Nordic Walking with Nordic Academy

Nordic Walking in the Austrian Alps

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 22:11:00 +1100

EURO ALPS Nordic Walking TOUR 2015 (nb. Early Bird Prices close 30 Nov!)

You're most likely already aware of the Euro Alps Tours we run every year during June and July. Each year, we introduce, immerse and enjoy the spectacular and special 'Grosses Walsertal' in the Austrian Alps with guests from Australia and around the world. Next year we would love to be doing it with you!

Whilst on tour this year we asked a few of our guests to put their experience (spontaneously) into words. Have a listen and be tantalised by what they had to say...

Jill & Chadi

For those of you who do not already know about our tours - the 'Euro Alps Tours' are actually a brain child of some of our clients who asked us to invite them over and show them around Patrick's homeland in the Austrian Alps. Of course we listened, and thought - what a great idea!

Since running our sold out tour in the first year, we have hosted more guests and run more tours each year. It is a very personal and authentic tour that we can pretty much guarantee will be a special experience and holiday to remember for any one who joins us.

Together over 10 days we explore and experience the local Grosses Walsertal valley region in western Austria - not only taking in its majestic mountains, serene spring lake, flower-filled meadows, traditional culture and breathtaking scenery but also experiencing its unique balance of man living in harmony with nature (as recognised by UNESCO’s classification as a model ‘Biosphere Reserve’).

Have a look at a few tour pictures here!

Places are Filling for the 2015 Tour - Don't miss out!

At this stage, there are places still available for next year's tour.

The Early Bird rates are only valid until the end of November so check your diary, talk to your partner/ friends and then be quick to book.

Classic Tour: 19 - 28 June 2015
Return to Eden Tour*: 3 - 12 July 2015
(* this tour is only open to returning guests)

Early Bird Prices (until 30 Nov) & After 30 Nov Tour Prices

Double / Twin: $2980 $3280
Single: $3230 $3530

Tour Highlights - What You Can Expect

Experience the stunning landscapes, abundant nature and feelings of vitality that the Alps exude
Access an alpine community and traditional culture that is off the main 'tourist trail'
Enjoy guided daily Nordic Walks in a diverse range of alpine landscapes
Live in a UNESCO Biosphere where man lives in sustainable harmony with nature
Visit 4 countries: Austria, Switzerland, Germany and the Principality of Liechtenstein
Indulge in 4 star service and the friendly hospitality of the Sperger family in the ‘Faschina Hotel’
Satisfy your appetite with delicious daily buffet breakfasts and 4-course dinners
Sit back and take in the views as you are chauffeured in style between walks and destinations
Enjoy the organised activities and extra outings which are included in the full day programs
Relax completely - knowing that you have local hosts who are there every step of the way to ensure you have a wonderful and carefree holiday!

We look forward to sharing 'our' homeland with you.

Patrick & Maree
and the Nordic Academy team

** To find out more about the tours contact Patrick directly on 0433 775 227or email us via euroalps @nordicacademy.com.au **

Nordic Walking Poles or Trekking / Hiking Poles – what’s the difference?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 21:58:00 +1100

Can you Nordic Walk with ordinary trekking or walking poles? The simple answer is … No you can’t! However, you can use Nordic Walking poles for trekking so anybody who is looking at purchasing poles, consider Nordic Walking poles as they come with extra benefits.

The significant difference between the two poles is the wrist strap. The Nordic Walking pole has a strap (some call it glove) that is attached to the grip.

The reason for the wrist strap is twofold. For once - the emphasis with Nordic Walking is to apply pressure through the strap onto the pole. One can apply far more pressure through the strap onto the pole than holding onto the grip and applying pressure that way.

The second reason for a proper wrist strap is lies in the Nordic Walking technique – once you push your body past the pole forward, you need to let go of the pole grip to get the pole further back behind the body and for the pole to become an extension of the arm (see picture).

Note: Very few Nordic Walking poles come with detachable wrist straps. While the ability to detach the strap is not essential, it is very convenient to push a button to have the hand free to grab a water bottle or keys or to wash the wrist straps after extensive use for hygienic reasons.

