| Nordic walking was launched in Finland in 1997 as a | | | | Not many walkers. |
| summer fitness exercise for cross country skiers. | | | | Clothing: Use light clothing as possible. Light shirt. |
| It was later promoted by the Finnish government | | | | Short trousers. A hat if you will meet the hot sun! |
| to encourage the people to exercise. About | | | | Footwear: There are specially designed shoes for |
| 760,000 Finns exercise with this walking regularly. | | | | Nordic Walking , but a good walking shoe or a |
| The Nordic walking spread quickly in the Nordic | | | | running shoe can also do the job. |
| countries like Norway Sweden Germany , where | | | | Water: Very important ! I usually carry on my |
| more people are familiar with Nordic style skiing. | | | | back a water bag , with a pipe so I do not have |
| In Finland, at the summer, the mean daily | | | | to leave the walking poles for drinking. |
| temperature is consistently above 10C but we | | | | Walking poles : Using the walking poles with gloves |
| know that all the countries mentioned here are | | | | is unbearable .The hands feel very hot and |
| mostly not very hot. So what happens in the hot | | | | sweaty inside the gloves. The solution is to use |
| countries where the mean summer temperatures | | | | walking poles without gloves but they should not |
| Are around 30C? Is this kind of activity suitable | | | | be the kind with smooth cork shaft . The reason |
| for those countries, where there is no snow at | | | | of course is that the sweating hands are sliding on |
| all? | | | | the shaft , so you can not give that push with |
| I am living in a hot country with summer | | | | the hands , which are part of the Nordic Walking . |
| temperatures around the 30C. | | | | This leads to the conclusion that the shaft has to |
| From my experience I can assure you It fits also | | | | be the kind with curves which fit the fingers. With |
| to hot countries but I have to emphasis the | | | | this kind of shaft you can "play " with the way |
| following points: | | | | you holding the walking poles: Before sweating in |
| Walking time: Early morning is my preferred time. | | | | the hand palms you can have a full grip on the |
| The air is usually not polluted. The car traffic is | | | | shaft. Later you can hold the shaft with the |
| low. You have a chance to see the sunrise. | | | | thumb and index finger only. |