The Transition From A Summer Of Nordic Walking And Running With Poles To Cross Country Skiing

Three days in a row for cross country skiing! And the middle day was 11/12/13 - a very special day!

 

The Nordic Walking + the running hills with poles and the long treks up on the Sleeping Bear Dunes really paid off. Even after an hour and 1/2 of skiing yesterday I wanted to go longer. The sun was out and we had that awesome blue sky spring skiing thing happening in November.

 

Walking, running, hiking and trekking with poles is a great cross trainer for all sports. The key is using the Perfect Length Poles and the correct technique. At WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System we provide quality one-piece poles (no cheap/flimsy twist-locks or flip-locks allowed on our quality poles) and professional instruction for all ages and all fitness levels. The key is to offer options and 16 different lengths of poles.

 

Our poles are tough enough for world class athletes to pound and push. They are also dependable enough for those transitioning from crutches, canes and/or walkers. Don't get scammed by collapsible poles! Be sure to look for SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles. Both come with a Perfect Length Guarantee.

 

And as any ski coach knows - one-piece poles are always going to prove to be safer, lighter, stronger, more durable and much more dependable than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles flooding the market from China - including those $200 collapsible ones. Quality one-piece Nordic Walking Poles the perfect solution for skiing, walking, running, hiking, trekking, snowshoeing, roller skiing and inline skating.

 

And a good ski coach knows how to wax the skis for these early season ski outings when the leaves and grass are still wet. SWIX CH10 ironed in, allowed to cool, scraped and then brushed out. If there is a No-Wax base under foot be sure to use some SWIX F8LE Red Liquid Glide on the no-wax area (no wax doesn't mean NO wax - SWIX F8LE liquid waxes really help the no-wax area from drying out, clumping up and wrecking your ski time when the leaves or grass are wet. SWIX F7LE and F6LE are for colder temps and are a must for those no-wax areas on colder days. This secret combo will allow for better glide and eliminate clumps of snow underfoot and/or snow/ice freeze up that wrecks a beautiful xc wicked fast.

 

My skis were in great shape and had great glide.

 

Back to running hills today - with poles of course. But happy for 3 days of xc skiing before the snow melted. Glad to that the Nordic Walking proved to be a successful cross trainer to get ready for ski season.

 

Think Snow!

 

Maple Syrup Time - Ideal Time of Year for Cross Country Skiing and Nordic Walking!

Cold nights and warm days are ideal for the tapping of maple trees for maple syrup. It is also an ideal time for spring skiing and/or Nordic Walking.

This has been a perfect spring for making maple syrup and the snow is still holding up and very skiable.

And for those deprived of snow - just get out and beef-up your walking campaign with walking poles. Walking with poles provide many of the awesome health benefits of cross country skiing. The walking poles also radically reduce the stress to the shins, the knees, the hips and back.

Originally skiers deprived of snow knew the secret benefits of walking, hiking, trekking, ski walking, hill-bounding, ........... with poles. And now the word is out. You can burn 20-40% more calories by walking with poles. That is 20-40% more calories than regular walking - walking without poles. The poles also radically improve balance and stability.

When deprived of snow and not cross country skiing I use my poles for hiking in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and during my lunch break I run with my poles up the hill here behind the office and then ski walk back down. I not only get a better workout, but my knees find the poles eliminate the stress and strain.

When looking for walking poles be sure to not get scammed by all the cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles flooding the market from China and costing anywhere from $20.00 per pair to $200.00 per pair. If the poles are equipped with twist-locks or flip-locks be sure to avoid them. Skiers only use one-piece poles and the same quality one-piece poles work best for hiking, walking, trekking, running, ski walking and hill-bounding with poles.

Skiers and other athletes would destroy cheap/flimsy collapsible poles. Plus they rattle, vibrate, gradually collapse or fail altogether unexpectedly. Seniors and anyone with a balance issue should NEVER use cheap/flimsy collapsible poles. Quality one-piece poles that are sized correctly will always prove to be safer, lighter, stronger, more durable and much more user-friendly.