Trekking poles have a variety of grips, many of which are designed for comfort (see pictures) because the trekker will use these to transfer body weight onto the pole which helps to share the load and provide some stability. In general the trekker is not trying to push themselves forward in the way Nordic Walkers do. Therefore they plant the poles in front of them at a much more upright angle.

Note: Trekkers / hikers often use only one pole – we’d not advocate that as it can cause in-balance and back discomfort.

Another difference is the make of the shaft; while most trekking poles are adjustable to be able to be packed away and to be adjusted for different terrain, the ideal Nordic Walking poles are fixed length, providing more strength and better swing abilities. Whether for trekking or Nordic Walking, the fixed length poles are the preferred option – except of when travelling extensively and not wanting to check in poles at the airport.

As for the shaft material for both, Nordic Walking and Trekking poles – generally it can be said, cheaper (price and quality) poles are made from aluminium or fibre glass, more expensive (better) poles are made from a carbon mix up to 100% diamond carbon (used in cross country skiing world cup).

Nowadays, most trekking poles come with rubber pads / paws; certainly all Nordic Walking poles do. The difference lies in the shape of the rubber pads – with Nordic Walking the pole is planted diagonally backwards which is the reason for an angled rubber pad for Nordic Walking poles. A few pole brands now have a special rubber pad system where the pad does not come off anymore but stays on the pole (see picture).

For more information contact My Nordic Sports on 1300 791 740 or email info@mynordicsports.com.au.

Patrick Burtscher, Founder Nordic Academy

Nordic World Ski Championships – The Winners and the Competitors in 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +1100

Last Sunday the 12 day Nordic World Ski Championships came to an end in Val di Fiemme, Italy.

The Championships were dominated by Norway winning 8 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze medals. France and Russia followed in second and third places respectively.

The Swedish XC-skier Johan Olson won the glorious ski marathon race, which was the last race and grand finale of the games. Our ONE WAY athelete, Dario Cologna, finished the 50km marathon in second place BUT as a result of winning the 30km race a few days before, has claimed the title of World Champion. Well done to Dario and to ONE WAY!

The most successful individual participant was Marit Björgen. The Norwegian Ski star won four gold medals across the cross country-competitions.

In the ski jumping events the Austrian Team dominated and achieved the glory (which we are particularly thrilled about). Germany did well and came in second, with Poland coming in with third place.

As for the Australian cross country ski team, they competed well and gave their best but were no threat to the superior European Nations. (They also looked great decked out in their ONE WAY apparel). And as all good sports is about - it’s the taking part, courage, determination and effort that counts.

We are proud of our Aussies – well done to:

Male athletes:
Callum Watson
Phillip Bellingham
Paul Kovacs
Mark van der Ploeg

Female athletes:
Esther Bottomley
Aimee Watson
Anna Trnka
Lescinska Grimmer

Mark van der Ploeg, 30km Skiathlon

To view more photos of our Aussies in action – go to the official Australian XC-Skiing website: http:// ausxc.com/

Vasaloppet 2013 – Norway takes both the mens and womens line honours

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +1100

The Vasaloppet is over for another year, and as always the event saw many heroic efforts and finish line crossings.

14,706 people competed – including H.R.H Crown Prince Frederik from Denmark! Another special competitor was Bengt Eriksson who was the event’s oldest participant being 82 years of age – achieving his 60^th finish at Vasaloppet!

Our ONE WAY athlete, Daniel Tynell, and his compratiot Jens Eriksson, both from the local region of Dalarna, set the pace of the race very well and were part of the six men leading group just before the end of the race.

After a hard fight against each other in the last minutes, Jörgen Auckland (of Norway) had the best end performance and won the Vasaloppet 2013. It was his second victory. Daniel Tynell finished in second position, just two seconds behind the winning time of 3.50.48h.

In the womens class, Laila Kveli (also a Norwegian) won the title. She crossed the line with a comfortable margin of more than one and a half minutes in front of the second place getter, Seraina Boner of Switzerland.

As with previous years, the Vasaloppet was a great success and showed off the excitement and beauty of cross country skiing as well as Sweden’s stunning nature and landscape. We look forward to next year’s event already!

