You need three things to start Nordic Walking: the right poles, a little technique, and a reason to go out the door. This page covers all three, in order.
Step 1: Get Nordic Walking poles
Nordic Walking poles are built for pushing, not for leaning. Look for:
- The strap system. Real Nordic Walking poles have a glove-like strap that locks the hand to the grip. You push through the strap and open your hand at the end of the push. This is the single biggest difference from trekking poles.
- Length. A common starting formula is your height in centimeters multiplied by about 0.68. When you hold the grip with the tip on the ground, your elbow should be at roughly a right angle or slightly more open.
- Tips. Metal tips grip trails and grass. Rubber covers ("paws") fit over them for pavement and asphalt.
- Fixed or adjustable. Adjustable poles are practical for beginners and for sharing; fixed-length poles are lighter and are what most racers use.
Step 2: Your first walks
Start on flat, even ground, in comfortable walking shoes, for 20 to 30 minutes. Let the poles drag lightly behind you for the first minutes until your arms find the natural rhythm: left arm with right leg, right arm with left leg, exactly like ordinary walking. Then begin to plant and push:
- Stand tall, eyes forward, shoulders down and relaxed.
- Let your foot roll from heel to toe; take a natural, slightly longer stride.
- Plant the pole at an angle, its tip landing beside or just behind your opposite foot, never far in front of you.
- Push through the strap as your body passes the pole, extending the arm behind you and opening the hand at the end of the push.
- Keep the grip relaxed. Squeezing the handle the whole time is the most common beginner mistake.
Step 3: Learn the technique properly
Technique is what turns walking with poles into Nordic Walking: it decides how much of your body works, how your joints are loaded, and how much benefit the research on the Research page actually applies to you. NWANA teaches technique through the NWANA Academy, which offers courses for walkers and prepares certified instructors, and through local groups where new walkers learn alongside experienced ones.
Step 4: Find your people
Nordic Walking is easier to keep doing, and easier to learn, in company. NWANA's local group network is at NW Groups:
Find an NW Group Start a group in your community
Step 5: Give it a goal
The NWANA Charity Challenge turns regular walks into a season-long goal: you walk your distance, at your pace, wherever you are, and your kilometers support charitable purposes. It is free to take part, friendly to beginners, and it gives new walkers the one thing that builds a habit: a reason for the next walk.
Safety basics
- Build distance and pace gradually, especially if you are returning to activity after illness, surgery, or a long break.
- Choose even surfaces while you learn; add hills and trails as your technique settles.
- Wear supportive walking shoes, dress for the weather, and carry water on longer walks.
- Pain is information. Stop and reassess rather than pushing through new or sharp pain, and involve your care team where the rehabilitation pages apply to you.