Nordic rhythmic strolling interval coaching for higher coronary heart operate

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This low-impact, full-body workout Originated in Finland can be performed at different intensity levels. It incorporates the use of specially designed stakes where you work in opposition to your leg – that is, your left arm and right leg work in tandem, and your right arm and left foot. . Planting and pushing poles strengthens you, and this system is especially useful when walking up or down hills.
Coronary heart disease patients who participated in Nordic walking had better functional ability, or ability to perform daily activities, compared with those who performed Nordic walking. Intermittent high-intensity exercise or moderate-to-vigorous continuing training, according to a recent study in Canadian Journal of Cardiology.

Senior author, Dr Jennifer Reed, director of the division of physiology and cardiovascular health at Ottawa Heart University, said: The Institute in Canada. There are no other studies that directly compare these three training regimens.

“Our study showing the overwhelming benefits of Nordic walking in terms of functional performance highlights an alternative exercise option that requires minimal cost and equipment,” she said. to improve physical and mental health.

Full body movement

Nordic walking exercises 80% to 90% of your muscles when done properly, according to Nordic Walking Association of America, walking and running only recruit 40%. Additional shoulder, chest, and arm muscles used are the deltoids, pectoralis major, upper abs, forearm flexors, biceps, triceps, and external obliques. What’s more, using these additional muscles resulted in a 20% increase in calorie burn compared to regular walking, according to a study published in the journal Nature. Quarterly research on exercise and sports.
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During Reed’s study, researchers had 130 patients in a 12-week training program perform 60 minutes of Nordic walking on an indoor track; 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous continuous exercise (eg, cycling or rowing); or 45-minute HIIT workout. At the end of the training program, and again after a 14-week follow-up period, the participants performed two 6-minute walking tests to measure functional ability.

Exercise regimens all helped ease patients’ depression and improve their quality of life, but performance was best after Nordic walking, the researchers found. . The walkers experienced a 19% increase in activity compared to 13% for those doing HIIT and 12% for those with moderate to vigorous intensity interval training.

“The six-minute walk test to measure functioning is a test,” says Dr. Jonathan H. Whiteson, associate professor of rehabilitation and medicine at NYU Langone Health in New York City. evidence-based and typically reproducible. He was not involved in the study.

“However, as a walking test to measure the improvement of different training regimens, it is important to realize that the training is task-specific, and so nothing I was surprised that the walking intervention, rather than the other two exercise interventions, did not just focus on walking, producing a larger increase.”

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A more objective measure of aerobic exercise is the cardio-pulmonary exercise test, or stress test, says Whiteson, who is also medical director of cardiac rehabilitation at NYU Langone Health. metabolism, fitness levels can be measured through metabolic analysis. “The use of the CPET test would enhance the results of this study. That is to say, all methods improve functional capacity and that is the goal of the cardiac rehabilitation program, because it correlates well with a reduced risk of future cardiac events.”

The fact that Nordic walking is primarily a walking exercise and other training programs include lots of aerobic exercise could certainly be the reason why it ranks #1 in the walking test, says Reed admit. Using a pole while walking can improve speed and postural control, and increase walking stride length.

Either way, Whiteson has a note of caution: To increase performance, Nordic walking must be done vigorously and requires coordination and balance, he says. So it may not be a good choice for everyone.

Based on the research, her team is ready to start a clinical trial that will explore the effects of combining different types of exercise on patients with cardiovascular disease, such as combining different types of exercise. HIIT exercises with Nordic walking.

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Feel the burn

The positive study results have also fueled the team’s interest in further exploring the potential benefits of Nordic walking on other health measures, such as walking strength. upper and lower body, and cardiovascular health indicators such as blood glucose and lipids. Positive results may point to its use for people with other conditions, such as obesity and diabetes.

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In the United States, only 20% to 30% of patients who qualify and could benefit from cardiac rehabilitation are referred and engaged, Whiteson said. This lack of active rehabilitation participants makes research like Reed’s important, as it points to another exercise regimen they could use – and a very real one. , as it can be done outside of the gym. “It also helps to remind healthcare providers and patients that cardiac rehabilitation is an essential part of their recovery regimen, future health and well-being.”

Both Reed and Whiteson say the biggest takeaway from the study is that everyone can benefit from exercise. “There is no magic pill for health, but exercise is a drug that works simultaneously to target multiple health conditions,” says Reed. “When it comes to physical activity, I like to say, ‘Some is better than nothing, and more is better than some.'”

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