Perfect length poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back - better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout - burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

According to Nick Mahood, SWIX USA Nordic Walking Director, "Pete Edwards, The American Nordic Walking System and SKIWALKING.COM's owner/founder/coach, has single handedly introduced thousands of Americans to Nordic Walking through his enthusiastic Nordic Walking clinics! I have no doubt that Edwards is the #1 retailer of Nordic Walking Poles in the USA! You can quote me on that!".

We are the #1 retailer of quality one-piece poles in North America. Unfortunately thousands of Americans in the USA and Canada are getting scammed everyday into purchasing cheap/flimsy collapsible poles from China. When those collapsible poles prove unfriendly they find us and our 100% positive satisfaction ratings.

Walking with poles is the best! Walking with one-piece poles that are sized correctly makes a good thing even better.

WWW.SKIWALKING.COM LLC Relocates To Empire, Michigan

The American Nordic Walking System and SKIWALKING.COM are North America's leading Nordic Walking Company. World Headquarters has moved from Glen Arbor, Michigan to Empire, Michigan.

As the exclusive North American retailer for SWIX out of Norway and EXEL out of Finland, SKIWALKING.COM ships quality Nordic Walking Poles world-wide. No other USA or Canadian retailer offers 16 different lengths of quality one-piece Nordic Walking Poles. SKIWALKING.COM is also the exclusive North American source for SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking rubber tips/asphalt paws.

The American Nordic Walking System is the instructional branch of the company. Pete Edwards, the owner/founder, has hosted hundreds of Nordic Walking Classes and introduced thousands of Americans to Nordic Walking. His hands on experience, combined with over 25 years of coaching runners and skiers, has enabled him to clearly define a safe and effective Nordic Walking System that accommodates all ages and all fitness levels. The American Nordic Walking System is based on the best biomchanics of running and cross country skiing.

Unlike other Nordic Walking organizations the American Nordic Walking System does not recommend the use of cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles that tend to rattle, vibrate, gradually collapse and/or fail altogether. As a ski coach Edwards knows that collapsible poles are not durable enough to handle the tough use of skiers. One-piece poles prove to be safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap/flimsy collapsible poles. Edwards' SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles are tough enough to withstand the demands of skiing, but are ideal for hiking, trekking, ski walking and hill bounding - cheap twist-lock and flip-lock collapsible poles are not tough enough. Collapsible poles are just to cheap and flimsy for skiing and roller skiing. Seniors and individuals with balance should only use quality one-piece poles and avoid cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles.

The new home of the American Nordic Walking System and SKIWALKING.COM is located in the hills above the town of Empire. Empire is home to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore headquarters. All of Edwards' poles have gone through rigerous testing on the beaches and up on the sand dunes themselves.

Nordic Walking Certification Includes Unexpected 5km Gold Medal

Jim Bennett and Kathe Swanson decided to head north this summer, tour the Great Lakes in their RV and attempt to become certified Nordic Walking Instructors. When they arrived in beautiful Northern Michigan, home of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, they never envisioned that their Nordic Walking Certification Course would include bringing back a 5K "Gold Medal" to Orlando, Florida.

Kathe had personally seen the enthusiasm and high participation levels of Nordic Walking while visiting Europe. She and her partner Jim contacted SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System to see if they could partner with a North American company dedicated to quality Nordic Walking Poles and effective Nordic Walking Instruction.

They had researched a variety of Nordic Walking companies and manufactures. Many of the companies they contacted had amnesia when it came to where their 2-piece and 3-piece poles were made? Most likely they were all made in China.

After testing the one-piece EXEL Urban Skier Nordic Walking Poles sized specifically for each of their heights from SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System they knew they had found quality poles from a company dedicated to maintaining 100% positive satisfaction ratings. Quality one-piece Nordic Walking Poles are safer, lighter and stronger than cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece twist-lock and flip-lock collapsible poles. One-piece poles that are sized correctly don’t rattle, vibrate, collapse gradually or collapse unexpectedly. SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System offer 16 different standard lengths, while others may only offer three to six different lengths that can’t possibly provide the perfect length poles for most individuals.

