I Tried Nordic Power Walking (in the Cévennes, France) with Poles

Hi everyone.

I’ve been doing brisk walking every day for years (an hour every morning at dawn) through forests, along rivers, on trails, tracks, and pavement. I wanted to try Nordic walking, so I bought the poles (apparently, they work your abs extra). I lasted 5 days 😄 And I’m stopping because, for me, it’s incompatible with how I combine sport and wildlife. I tried all the tips (rubber and steel), and they all make a racket that scares off every animal 😅

I get that some athletes go from point A to point B without paying attention to what’s in between, but that’s not me. I love intense exercise, but whenever something’s beautiful, I stop to enjoy it for a few moments (same when I spot an animal). With the poles, it’s impossible—they’re too noisy, even if you don’t press hard.

Oh well, I wasted 20 € on this purchase (though they might come in handy for scrambling, for example).

Anyway, for the brisk walking I do, the poles I totally mastered by the second day (syncing the movement) actually slow me down. Plus, it’s annoying to hear that constant noise in a dreamy landscape when my shoes barely make a sound. And on roads (pavement), they make all the dogs in their houses bark 😅

As for working the abs, brisk walking without poles lets you engage your core if you want, so it works those muscles too.

Into the bin go my poles and their tips, already dead after 5 days (long live wildlife and nature!) 🤘

Hello,

And I’ll stop there, because for me it’s incompatible with how I combine sport and wildlife

I think we need to separate sports (whatever they may be) from nature walks (or hikes) in the wild. That’s just how I see things. I was athletic in my youth, but I don’t consider hiking just a sport—it goes beyond that, and you’ve understood that perfectly. (The joy of feeling immersed in nature, far from everything, admiring the flora, discovering wildlife along a trail, etc.) Fast walking now and then? Why not? It can feel like jogging, which we often do on the same route (or nearly), not far from home. Personally, I jogged for many years, but "fast" walking—or even Nordic walking—never appealed to me. That said, it can be useful if you feel motivated (that’s what matters!), and when you’re short on time, I think it’s still better than walking on a treadmill in a gym😏.

As for working your abs, fast walking without poles lets you engage your core if you want, so it can work those muscles too. Good riddance to my poles and their already-dead tips in 5 days (long live wildlife and flora!)

Hiking on slightly rugged paths where you need to use your hands for rocky sections (without it being real climbing) engages all your muscles, including your abs... You can also do a few exercises (like Pilates) and stretches instead of a one-hour fast walk—or even **after** a long hike in the Cévennes. The region has no shortage of hiking trails!

Hello,

And I stop, because for me it’s incompatible with my way of combining sport and wildlife

I think we should separate sports (whatever they are) from nature walks (or hikes). That’s just how I see things. I was athletic in my youth, but I don’t see hiking only as a sport—it goes beyond that, and you’ve understood that perfectly. (The joy of feeling immersed in nature, far from everything, admiring the flora, discovering wildlife along a trail, etc.)

Fast walking—why not now and then? It can be similar to jogging, which we often do on the same route (or nearly), not far from home. Personally, I jogged for many years, but "fast" walking—or even "Nordic" walking—never appealed to me. That said, it can be useful if you feel motivated (that’s what matters!) and when you’re short on time, I think it’s already better than walking on a treadmill in a gym

As for working the abs, fast walking without poles lets you engage your stomach if you want, so it works those muscles too. Goodbye to my poles and their already-dead tips after 5 days (long live wildlife and flora!)

Hiking on slightly rugged paths where you need to use your hands in rocky sections (without it being real climbing) engages all your muscles, including your abs. You can also do a few exercises (like Pilates) and stretches instead of an hour of fast walking—or even after a long hike in the Cévennes. The region has no shortage of hiking trails!

It’s my personal choice to do fast walking every day, almost never in the same places, and I see the daily benefits it brings, especially for my mood. As I mentioned earlier, I stop when the scenery is beautiful or when I spot animals. I think it’s possible to practice non-competitive sports while still enjoying nature in its entirety. With poles, you lose the silence and the tranquility for wildlife (that was the point of this topic, where I wanted to share my experience).

I can only imagine the chaos when it’s "Nordic walking clubs or associations" out in nature. Personally, I don’t do group walks or hikes because the pleasure I get from my daily hour of walking saves me from wasting time on "sport." I’ll tell the story sometime—if anyone’s interested—of the only time I tried a group hike and gave up after fifteen minutes 😄