Nordic Walking Classes

What is Nordic Walking?

It’s a full body, low impact cardio exercise program.

Nordic Walking achieves the same intensity as running but without the stress and high impact on joints. It also has the immediate advantage of being outdoors allowing participants to inhale the air, to feel Mother Earth under foot, and experience a different environment on every workout. It’s invigorating in a natural way!

Nordic Walking is fitness walking with specifically designed Nordic Walking poles and offers a very efficient aerobic workout and easy way to  improve your physical condition, irrespective of age, sex or physical condition. Nordic Walking achieves the same intensity as running but without the stress and high impact on joints.  It is a low impact whole body workout and works 90% of the muscle groups and burns up to 46% more calories more efficient  than during normal walking. It is gentle for the joints, improves posture and offers something  for all ages and fitness levels, for athletes as well as for people with health conditions.

Nordic Walking started in Finland in the early 20th century as a summer training exercise for cross country skiers. The real breakthrough of Nordic Walking as a practiced exercise came in 1997, when a Finnish company, in cooperation with athletes and sports medicine experts invented a new wrist strap system to make the present-day Nordic Walking technique possible. It has been very popular in Europe since then. Nordic Walking can be done anytime, year around, in any climate and on any surface.

Benefits of Nordic Walking

  • Whole body workout that uses 90% of your muscle groups

  • Low impact and gentle on your joints

  • For all fitness levels and ages including seniors

  • Burns up to 46% more calories than regular walking

  • Great outdoor activity

  • Can be done year-round, in any climate and on any surface

  • Gentle exercise while rehabbing an injury

  • Stimulates your brain

A Note From Instructor, Antje Waxman:

Realign and Nordic Walking Virginia. I am a certified Egoscue Postural Alignment Specialist (PAS) and a certified a Nordic Walking instructor by the American Nordic Walking Association (anwa.us). In my practice as a Postural Alignment Specialist, I work with people who experience chronic pain because of bad posture. I have experienced that many people have developed a faulty gait through postural misalignment. Even very athletic people walk or run with bad posture and they wonder why they experience pain at some point in their lives.

I had been looking for a sport that improves posture and encourages symmetric walking that involves the upper and the lower body. I found out that Nordic Walking with poles (it is NOT walking with trekking poles!) is a great way to re-educate the body to walk and run properly without putting any pressure on the joints.  

I did my Nordic Walking training  with Bernd Zimmermann, the founder of the American Nordic Walking association in L.A./Ca. some years ago. I immediately fell in love with Nordic Walking because it offers something for every fitness level and any age. It engages so many more muscle groups than regular walking. The arms and the upper body are working as much as the lower body (legs and feet) so that it burns about 40% more calories than regular walking and it is a great cardiovascular workout. Up and downhill walks become an easy task even for people with knee problems.

Nordic Walking is a low impact whole body workout that can be done all year around either in the nature or on pavement. There is the basic levels to learn the proper technique and there are also advanced levels such as Nordic Walking Ski Running, Skipping and other forms for more athletic people. Nordic Walking is not expensive as you can get poles under $100. My goal is to create a Nordic Walking community in and around Charlottesville to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and to meet with people who love to be in the nature. Join me!
Classes will be offered in the fall of 2022.