Today is the day of THE big XC race - the Swedish Vasaloppet!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 3 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +1100

So, who will be doing the final waxing of their skis and donning their lycra and grabbing their poles for this year’s Vasaloppet? Well, despite the demanding physical fitness required it’s not just a race for professional cross country skiers - amateurs will also there by their thousands. For these participants though, along with the opportunity to test their courage and stamina to the max, they are also there to do some star gazing – looking out for the big names and personas of the Nordic Skiing scene.

One of the most famous and most successful competitors of the Vasaloppet in the last 10 years is the local Swede: Daniel Tynell. Today, as the skiers converge on the Vasaloppet venue, we would like to pay homage to him as one of the event’s stars and (as you can see in the photo) a fan of ONE WAY’s poles!

Per Daniel Tynell was born in 1976. His hometown Grycksbo is located in the region where the Vasaloppet is based (which is handy to give him some degree of a good ‘homeside’ advantage).

He is a Cross Country skier who specializes in long-distance runs and has won the Vasaloppet an impressive three times (2002, 2006 and 2009).

He will be competing in the 2013 Vasaloppet so we wish him the very best!

http://www.oneway.fi/news.html

History of Vasaloppet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 1 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +1100

The Vasaloppet has a very long tradition, with its origins dating back to royalty and the 16^th century! The modern era of the race is more recent, being 1922, but still that’s an event that’s been around a looong time!

The Vasaloppet is named after Gustav Ericsson Vasa who became king of Sweden in 1523.

In 1520, the young nobleman Gustav Ericsson Vasa was escaping from the troops of Christian II, king of Denmark, Sweden and Norway (the Kalmar Union). Much of the Swedish nobility was in opposition to the king, and had nicknamed him Christian the Tyrant. In a move to silence the opposition, Christian invited the Swedish aristocracy to a reconciliation party in Stockholm, only to have them, including Gustav's parents, massacred in what came to be known as the Stockholm Bloodbath.

Gustav was escaping through Dalarna, fearing for his life if he were discovered by the king's troops, when he spoke to the assembled men of Mora (Finish area) and tried to convince them to raise a levy and start a rebellion against King Christian. The men refused to join the rebellion, and Gustav started toward Norway to seek refuge. However, he was later caught at Sälen (Start area) by two Mora brothers on skis - the men in Mora had changed their minds after hearing that the Danish rulers had decided to raise taxes, and they now wanted Gustav to lead the rebellion. On 6 June 1523, Gustav Vasa was crowned king of Sweden, having defeated the Danish king Christian and dissolved the Kalmar Union. Sweden has been fully independent ever since.

(Source: Wikipedia, 06.02.2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasaloppet)

The first modern Vasaloppet took place in 1922 with 119 skiers attending. It then took awhile for women to be allowed to also participate – this occurring in 1981. Today it´s the biggest Cross-Country ski race where everyone can participate – as there are a variety of race distances which cater for different ages and abilities.

Facts about and Preparations for the Vasaloppet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +1100

In our second post about the Vasaloppet (the mecca event in the Nordic Skiing world) we’ve got some interesting stats and facts about the race that are sure to impress. Guess how cold it gets on race day for the participants…?

2013 Race Date: Sunday 3^rd March 2013

Number of participants: 15,800

Distance: 90 kms

Race style: Classic technique

The Circuit

Start area, Sälen: 350m ASL (above sea level)

Race highest point:                     528m ASL
Finish, Mora:                              162 ASL
Rising metres:                            812 m
Falling metres:                            986 m
Uphill:                                      25% – 22.2 km
Level:                                        43% – 38.6 km
Downhill:                                    32% – 29.2 km
Total:                                         90 km

The participants have to prepare themselves very well for this endurance race, which takes place in sub-zero temperatures: the average temperatures for February in this part of Sweden ranges from -22 to -3 degrees – yikes, that’s cold!! Preparation must therefore be thorough with pre-event training programs including weekly totals of 500 kilometres!!

For more info about the race you can check out the event website:

http://www.vasaloppet.se/wps/wcm/connect/en/vasaloppet/start

Vasaloppet, Sweden – the oldest, longest and biggest Cross Country Ski race in the world.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +1100

"I Fäders Spår för Framtids Segrar" (In the footsteps of our forefathers for the victories of tomorrow) - nothing else can better describe the heroic deed and the honour to take part in this famous Scandinavian sporting event.

