Nordic walking workshops set for rural beauty spot

A new Scandinavian walking workout that uses up to 90% of your muscles could soon be up and running in the Lancashire countryside.

Ribble Valley Council's Up and Active team wants to hear from residents who would be interested in joining a Nordic walking group.

The programme transforms a regular walk into a full-body workout, boosting calorie burn, improving cardiovascular health and balance, and reducing joint stress - using poles to provide support and stability, thereby reducing the risk of falls.

The council's Catherine Argyle, who is a qualified Nordic walking instructor, said: "That is why Nordic walking is recommended by a host of health charities, including Parkinson's UK and Age UK."

The workout uses specially designed poles to engage up to 80-90% of your muscles, compared to 50-70% in regular walking, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Argyle, the council's health and fitness officer and an International Nordic Walking Association instructor, said: "Nordic walking enhances aerobic capacity and heart function, improves endurance, resting heart rate and oxygen consumption, and distributes weight more evenly, making it ideal for people with joint pain, arthritis and lower limb injuries.

"It uses poles to provide support and stability, thereby reducing the risk of falls by improving posture and stride length."

She added: "Walking groups are an effective and practical way to improve health and social wellbeing, so if you are interested in giving Nordic walking a go, let me know."

A recent Nordic walking taster session hosted by the authority attracted a crop of walking enthusiasts, and Argyle wants to gauge interest in regular groups for different abilities and health concerns at venues throughout the borough.

Councillor Stuart Hirst, chairman of the council's community services committee and a keen hiker, said: "Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of many chronic conditions, but people avoid it for a variety of reasons, such as not knowing how or where to start, or having bad memories of PE at school.

"But our programmes, including the new Nordic walking initiative, are specifically designed for people of all abilities, and our friendly health and fitness team is on hand to help you get started and keep going."

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