Start Pole Walking to Improve Your Heart Health

The heart is one of the body's most vital organs and is also central to life as it pumps blood throughout the body via the circulatory system. Therefore, it’s crucial to keep your heart in good health. Unfortunately, the human heart can experience a range of issues that can affect its ability to function properly. Coronary artery disease, caused by plaque buildup in the wall of the arteries that supply blood to the heart, is one such common heart problem. The CDC estimates that 20.1 million adults age 20 and older have coronary artery disease in the USA, and it was responsible for the deaths of 382,820 people in 2020.

Experts have been constantly trying to find ways to improve the health of people with coronary artery disease, and one new development has given hope in that regard. A recent study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology found that Nordic walking is better than other workouts for heart health. 

 

The researchers investigated the impact of different types of exercise on people with coronary artery disease. Their results revealed that Nordic walking – brisk walking with poles – improved the mental and physical health of the participants more than other types of exercises. 

 

Nordic walking to improve heart health

The study involved 130 participants with coronary artery disease. The researchers asked them to complete a 12-week workout program, which involved one of three different types of exercises: 

 

* High-intensity interval training (HIIT) 

 

* Moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training (MICT) 

 

* Nordic walking. 

 

The team used a 6-minute walk test to evaluate the participants' "functional capacity," which looks at a person’s ability to complete activities of daily living. The researchers went one step further and even studied how these exercises impacted their quality of life and symptoms of depression.

 

They found that those doing Nordic walking scored better on the test than those doing high-intensity interval training and moderate- to vigorous-intensity continuous training. The study also revealed that while all the exercises positively impacted the participants’ functional capacity, quality of life, and symptoms of depression, those in the Nordic walking group experienced the greatest benefit. The researchers noted that this is because Nordic walking increased functional capacity the most. The team measured all three parameters at the start of the trial, then at 12 and 26 weeks. 

 

"If someone is looking for an alternative type of exercise, I think Nordic walking can easily be adapted for people who need Nordic walking poles, and it changes Nordic walking into a whole-body exercise," says Ph.D., of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute in Ontario, Canada. "In addition to using your legs to walk, Nordic walking also adds exercise for your upper body as well. You use your arms to move forward, and that can lead to greater energy expenditure."

Other findings from the study indicated that from the beginning to the end of the course, the participants’ physical activity went up significantly. Moreover, this improvement remained up through the 14-week observation period. 

 

The study authors do note that, while their trial had a long follow-up time, future research should examine the prolonged benefits of different types of exercise, including Nordic walking. They also say that Nordic walking gives another option for exercise that could be beneficial for everyone’s health. 

 

The basics of Nordic walking

Experts say that patients with heart disease should increase exercise and physical activity. Since this new study shows that Nordic walking can be helpful for heart patients, let’s explore the basics of this workout. 

 

As we mentioned earlier, Nordic walking is a walking style that uses poles to help you move forward. As the name suggests, the activity came from Finland and has become popular all over the world. The activity requires specially-designed walking poles, which are attached to the hands through a strap. This walking style demands more effort than traditional walking, as you will be applying pressure to the poles as you walk with each step. During this workout, both your upper and lower body muscles will be stimulated more than they are during normal waking, which may lead to a considerable increase in heart rate at a given speed.

According to the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, the primary purpose of using a pole in Nordic walking is to engage the upper limb muscles, which are not normally used in walking, and to “facilitate high-intensity exercise with the minimum effort by adjusting the energy consumption of the body.” 

 

Nordic walking is guaranteed to give you a highly effective all-over workout. In addition to improving your heart health, pole walking has other benefits too. 

 

* It can improve your upper-body strength, cardiovascular endurance, and even flexibility. 

 

* It uses a lot more muscles than regular walking and burns up to 46% more calories. 

 

* It boosts your exercise capacity. This is because the activity will keep the weight off the lower body joints as the poles are supporting you and providing propulsion. But, at the same time, you will be working harder as you are bringing in your other body muscles. 

 

* It increases oxygen uptake by around 11%-23%. 

 

* It increases muscle strength as it helps people use all the muscles of the upper body and not just the lower body. 

 

* It improves balance and posture by improving upper and lower body strength and steadiness. 

 

* It can help lift your mood if you're doing the workout outdoors and somewhere scenic.  

 

Let’s now learn the basics of this technique:

Purchase a set of Nordic walking poles. 

 

Attach the poles to your wrist via pole straps. 

 

Start walking naturally. Keep shoulders relaxed and down. Lean upper body slightly forwards. 

 

As you get used to the poles, start taking longer strides than usual. 

 

Make sure you don’t change the way you typically move your arms. With each step, roll the foot from the heel to the ball of your foot. 

 

Swing your arm from your shoulder and plant your poles at an angle to get forward propulsion. 

 

Let your torso move naturally as you push off with the poles. 

 

Start by covering short distances for about 15-20 minutes. You can increase the time and distance as you get used to the new exercise.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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The Embodiment Method

When we feel threatened or shaken, we can see it through our posture, breathing and movement, our bodies can go into shock or sometimes even crash. Many people think that the solution to overcoming a crisis or challenge comes primarily from a change in mind, but the truth is that 98% of our thoughts come from the subconscious and no thought will be fully realized if it isn’t connected to the body. In order to easily cope with the pitfalls of our lives, we must understand that our bodies have a great influence on our behavior, and it is important that we learn how to know our bodies and not separate them from the way we act and think. Precisely this principle focuses on the Embodiment approach, which teaches us how to build awareness of our bodies and properly cope with stress and obstacles. With this approach, we will present you with exercises to work with the body that will reconnect you to your mental abilities and help you stand up any challenge.

