Last weekend I ran a Nordic Walking Leader Course in Canberra - Australia's capital city.
This itself is nothing out of the ordinary, however, amongst the participants was a blind lady.
Usually I talk about technique and SHOW what people need to do - not this time. I found it tricky at times to spell out what normally everyone can see. I tried my best to put in words how to Nordic Walk correctly but moreso did Jay. She did a fantastic job of aquiring the technique and using the poles in the right way. And what's even more important - she loved it!
I asked Jay to comment on her experience - come back for more.
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While hosting Nordic Walking Classes last year at a Senior EXPO I also had the opportunity to teach Nordic Walking to a blind lady. Her family and friends were so impressed with her success with the correct length Nordic Walking Poles that they offered to buy a pair for her on the spot. Because I had never worked with blind runners, skiers or Nordic Walkers in the past I offered to provide her and her mom with a free private lesson and if the poles were a success (as anticipated) I would donate a free pair for her to use.
Her mom had a very long string tied 3-feet off the ground in their back yard and her daughter's walking routine had been to follow the string. Adding poles to her walking campaign allowed her to walk taller, faster and want to go further.
As in all outdoor sports there are risks and potential hazards. From a liability point of view we have to emphasize the potential risks of falls and/or other injuries. However, when using the correct length one-piece poles the improvement in balance, stability and gait are radically improved - even for those using canes and/or walkers!
Walking with poles is the best!
Pete - owner/founder/coach WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System
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