EXEL, based in Finland, is credited for producing the first carbon composite ski racing poles and dominated the medal count at the Olympics for years. Then EXEL launched the first true Nordic Walking Poles when they produced the EXEL Nordic Walker poles. EXEL's Nordic Walking poles differed from other walking poles in that they were based on a cross country pole design/Nordic design - lighter and stronger than 2-piece and 3-piece collapsibles. Prior to the introduction of the EXEL Nordic Walker Poles, walking poles were based more on heavier alpine/downhill designs - similar to trekking poles.

All of the SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles from WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System are equipped with highly effective and comfortable fingerless glove type straps – patented by the Salomon Ski Company. Other types of walking poles may come with no straps, a simple loop strap or cheap velcro slings. Quality cross country ski poles are now all equipped with the more effective fingerless glove type straps – eliminating the need to grip the poles and effectively transmit power into the cradle of the straps through the heel of the hand. SWIX cross country racing poles dominated at the Olympics this year and all were equipped with fingerless glove type straps.

Individuals can experience some, but definitely not all of the many wonderful benefits of Nordic Walking with nearly any type of poles as long as they are sized correctly – downhill poles, cross country poles, trekking poles, ...... Many of my customers said they had experimented with yardsticks, two canes (too short, but better than one cane) and misc. yard tools. One of my favorite fitness instructors provides simple strapless bamboo sticks to help get his classes moving while he uses REAL Nordic Walking Poles and further explains their many advantages.

When someone is interested in Nordic Walking they should not run out and buy a cheap/flimsy pair of twist-lock or flip-lock poles to see if they will like Nordic Walking. They would be better off testing some old ski poles, two walking sticks or any thing handy that can give them a quick feel for walking with poles. I have been told by hundreds of happy customers that they could tell immediately that walking with poles was a huge improvement over regular walking, or walking with a cane, or even a walker.

The perfect length one-piece Nordic Walking Poles can help us all to automatically walk with a super straight back - better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout - burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.

Part of Jim and Kathe’s Nordic Walking Certification process included not only a review of the American Nordic Walking System, but required participation in a 5km Race. Unfortunately Jim was under the weather and missed out on the Annual Sleeping Bear 5k, but Kathe rose to the occasion and won a gold medal in her age group!

The Nordic Walking certification courses offered by The American Nordic Walking System differ hugely from other certification courses. The cost is much less. The courses are based on my 25 plus years of coaching experience (runners and skiers), my hosting of hundreds of Nordic Walking Classes and my introduction of Nordic Walking to thousands of individuals.

When I became a certified Nordic Walking Instructor I knew the desired answers to many of the test’s questions were incorrect. My running and ski background had taught me that alignment and proper biomechanics are critical. I knew that there should be NO “leaning” while Nordic Walking (flats or uphills), NO fake elongated strides and NO siting back on the downhills. Many DVD’s and books about Nordic Walking include a lot of leaning, elongated strides and sitting back. Plus many DVD'’ and books provide poor sizing information – claiming that you can simply take one’s height and multiply by .68 or .7 and come up with the perfect length poles for an individual’s height. Being a ski coach I know that skis and poles from different companies are not measured the same and using .68 or .7 would be wrong. The goal is to get that elbow and 90 degrees and the forearm parallel to the ground when standing tall.

Congratulations to Kathe for winning her Gold Medal while Nordic Walking in the Sleeping Bear 5K - over 700 runners, walkers and Nordic Walkers participated! And as soon as she completes the written portion of her certification process she will become a Level 1 Certified Nordic Walking Instructor! Upon completion of additional requirements (including more hands on teaching and acquiring additional student testimonies) she will become Level 2 Certified. And next year she may be ready to tackle Level 3 Nordic Walking Certification.

Nordic Walking Success At Mercy Hospital's Cardiac Rehab Department

REAL Nordic Walking Poles Radically Improve Balance Stability And Gait

While hosting Nordic Walking Classes at Mercy Hospital's Cardiac Rehabilitation Department and offering Nordic Walking Classes for the hospital staff during lunch I received the typical positive feedback from participants. The many benefits of walking with the perfect length poles and correct technique was recognized and appreciated by those in cardiac rehab, their spouses, the pt's, the doctors and other hospital staff members.

