Why walking poles held behind you burn 20% more calories - Boing Boing

What the report says

Boing Boing reported on a Cool Tools newsletter item in which Michael Ham, a retiree in British Columbia, described why he prefers Nordic walking poles over standard trekking poles. The post highlights a key distinction in how the equipment is used: trekking poles are typically placed ahead of the walker with bent arms to aid balance, especially on climbs, while Nordic walking poles are kept behind the body with straighter arms and used to push off the ground.

According to Boing Boing’s account of Ham’s recommendation, that rearward push changes the poles from balance aids into propulsion tools. Ham said this makes them useful even on flat terrain, where trekking poles may feel unnecessary or cumbersome. He claimed Nordic walking can burn about 20% more calories without making the walk feel harder, and said the poles bring the upper body into an activity that otherwise relies mostly on the legs.

The article also noted that Ham’s own poles, Exel Pro Curve one-piece models, had to be ordered from the United Kingdom. Boing Boing framed the item as a practical fitness and gear recommendation rather than a clinical study.

For context, Nordic walking is generally promoted as a low-impact exercise that adds arm, shoulder and core engagement to ordinary walking. The specific calorie-burning figure in the Boing Boing item is presented as Ham’s claim; readers considering the activity for medical or rehabilitation reasons should treat it as general fitness information rather than personalized health advice.