. Most of my classes are tailored for women, often with specific advice to support women's health.

Nordic Walking is a great way to:

Strengthen muscles AND bones and helps combat bone density loss
Get you safely (back) into exercising post-natally and post-surgery
Support recovery after breast cancer treatments & stimulate lymph flow
Reduce tension in the neck and shoulders
Support joint health, reduce stiffness and unexplained pains
De-stress, improve self-esteem and confidence

→ CONTACT ME to join our community of women to walk, talk, share and have fun together

Nordic Walking Poles & Equipment

You need dedicated Nordic Walking poles with gloves/sleeves that strap around your hands and wrists. These will enable the 'push-back' motions that give you a full-body workout. Trekking or Walking poles with ribbons instead of gloves, and poles that are too heavy will not enable you to use this technique. Those types of poles will exhaust you without giving you the right push-back, and possibly cause discomfort or even injure your wrists and elbow joints if you walk a lot.

WHAT ELSE YOU MAY NEED:

Trainers or running/walking shoes (no hiking boots with hard soles, you need to be able to roll your feet).
Appropriate outdoor clothing (rain and sun protection, thin gloves in winter).
Some walkers like to bring a small backpack to carry some water - shoulder bags will NOT work.

You can hire Nordic Walking poles from me, and I will teach you how to size and use them properly. If you plan to walk regularly I do recommend that you buy your own set. I can advise on what type and size of poles to buy.

Functional Movement Coaching

Walking is a functional movement for most of us and Nordic Walking can really lend itself to observe, improve and balance the bodily systems so that all-over movement functions are improved. Whatever function you want to improve - e.g. running, tennis, cycling, swimming, or maybe Yoga or walking Functional Movement Coaching can really shift your practice or your training to the next level or simply help you move better.

Based on Applied Functional Science a convergence of physical, biological and behavioural sciences this process involves functional movement assessment, training and conditioning as well as rehabilitation and injury prevention.

It is a practical and active process for every individual regardless of age or ability. In a nutshell: it is movement re-education tailor made for YOU.

Testimonials

Yesterday's Nordic Walking workshop brought my energy back, and I felt as well as before my recent sickness. Your teaching approach - as always - was very professional and your methodology gave me confidence and helped me enjoy every minute of the workshop.
I can honestly say, Saturday morning's workshop was one of the best Saturday mornings I had in a long time.

Vilma, 2022

Testimonials

I am a keen runner and as I am getting older I am noticing my knee joints ache more often especially on longer runs. I was keen to find out about Nordic Walking to complement my running. I was a little sceptical but I LOVED your Nordic Walking introduction session. I really felt how my whole body got a workout, especially my arms and upper back AND my core! I also liked how my chest was so open and my posture so much taller. Thank you!

Ellen, 2022

Testimonials

I really enjoyed the Nordic Walking introduction session. I felt so much taller and more confident walking, and it left me on such a high for a while afterwards and cannot wait to join your regular class.

Marian, 2022