Mercy Hospital’s Cardiac Rehab Dept. has a nice selection of exercise equipment including real Nordic Walking Poles. The Cardiac Rehabilitation PT’s (physical therapists) utilize one-piece SWIX Nordic Walking Poles – safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap/flimsy two-piece and three-piece twist-lock and flip-lock poles that tend to rattle, vibrate and/or collapse unexpectedly.

When I arrived at Cardiac Rehab I found one gentleman Nordic Walking the halls outside Cardiac Rehab. His technique was awesome and there was a real bounce in his step. When I caught up to Mr. Raymer I learned that he had just turned 71 the day before. I learned that he had also recovered from a heavy equipment accident and was lucky to even be able to walk. He told me that his Nordic Walking Poles keep him going spring, summer and fall. And come winter he cross country skis too. The benefits of Nordic Walking and cross country skiing are huge and they are very similar. They are both highly effective aerobically and both are gentle on the shins, knees, hips and back.

Skiers know that one piece poles are much lighter and much more durable than 2-piece and 3-piece collapsible poles. Skiers don’t use cheap/flimsy twist-lock or flip-lock poles for obvious reasons. During my Nordic Walking classes numerous participants told me about the problems they had with their collapsible walking and snowshoe poles. My dependable SWIX and EXEL one-piece Nordic Walking Poles proved to be far superior to their cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece poles. Plus all of my SWIX and EXEL poles are equipped with real Nordic Walking Straps – comfortable fingerless glove type straps - patented by the Salomon Ski Company.

While Nordic Walking at Mercy Hospital we kept the rubber Nordic Walking tips/asphalt paws on. The rubber tips/asphalt paws are ideal on carpet, tile, indoor/outdoor tracks, pavement and of course asphalt. When the rubber tips are removed the metal tips are exposed and ideal for trails, grass, dirt, the beach, snow and ice.

Our SWIX and EXEL one-piece Nordic Walking Poles are being utilized at multiple cardiac rehabilitation locations across the country. PT’s and doctors recognize that our one-piece poles are user-friendly and won’t collapse unexpectedly like twist-lock and flip-lock poles can when they fail. SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System provides superior Nordic Walking Poles and has developed a variety of exertion and intensity levels, plus special instructions for individuals with balance issues. There is an ideal level of intensity and exertion appropriate for any age and any fitness level – from casual to maximum calorie burn.

Walking with poles is the best!

Many Nordic Walking Enthusiasts Started Out Using Old Ski Poles

Like myself, many of my customers launched their personal Nordic Walking campaigns using ski poles and then graduated to real Nordic Walking Poles.

Old ski poles work great on trails - especially if they are sized correctly. After my last running injury my ski poles provided a huge relief while hiking with poles on my favorite running trail. I already knew that ski poles worked great for ski walking and hill bounding - as a means to keep in shape and get ready for the next ski season. After coaching ski racers for over 25 years I knew that ski walking and hill bounding with poles, combined with running and roller skiing, were the secret weapons to prepare over the summer for another successful ski season.

One-piece ski poles, like one-piece Nordic Walking Poles, prove to be far superior to the cheap/flimsy twist-lock and flip-lock 2-piece and 3-piece Nordic Walking, trekking and snowshoe poles flooding the marketing from china.

One-piece ski poles and one-piece Nordic Walking Poles are safer, lighter and much more durable than  2-piece and 3-piece poles. One-piece Nordic Walking Poles have also proven to be lighter and much more user-friendly while hiking in the Grand Canyon. Skiers know that one-piece poles are better and skiers trust their one-piece poles.

At SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System we have 14 different lengths and we also custom build poles for individuals over 6' 7" (at no extra cost). We also offer a Perfect Length Guarantee.

While taking orders today, Judith, an enthusiastic 71 year young lady told me about her success with her ski poles this past winter while walking in her apartment and around the neighborhood. She mentioned that her ski poles were a huge improvement over her walker. She also informed me that she had PD (Parkinson's Disease). She had recently purchased some adjustable poles, but she said "they sucked" and then told me that she sent them back. She was delighted to find our company offers 14 different one-piece lengths. Her new Nordic Walking Poles are shipping out first thing tomorrow.