The Vasaloppet forms part of the Swedish soul and tradition, and like the Tour de France cycling race, this event traverses and shows off the beauty of the country of one of the most northern countries in Europe. The race is tough and a very long 90km, so participant who makes it to the finish line is a winner.

Our supplier of Nordic Walking Poles, ONE WAY is the main sponsor of this traditional ski race (you can see their fluorescent yellow flags in the photo).

This year’s Vasaloppet will take place on Sunday 3^rd March. During the lead up to the event we are going to bring you a few posts giving more info: stats, background and the participants. For now though, have a look at some of the amazing footage from the 2010 Vasaloppet:

In Australia, we have our own version of the Vasaloppet – it is called the ‘The Hoppet’. It is run at Falls Creek in Victoria each year, and attracts around 1,000 participants. The track is not as long, being 30 km in length, but is still a mean feat to complete! The Hoppet is one of the races included in the international ´Worldloppet´ series.

For more information visit: http://www.hoppet.com.au/index.phpoption=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=49&Itemid=90

FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2013 start today!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +1100

Good luck to all competitors and countries competing. We will barracking for all Australians as well as the progress of ONE WAY’s very own XC-Skiing Champion Mr Dario Cologna (as one of many champions).

One of the most famous Cross Country Skiers of the present day is Dario Cologna. He is a 26 year old from Switzerland who has won the World Cup three times, one Olympic Gold medal and three Tour de Ski trophies.

Dario uses poles from and is a supporter of ONE WAY, as well as an active ambassador of Nordic Sports in general. He is still at his competitive best, so it will be interesting to see how he fares in this event. We wish him luck!

The Australians who will be competing at this year’s Championships include:

Phillip Bellingham
Callum Watson
Mark van der Ploeg
Esther Bottomley

We are very proud to have these athletes flying the flag for us. Go Aussies!!

Finally - a funny impression of the Australian XC-Ski Team preparing for the upcoming championships:

Val di Fiemme, northern Italy – Location of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +1100

Val di Fiemme is the location of the upcoming FIS Nordic World Ski Championships for the third time - after already hosting it in 1991 and 2003. It is a beautiful area and a fantastic venue to host this global event.

Val di Fiemme is a valley in the Trentino province of northern Italy, situated and nestled in the Dolomites alpine region.

Fiemme is famous for its skiing areas, enjoys a great tradition for Cross Country Skiing and can be considered the cradle of the Italian face of this sport as well.

The ski jumping stadium in Predazzo was built for the World Championships in 1991 and contains two hills: a HS 106 normal hill on the left side and a HS 134 large hill on the right

side of the stadium. The Cross Country Center is located in Lago di Tesero.

The favourable position of the stadium and the snow-making capabilities guarantee well-prepared tracks regardless of natural snowfall levels.

http://www.tr3ntino.it/en/trentinos-holiday-areas/val-di-fiemme

“Cross Country? Ski Jumping? Nordic Combined? What are they talking about???”

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +1100

To find out what each of these sports look like and who is the international competitor who is related to one of us here at Nordic Academy, read more…

Cross Country (also called Nordic or shown as XC) Skiing is a form of ski touring across snow covered terrains using skis and poles to pull and push your body smoothly along the snow.

The athletes compete in sprint races (< 1.4 km) and long distance races ( 5km – 50 km), which includes Sprint, 15km and 50 km races for the men and Sprint, 10 km, 30km events for the women. The ski stars will perform either the classic or the freestyle technique.

Another interesting competition is the relays of women and men.

Cross Country Skiers are known for having (on average) the largest VO2 max scores, which measures aerobic fitness, than any other sport – including swimming or running. The reason for this is thought to be that the lungs have to work extra hard due to the cold air that they are exercising in.

Ski Jumping is a winter sport activity where skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and try to land as far as possible down the hill below.

One of the most famous Ski Jumpers is ‘Eddie the Eagle’ who competed in the 1988 Calgary Olympics even though he was an inexperienced (and fearful) novice to the sport.