What is the Embodiment Approach? 

We all have automatic trigger responses to different situations, for example, if we were to be called to our boss’s office, we would get nervous or start feeling stress. However, what people aren’t aware of is that our bodies also react instinctually. The way we walk, breathe and stand, consciously or unconsciously, affects our mentality and our experiences. The key to changing these responses is to think of our body as a sequence of sensations and to examine more positive and calming response patterns based on listening, movement, breathing, and other physical activities. Therefore, the solution must begin with control of the body and the feelings leading to the reaction, and by changing your automatic reaction patterns you will achieve significant results that, over time, will turn into a habit. By knowing your physical experience, you will learn how to control your thoughts, how to overcome stressful situations and confront your body's responses to panic and stress.

Exercises for working with the body according to the Embodiment approach: 

Working with the body is very easy and effective because the body responds to every form of distress and this allows us to "read it" easily. When you change your negative response pattern in a different format that involves setting boundaries, listening or controlling pain, you change consciousness through your body. Once you identify these familiar patterns of action, you can change the response you feel to a more responsible, and calculated response. With the 7 Embodiment method-based exercises, you can increase the space of your body's responses and move closer to realizing your personal potential.

1. Relaxation between the eyes, tongue, diaphragm, and body – it’s not for nothing that Mystics believe in the third eye and that its closely related to the knowledge and vision of humans, which is why it’s important to keep this area relaxed. Start with the area between the eyes, try to relax, and make sure your tongue is not constricted your abdomen and diaphragm are relaxed and the body is loose and not tense. 

 

2. Posture - the body and mind work together, so it's important to be aware of how we stand. Posture is expressed in awareness of the environment, smells and the body itself. 

 

3. Breathing - A short breath is a breath that brings in a small amount of air and is designed to wake us up. In contrast, a long, deep breath from the diaphragm brings more air into the body, allowing it to relax and choose the desired response more considerately. 

 

4. Control of pain - If you notice, when you feel physical pain your body tenses up, the pain is sharp and breathing stops for a moment. Now try to relax, practice the previous 3 sections, breathe deeply with your stomach, release your tongue and loosen up your body. When the same pain is applied this time (with the same intensity), you’ll hardly feel it. The reason for this is your rela xed body that made it easier to ignore pain, try it and you will certainly be surprised by the results!

5. A new approach to aggression - repeat the previous section while another person recites annoying sentences to you ("You're weak", "You're not good enough ...") and see how you react. Try it again only this time you have to calm your body and concentrate on breathing, note that the body is not tense. Not only will you feel less pain, but you will also be less aggressive towards the person in front of you. When we are in situations of stress or confrontation, the body tends to contract and tense up. Our typical reaction is to defend ourselves (even violently). But once we bring the body's awareness into play, we change our response and can replace it with more balanced behavior. 

 

6. Lie - The body signals to you and the people around you when you are lying. Ask another person to push you and try to resist them with your body, at this time you will say one truth and one lie. while lying, you’ll feel your eyebrows rising and your body will have a hard time resisting. The reason for this is that our bodies are "transparent" and cannot conceal lies, the inevitable raising of eyebrows, distracts your attention from the resistance. Now consider what this means about you... 

 

7. Decision Making - When you are required to make a decision under pressure, the choice you make will arise from stress. When your body is relaxed, your decision may be different and much smarter. It is therefore important to train the body how to deal with stress, with limits, lies or any other challenge that may arise in the future. 

Training Workshop: The three-dimensional body We will now present 3 simple exercises from the Embodiment Training Workshop, which focuses on the three dimensions of our bodies. Each physical object has three dimensions: width, length, and depth, as does the human body. The difference between our body and a chair or table lies in the fact that we have an experience of life and energy. To begin the first exercise, stand on your feet and observe the way you stand. 

 

Length – as you stand on your legs picture them as roots of a tree. If you sink a little more into the ground, you’ll feel heavier – usually, those who are depressed, powerless or stubborn will seem as though they can’t be moved. If you imagine your body as a tree, your trunk should grow upwards and your treetop should reach your neck. If you lift your head up, you’ll feel slightly arrogant or condescending, but, if you straighten your back and neck, you’ll feel more relaxed and confident. 

 

Width - width is actually a perception of place, think of thin people who stand with their hands together, people who are cold and hold themselves, or people who swing from side to side (just as they do in life). Part of embodiment is presence and visibility, but you don’t have to stretch out your hands and take over a space all the time. However, if you’re having difficulty feeling your presence, try to raise your arms along your shoulders, as if touching an invisible wall, feel your width and then bring your hands back towards your body while you stay with that feeling. 

 

Depth - in this dimension we are not talking about muscles or weight, rather about movements. For example, if you run and rush to a certain place, your body will tilt forward, however, if you look at someone your body will move backward as if hesitant. In addition, depth is very connected to your culture, for example, people who maintain personal space as opposed to people who are more open to the environment. If you try to stand still and swing back and forth without moving your legs, you’ll feel the depth of your body and the trust you feel towards the person standing in front of yo u.

In the second exercise, after you’ve found and explored the three dimensions of your body, take a short walk, concentrate on the dimensions of your body and examine how you respond to objects and people (e.g., do you shrink back when smiled at or do smile back).

 

In the last exercise, try to think of something or someone that warms your heart. Start walking again, keeping in mind the 3 dimensions of your body, and think about the person you chose. Pay attention to your walking, your rhythm, and the dimensionality your body creates. Soon you will notice the difference in your walking and posture and after that success, you will be one step closer to embodiment!

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement