Libby's Tips on 'Urban Poling'
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Step 1: Grasp the poles lightly
Begin by holding the pole grips loosely in your hands with your arms hanging completely relaxed at your sides. The tips of the poles should rest on the ground behind you. You do not ever need to maintain a tight grip on the poles.
Step 2: Let the poles drag.
Arms at your side and dragging the poles behind you. Simply begin to walk, feel your arms naturally swing slightly in front and then behind your body with each stride. You won't need anyone to tell you when you've gotten to a normal walking stride. You'll recognize it--you've been doing it for years. Then simply begin to extend your arms a little further forward with each stride until you have begun to extend them into the handshake position with each stride.
Step 3: Shake hands.
When one walks, the arms move in front of the body as they swing forward, and behind the body as they swing backward. When you learn this technique , the arms will move farther in front of the body. The arm is raised into what I call the "handshake position". The arm is extended as though you are offering it for a friendly, confident handshake. Do not lock the elbow so that the arm is completely straight. There should be a slight, comfortable bend in the arm at the elbow. (This "handshake position" is the first key to maximizing the benefits of our technique)
Once you are able to simply walk and extend your arm into the handshake position with each stride, you will feel the tip of the pole land and create a resistance to the rearward swing of the arm.
As the arms swing forward like a pendulum into the handshake position, the tips will automatically land in the "right" place and the pole will contact the ground at the "correct" (not 90 degree!) angle.
Remember that the arm is actually a lever that transfers the major work of the pole to the large muscles of the trunk. The arm should keep a fixed shape with just a slight bend in the elbow and should move while pivoting from the shoulder. - like an old fashioned water pump.
Step 4: Push off
As in cross-country skiing, the arms and legs should move with a smooth, rhythmic cadence. Your stride should be just like your normal, relaxed walking stride. As you push with your upper body to help you move forward, there is often a tendency to lengthen the stride, so pay special attention to maintaining a normal stride length. Attempt to make your entire motion as fluid as possible. With proper arm action, the large muscles in the trunk will do most of the work.
Quick Tip
Work on planting the poles very lightly
No force should be applied to the poles until after the instant the tip has contacted the ground. Work on developing your timing! A firm push initiated at the instant the tip contacts the ground will maximize safety and results, and actually increase the life of the rubber tips. Applying force to the Exerstrider poles before the tips land will only invite injury and result in excessive wearing of the tips.
Grip the poles very lightly
Exercise intensity has nothing to do with how tightly you grip the poles. Always strive to maintain a light, relaxed grip on the poles. You do not have to control the movement of the poles, the angle of their landing or the location of the tip at landing. If you simply move your arms properly these things will happen automatically. Gripping the poles tightly will only result in creating tension and fatigue in the hands and forearms. The muscles in the hands and arms will naturally contract somewhat as you work to apply force on the back swinging motion of the arms, but keep the grip as relaxed as possible at all times. The truly ergonomic design of the our grips allows for maximum control with minimal effort.