Another special ski jumper who is very close to our hearts here at Nordic Academy is Balthasar Schneider of Austria.

He is Patrick’s god son, and was competing on the international circuit 10 years. He is now being succeeded by his younger brother Sepp (in the Nordic combined) – so watch out for him in the future!

Nordic Combined is a combination of the two sports explained above. To excel in this sport is very challenging and requires all round abilities as you need the strength, balance and plyometric abilities of a Ski Jumper, as well as the extreme aerobic fitness of a Nordic Skier.

The most successful competing countries and the ones to watch out for in the upcoming Championships are Austria, Germany, Norway and Finland.

The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships are happening in Italy this month – let’s take a closer look at other Nordic Sports

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:38:00 +1100

As Nordic Walking originates from the Nordic winter sport of cross country skiing, we thought that you (like us) might be interested in the upcoming FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Over the next few weeks, we will enjoy providing you with interesting information about this great sports event, as well as the sports it involves.

The championship runs over 11 days (20^th Feb – 3^rd March) and includes competitions in Ski Jumping, Cross Country Skiing and Nordic Combined. This year’s event is happening in in Val di Fiemme, Italy.

For you as a Nordic Walker, it might be very interesting to view and compare the use of poles and classic technique of a cross country skier with your own use of poles and technique.

For a taste of what is to come have a look at some of the footage from the 2011 Nordic Ski Championships 2011 that happened in Oslo, Norway.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:46:00 +1100

Nordic Walking is a highly effective, yet low impact, aerobic cross-training method. For sports competitors at all levels, this mode of exercise:

- Spreads the workout across the entire body - thus reducing strain on any particular (over-use) area

- Sustains or builds general aerobic conditioning

- Helps strengthen total musculature - not just the sport-specific muscle groups

- Decreases load on strained or potentially injurious ligaments, tendons, bones or joints

- Develops co-ordination and learning of a new motor skill and movement pattern

- Promotes muscular endurance of minor muscle groups (eg. triceps, gastrocnemius)

- Attractive fitness option – used by elite athletes with highest VO2max levels http://bit.ly/t3Gcbk

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:08:00 +1100

Following the article on Nordic Walking for chronic disease management, here is a research study on the benefits of Nordic Walking for Parkinson's disease: http://www.nordicacademy.com.au/Research%20study%20on%20benefits%20of%20Nordic%20Walking%20for%20Parkinsons%20disease.pdf http://bit.ly/upCZZv

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:07:00 +1100

Nordic Walking is accepted and being used worldwide in the treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, neuromuscular and cardiovascular-related diseases. The standout feature of the activity is that the technique can be adapted to cater for patients’ individual needs and to provide specific outcomes.

- Provides increased stability, security and confidence with walking

- Develops co-ordination and integrates major muscle groups

- Enables functional mobility without loading of full bodyweight

- Builds core stability and back strength

- Promotes hip flexor and foot dorsiflexion strength – thus aiding in falls prevention

- Improves joint mobility and muscle flexibility

- Produces a more intense workout effect but with less perceived exertion

- Increases circulation throughout body

- Helps improve self-image and mental acuity

- Boosts aerobic conditioning and weight loss effects http://bit.ly/u2cKjT

Euro Alps Tour - Day 1 #hiking #travel

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:01:00 +1000

Amplify’d from www.nordicacademy.com.au

Day 1 Arrive in Grosses Walsertal

Be greeted and picked up from Feldkirch by your hosts Patrick & Maree. Drive up through Grosses Walsertal valley to your accommodation at 1480 altitude metres. Settle in, then get acquainted with your fellow tour participants over dinner and welcome drinks.

Read more at www.nordicacademy.com.au

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/nEhO7B

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:38:00 +1000

Every year in June and July we take small groups of people over to Europe to Nordic walk in the Austrian Alps.

In the next 10 days we'll give a review of the 2011 tour - at the same time it is an outlook for the tour in 2012.

Enjoy the pictures; if you get excited look for more information on www.nordicacademy.com.au

We look forward to sharing our passion with you soon. http://bit.ly/o4pAZn

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 15:12:00 +1000

Nordic Walking in Wallstreet Journal, published in the Weekend Australian.