As Judith discovered, one-piece poles don't rattle, vibrate and/or collapse unexpectedly like the cheap/flimsy twist-locks and flip-locks from China do. I would recommend old ski poles, including the old bamboo poles, over these cheap/flimsy twist-lock and flip-lock poles coming in from China.

Be sure to ask where your poles are made. Judith's new SWIX Nordic Walking Poles are made in Lillehammer, Norway. Her poles are also equipped with comfortable patented straps (patented by the Salomon Ski Company) and include both durable carbide metal tips for trails, the beach snow and ice, plus removable rubber tips for pavement, carpet, tile and other hard surfaces.

Our company has donated hundreds of pairs of quality one-piece poles to the Wounded Warriors Programs. Once we know how tall a Wounded Warrior is we select the Perfect Length Poles for his/her height. While providing free Nordic Walking Classes for Wounded Warriors I quickly realized that they do not like their canes or walkers. The perfect length Nordic Walking Poles provided everyone that participated in our classes with improved walking posture (straighter back), plus greatly improved balance, stability and gait. Cheap/flimsy twist-lock and flip-lock poles could not hold up to the added stress put on the poles by the wounded warriors.

Walking with poles is the best, but be sure to avoid the cheap stuff from China and look for quality one-piece poles in the correct length for your height.

SWIX Ski Racing Poles, SWIX Ski Wax and SWIX Nordic Walking Poles - Commitment To Quality

SWIX Poles Sweeps The Podium at USA Nationals - Classic Mass Start Races

In the men's race SWIX poles and wax dominate

SWIX racing poles and ski wax stole the show at USA XC Ski Nationals last month in Alaska. The podium results and medal counts were extremely consistent.

For more additional results and cross country info here is the US Ski Team link: http://www.usskiteam.com/crosscountry

 

In the women's race its Gold, Silver and Bronze again!

Quality SWIX poles and super fast SWIX wax proved again to be the choice of champions at USA XC Ski Nationals. SWIX's demonstrated commitment to quality at USA Cross Country Ski Nationals was evident for the world to see.

If you would like assistance in waxing like those on the podium check out the SWIX Wax Wizard: http://www.swixschool.com/web/wizard.html?langInput=lang2&menuInput=subM2

SWIX's commitment to quality is also evident in their recreational ski pole and wax lines too. Dependable and user-friendly products - including Nordic Walking Poles. At SKIWALKING.COM and The American Nordic Walking System quality one-piece walking poles are available in 14 different lengths - more than any other retailer in North America. The SWIX Nordic Walking VIP's are equipped with comfortable Nordic Walking Straps patented by the Salomon Ski Company (please note that ALL six of the medal winning athletes above skied with similar straps - proven to be extremely efficient and effective. The SWIX Nordic Walking VIP's are also equipped with durable metal tips for walking off-road - on trails, the beach, grass, snow and ice. They also come with removable rubber tips/paws for pounding the pavement and other hard surfaces.

Recreational skiers and races alike know that their one-piece poles are far superior to cheap twist-lock/flip-lock adjustable length/telescoping/collapsible poles. Yesterday during ski practice we passed a snowshoer with just one pole - one of her twist-lock poles broke as soon as she hit the trail. Skiers would never use twist-lock or flip-lock poles that can vibrate, rattle, collapse unexpectedly and/or fail altogether. One-piece poles are proven to be safer, lighter and stronger than cheap twist-lock and flip-lock poles. Seniors and individuals should especially avoid cheap twist-lock and flip-lock poles.

When looking for trekking or Nordic Walking Poles be sure to ask yourself this simple question: "would these poles pass the "skier" test?" The answer will always be NO - they won't. And that is why SWIX has been committed to provide superior one-piece poles.

February is American Heart Month and the Winter Olympics are this month too. Exercise is a key component to improving heart health. Let's hope that the Olympics will help to motivate more of us to get outside and exercise - skiing, snowshoeing, Nordic Walking or just plain walking.