It is often said that Nordic Walking burns “a fifth more” than ordinary walking. What do the studies show? The number is not invented, but it is only the middle of a fairly wide range, and it is good to know that before you start counting biscuits by it.
What is reported
Individual studies report different numbers:
- A crossover study from 2021, that is 15 young men on a treadmill at 3 to 5 km/h, measured with poles 15.8% higher oxygen uptake, 17% higher ventilation and 8.4% higher heart rate.
- A review summarises other studies: an increase in oxygen uptake from 12% to 37%, and in one study energy expenditure with poles was 23.5% higher.
So the spread is large, roughly from a tenth to a third extra.
A systematic review from 2013 included 16 randomised studies and 11 observational studies and concluded that Nordic Walking is better than brisk walking without poles in, for example, heart rate, oxygen uptake and quality of life.
Why it is so
Poles additionally engage the upper half of the body, so more muscles work. More muscles mean more work for the heart and lungs, and thus more energy used. That is why the use is higher, and why the number differs according to how much you really work with the poles: someone who just drags them burns less than someone who pushes off.
What we do not know yet
The numbers differ by pace, technique and the particular person. They are averages from studies, not a promise for everyone. A reasonable picture is: with poles you burn more than without them, by roughly a tenth to a third, and the specific number depends on you.
If you are curious how much it is for you, try comparing your pulse on the same route with and without poles. Tell us in the forum what you got.
How to use it
Do not take that number as a calorie exchange rate. The added energy is real, but compared with what you burn over a whole day it is small and is easily cancelled out by one cake. Do Nordic Walking because you enjoy it and feel good after it. Let the calories do their job by themselves.
To give you an idea: for twenty minutes of walking with poles the middle of the range comes to roughly four extra minutes of walking. That is not little, but neither is it something you should count in biscuits. The main benefit is elsewhere: the poles engage the arms and trunk, and you do more work without it feeling much harder.
What to take away
The figures on energy burned are averages from particular studies, and your body may not repeat them exactly. More important than a single number is that you go with pleasure and last longer. The energy you do not leave sitting at a desk counts even when nobody measures it.
Do you track your pulse or steps while walking? Tell us whether the difference with and without poles came out similar to what the studies describe.
Sources
Text: Kompas.
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