Nordic Walking is the fitness craze for 2011/12.

For more information on Nordic Walking in Australia and Asia, go to www.nordicacademy.com.au. http://bit.ly/oNwBhW

WORLD RANKING NORDIC WALKING - Official website

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:03:00 +1000

http://worldrankingnordicwalking.weebly.com/

For more information on Nordic Walking, training and equipment visit www.nordicacademy.com.au.

Nordic Academy are Australia's Nordic Walking professionals providing training and equipment to the health and fitness industries.

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/pWd6EA

Professional Development for Exercise Physiologists #essa #fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:36:00 +1000

Amplify’d from www.essa.org.au

Nordic Walking Instructor Course

Nordic Academy Australia offers training courses for health professionals to become qualified Nordic Walking Instructors.

Be part of this exploding global trend and help your clients to improve their quality of life by introducing them to Nordic Walking. At the same time you add value to your business by offering Nordic Walking classes to existing and new clients.

The Nordic Walking Instructor Course is tailored for health professionals who wish to provide their patients with an enjoyable outdoor exercise.

Course Package includes:

1.5 day Instructor Course with internationally experienced Master Trainers

Nationally accredited and internationally recognised qualification

Course manual & certificate

2 year instructor membership and website listing

Nordic Walking Poles (rrp $169)

80 min interactive DVD resource (rrp $47.95)

11 CEP’s for ESSA, 12 PDP’s for APA members

Personal video tape analysis

Business Workshop

Morning & afternoon tea

Cost

$470

Course schedule

Location

	Location

Brisbane

Melbourne

Adelaide

Canberra

Hobart

Sydney

Perth

Date

	Date

3 – 4 September

10 – 11 September

17 – 18 September

24 – 25 September

8 – 9 October

15 – 16 October

22 – 23 October

CEP

Points 11

Contact details

Register online or contact Nordic Academy Australia on toll free 1300 791 740 to register. For any queries please email training@nordicacademy.com.au

For more information or to enrol in the course, program or workshop, please contact the CE provider using the details below.

Education

Helping you develop the skills and thinking to succeed in your career.

Wherever you are in your career you can never afford to stop learning. We are committed to offering our members a number of continuing educational opportunities. Delivered through instructor led courses, seminars, DVD workshops and online seminars.

Read more at www.essa.org.au

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/nJYknl

Whether it's Nordic Walking or any other exercise - fat to muscle conversion does NOT work

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 08:07:00 +1000

Another good blog post by Barry, a Nordic Walking Instructor in the UK.

Amplify’d from nordicwalk2fitness.com

13/08/11: Fat to Muscle Conversion Myth

Posted by admin on 8/13/11 • Categorized as Blog

If you read or listen to the media , be it print , TV , radio or the internet , you will hear many fitness and/or diet folk talk about converting Fat to Muscle by exercising and diet and about converting Muscle to Fat through lack of exercise and poor diet. This is , to be frank , rubbish. Fat is composed of mono , di and tri glyceride compounds , fatty acids , fatty alcohols and phospholipids, - all composed of carbon (C) , hydrogen (H), phosphorus (P) and oxygen (O). Muscle , on the other hand , is composed of protein which itself is composed of carbon (C) , hydrogen (H) , oxygen (O) , nitrogen (N) , phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S). You don’t need to be a PhD chemist (although , in fact I am) to realise that Fat lacks nitrogen and sulphur so , unless you have the modern equivalent of Philosopher’s Stone , you cannot convert Fat to Muscle or vice versa.

What exercise does , if combined with diet , such that more calories are burned per day than are consumed by eating , is to stimulate the muscles to undergo hypertrophy and add more muscle fibre – sourced from eating protein. Fat loss is due to more calories being burned than consumed so that surplus body fat becomes the body’s fuel. So , the fact that Muscle is added whilst Fat is lost is just a consequence of an efficient diet and exercise regime and not due to a direct conversion.

The converse is also a myth , Muscle doesn’t turn into Fat. If Muscle is not used in exercise and is not , therefore regularly stimulated to burn the bodies energy store , the body allows Muscle to be lost in a process known as atrophy. So why do people often put down layers of fat when they stop taking regular exercise ? The answer lies in the bodies appetite for food. If exercising regularly , your calorie intake will be higher than if you have a sedentary lifestyle. Ceasing to exercise leaves the body with an ingrained expectation of eating a certain amount of food. This disturbs the balance leading to more calories being consumed than burnt – the result is that the body stores this as fat.

So , if you exercise and diet correctly , you will lose Fat and gain Muscle. If you cease to exercise and do not correct your diet to take that into account , then you will lose Muscle and gain Fat. BUT you do not convert one into the other and vice versa. Many fitness professionals claim that their exercise regime will convert Fat into Muscle , many Diets are sold to consumers claiming that they can bring about this conversion. All not true !
Read more at nordicwalk2fitness.com

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/nEMGqa

Nordic Walking at IDEA - World Fitness Convention #fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:16:00 +1000

Amplify’d from www.snewsnet.com

Lindsey Vonn Nordic Walking Video to Debut at IDEA Fitness Convention

BUFFALO, NY – Professional skier and LEKI sponsored athlete Lindsey Vonn is helping to promote Nordic Walking, or fitness walking with lightweight poles, with a fun yet informative five minute video that details the benefits of Nordic Walking, especially for athletes in the off-season. The video, also featuring former cross country skier and Nordic Walking expert Peter Schlickenrieder, and world champion skiers Benni Raich and Marlies Schild, will make its debut at the Nordic Walking North America (NWNA) booth at the IDEA World Fitness Convention in Los Angeles August 12 – 14. A link to the video can be seen on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/lekimarketing

“We hope this video helps to increase awareness of Nordic Walking and the benefits it can provide to a wide range of athletes – from novice to expert,” says Greg Wozer, VP of LEKI USA. “By having such a high profile athlete like Lindsey Vonn, who we know has benefited from the sport, act as a spokesperson is a huge advancement for the Nordic Walking community.”

The video shows that Nordic Walking can be extremely helpful for recovery and cardio training in athletes in the off-season, but it’s also great as a beginning fitness tool for non-athletes. LEKI will use the video as a promotional tool at various trade shows and other community events to help educate the public on Nordic Walking. The video will also be circulated to various media groups to help raise general awareness.

LEKI and NWNA, the North American arm of the world’s largest and oldest Nordic Walking association, will be exhibiting at the IDEA World Fitness Convention later this week in Los Angeles, conducting various Nordic Walking classes, hands-on instruction, and physical challenges. Participants have the ability to earn continuing education credits and learn how to become a certified Nordic Walking Instructor. For more information on the NWNA scheduled booth events please visit www.nordicwalkingna.com.

For more information on the IDEA World Fitness Convention please visit http://www.ideafit.com/conference/idea-world-fitness-convention-2011.
Read more at www.snewsnet.com

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/oQvOSn

Nordic Walking and Geocache-Dash #fitness #event #teambuilding

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:27:00 +1000

URL: http://blog.swishcorporation.com/the-geocache-dash/

The Swish Corporation has come up with a new form of event / teambuilding activity - Geocache Dash.

Together with Nordic Academy they facilitate a high tech treasure hunt; the participants use Nordic Walking poles for the extra benefits.

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/pjhFkO

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:51:00 +1000

Research Article on effects of a Flexibility and Relaxation Programme, Walking, and Nordic Walking on Parkinson's Disease: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jar/2011/232473/ http://bit.ly/qosFqW

First Nordic Walking Instructor Conference in Australia

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:35:00 +1000

First Nordic Walking Instructor Conference in Australia

Saturday 20^th – Sunday 21^st August 2011
St Kilda Rd precinct, Melbourne

The two-day conference program has been created to:

update on national and international industry developments
the latest on teaching methods
provide strategies as to how to develop a profitable Nordic Walking programs
launch new-look Nordic Academy website and instructor services
think-tank and exchange of innovative ideas
practise and refine instructor's NW technique
offer a Refresher Course which will give indefinite NAA Instructor accreditation

The program includes guest speakers and interactive sessions, so it will be a full weekend of learning, exchanging ideas and also (of course) fun!