Walking Pole Sticks: Benefits, Selection, Setup, and Proper Technique

How Do You Use Walking Pole Sticks?

Properly using walking pole sticks involves adjusting their length to your height and terrain, engaging your core and arms with a coordinated diagonal stride, and pushing off the ground to enhance stability, reduce joint impact, and improve full-body engagement during walking or hiking.

Introduction to Walking Poles

Walking poles, often interchangeably referred to as trekking poles or Nordic walking poles, are specialized tools designed to enhance the walking and hiking experience. Far from being mere crutches, they serve as extensions of your body, providing additional points of contact with the ground. Their use transforms a lower-body dominant activity into a more comprehensive, full-body workout, while simultaneously offering significant biomechanical advantages.

Benefits of Using Walking Poles

Integrating walking poles into your routine offers a multitude of physiological and biomechanical advantages:

• Reduced Joint Impact: Poles distribute some of your body weight and pack weight from your lower extremities (knees, hips, ankles) to your arms and shoulders. This can significantly reduce the cumulative impact on joints, particularly during descents or long walks.
• Enhanced Stability and Balance: By providing two additional points of contact with the ground, poles dramatically improve balance and stability. This is invaluable on uneven terrain, slippery surfaces, or for individuals with balance challenges.
• Increased Calorie Expenditure: Engaging the upper body, core, and arms transforms walking into a more robust cardiovascular and muscular workout, leading to higher calorie burn compared to walking without poles.
• Improved Posture: Proper pole use encourages an upright posture, helping to align the spine and shoulders, which can alleviate back strain and promote more efficient breathing.
• Upper Body Engagement: The rhythmic push-off motion engages muscles in the triceps, biceps, shoulders, lats, and core, providing a beneficial strength and endurance workout for these often-underutilized muscle groups during walking.
• Propulsion and Speed: Especially on uphill climbs, poles can provide a powerful push-off, aiding in forward momentum and potentially increasing walking speed with less perceived effort.

Choosing the Right Walking Poles

Selecting the appropriate poles is the first step toward effective use:

• Adjustable vs. Fixed Length:
  • Adjustable poles are more versatile, allowing length modification for different terrains (shorter for uphill, longer for downhill) and for sharing among users. Most are telescopic (collapsible) for easy transport.
  • Fixed-length poles are typically lighter and stronger due to fewer moving parts, but lack adaptability. They are often preferred by experienced Nordic walkers who maintain a consistent technique on flatter terrain.
• Material:
  • Aluminum poles are durable, more affordable, and can withstand significant abuse. They tend to be heavier.
  • Carbon fiber poles are significantly lighter, reducing swing weight and overall fatigue. However, they are more expensive and can be more brittle under extreme stress.
• Grips and Straps: Look for ergonomic grips made of cork, foam, or rubber for comfort and sweat absorption. The hand strap is crucial for proper technique; it should be comfortable and easily adjustable, allowing you to push off through the strap rather than just gripping the handle.
• Tips/Baskets:
  • Carbide tips offer excellent grip on rocky or icy surfaces.
  • Rubber tips are essential for walking on pavement or hard indoor surfaces to prevent slipping and protect the tips.
  • Baskets (small discs near the tip) prevent poles from sinking too deep into soft ground, mud, or snow. They are usually removable.

Setting Up Your Walking Poles

Correct pole adjustment is fundamental for effective and comfortable use:

• Adjusting Length:
  • General Rule (Flat Terrain): When holding the pole with the tip on the ground next to your foot, your elbow should form a 90-degree angle. This is your baseline length.
  • Uphill: Shorten your poles by 5-10 cm (2-4 inches) to allow for a more aggressive push-off and better leverage.
  • Downhill: Lengthen your poles by 5-10 cm (2-4 inches) to provide more stability and allow for better reach and braking.
• Hand Straps: Proper strap use is critical for power transfer and reducing grip fatigue.
  1. Insert your hand up through the bottom of the strap loop.
  2. Bring your hand down over the top of the strap.
  3. Grasp the grip and the top of the strap firmly but comfortably. The strap should support your hand, allowing you to relax your grip on the handle and push off through the strap.

Proper Walking Pole Technique

The foundation of effective pole use is the diagonal technique, mirroring natural arm and leg movements during walking.

• The Basic Stride (Diagonal Technique):
  • Opposite Arm, Opposite Leg: As your right foot steps forward, your left pole should swing forward and plant. Conversely, as your left foot steps forward, your right pole swings forward. This is the natural reciprocal gait pattern.
  • Pole Placement: The pole tip should strike the ground roughly even with your opposite heel, or slightly behind it. Avoid planting the pole too far in front of you, as this creates a braking effect rather than propulsion.
  • Arm Swing: Your arm should swing naturally from the shoulder, just as it would if you were walking without poles. The elbow will bend, but the primary motion comes from the shoulder joint.
  • Push-Off: As you step past the planted pole, push down and back through the pole. This active push engages your triceps, lats, and core muscles, propelling you forward.
  • Relaxed Grip: Allow the hand strap to bear some of the load during the push-off. This prevents excessive gripping, reduces forearm fatigue, and allows for better power transfer.
• Uphill Technique:
  • Shorten poles slightly.
  • Plant poles more directly in front of you, closer to your body, for a strong push-off.
  • Lean slightly forward from the ankles, using poles to drive upward.
• Downhill Technique:
  • Lengthen poles slightly.
  • Plant poles further in front of you to create a stable tripod, absorbing impact and controlling your descent.
  • Bend your knees more, allowing poles to help brace against gravity.
• Traversing (Side-hilling):
  • Adjust pole length so the uphill pole is shorter and the downhill pole is longer, or adjust your grip on the poles to compensate for the slope.
  • Focus on stability and maintaining balance.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced walkers can fall into common pitfalls:

• Poles Too Long/Short: Incorrect length leads to awkward posture, reduced efficiency, and can cause shoulder or elbow strain.
• Poor Strap Use: Not using the strap correctly (e.g., gripping the pole too tightly without using the strap) leads to hand fatigue and inefficient power transfer.
• Arm Swing from Elbow Only: This reduces the engagement of larger muscle groups and limits the propulsive benefit. The swing should originate from the shoulder.
• Planting Poles Too Far Forward: This creates a braking action, slowing you down and negating the propulsive benefits. Poles should be planted to provide a push-off.
• Ignoring Terrain: Not adjusting pole length or tip type for different surfaces (e.g., using carbide tips on pavement or rubber tips on ice) can lead to slips or damage.
• Lack of Core Engagement: While poles aid stability, they shouldn't replace core engagement. Maintain an active core to support your spine and improve overall efficiency.

Integrating Poles into Your Fitness Routine

Walking poles are versatile tools that can enhance various activities:

• Warm-up and Cool-down: Use poles for gentle dynamic stretches before and after your walk.
• Variety of Workouts: From leisurely walks in the park to strenuous multi-day hikes, poles adapt to different intensities and durations.
• Rehabilitation: For individuals recovering from lower limb injuries or those needing extra stability, poles can be an excellent aid. Always consult with a physical therapist for personalized guidance.

Conclusion

Walking poles are a highly effective, evidence-backed tool for enhancing your walking and hiking experience. By mastering proper technique—from adjusting length and utilizing the hand straps to coordinating your arm and leg movements—you can unlock a wealth of benefits including reduced joint stress, improved balance, increased calorie expenditure, and a more comprehensive full-body workout. Like any skill, proficiency comes with practice. Embrace the learning curve, experiment with different techniques on varied terrain, and discover how these simple sticks can profoundly transform your outdoor adventures and fitness routine.