What is Pole Walking?
Walking with Pole Walking poles has a special technique or rhythm that improves with practise:
- shoulders relaxed and down
- upper torso and hips slightly rotate naturally
- hand opens slightly to allow pole to swing forward opposite arm opposite leg
- pole strikes the ground level with the heel of the opposite foot
- Pull back on the pole and at the hip apply pressure to the pole strap with the heel of the hand and push pole past your hip
- throughout the motion the poles remain diagonally backwards
- Always lead with the handle and never lead with the foot of pole
Pole length
Stand with your shoulders relaxed and arms hanging at your sides.
Bend your lower arm at a 90-degree angle and take the pole's handle.
The pole should in this position stand straight down towards the base.
If you have slight problems in your neck and shoulder area, you can shorten the pole by 5cm, to gain a better technique in motion.
If you want to work-out with higher intensity and exercise for more strength, you can lengthen the pole by 5–10 cm.
Some of the typical mistakes beginners can make:
- Planting the poles too far from the body. Having the poles too wide lowers the effectiveness of your Pole Walking.
- Walking with closed hands. Keeping your hands closed at all times does not allow for proper blood circulation.
- Walking with open hands. Walking with hands open all the time reduces the efficiency of your poling.
- Improper leg and pole placement. If the pole and leg are placed on the same side, you are not able to perform the proper diagonal stride with the hips involved, in a counter•swinging motion
Information courtesy “Community Fitness Australia” (PoleAbout)
Also see the following brochure, courtesy of Pole About:
Page 1 (PDF, 500KB) | Page 2 (PDF, 184KB)
How to start
"Taste Test"
Pole Walking Leaders from Seniors Recreation Council of WA are available to run Pole Walking demonstrations for groups or individuals. Demonstrations are free and there is no obligation to purchase a pair of poles.
This service is available for those of you who would like to be shown the correct technique under the guidance of a experienced person.
Walking poles, with hand gloves, can be purchased from the Seniors Recreation Council for $80.00 a pair.
For more information contact:
Seniors Recreation Council of WA Inc.
Dawn Tel: 9492 9773
Email: info@srcwa.asn.au
Information/Order Form (PDF, 3902KB)
