Try out Nordic Walking this summer for FREE!

The summer holidays are upon us, the kids have either already finished school or are about to and then you'll have six long weeks to find activities to do or you'll be inundated with phrases like "I'm bored". Being a mum is tough during the summer, we have to find things to do every day and we're not used to having the kids at home for so long. But this summer you could try out Nordic Walking for FREE and not only keep the kids busy but also get them outdoors while saving your bank balance from another hit.



ParkLives


Coca-Cola are trying to make it a little easier on us mums with their ParkLives project, they're running free activities in local parks around the country. One of those parks is Wollaton Park where we visit often. We like to go walking there and sometimes LP takes his bike so he can ride around while we're walking. It's a fantastic park with lots of space so it's a great place to take the kids. 


A boy hangs on to a tree branch and dangles his legs below him. He is about a foot from the ground.
LP playing around while we waiting to try out Nordic Walking.



Coca-Cola's ParkLives has been running for a few years now and in the past we've tried out Geocaching, High Ropes, and when I was trying to lose weight I went walking with a group too. I love it. 



Nordic Walking


This year we were invited to try out Nordic Walking. My first thought was "what on earth is Nordic Walking?" and as I found out on our trip it's not just walking with sticks. There is a point to the sticks and actually there's a technique to walking with them, you don't just swing them about and poke them in the ground. 

On Sunday we went along to Wollaton Park to join in with the Beginner's Nordic Walking session run by a trainer. When we arrived we were measured up for the right size sticks and had to fill in a short form and then we got on with the session. We were joined by three other people who were trying out Nordic Walking too.





The trainer started out by showing us how to get started and how we should use the sticks. We had to walk around in circles keeping our arms straight while digging the sticks into the ground behind us as we walked. It all sounds very complicated but once you're walking you somehow get into the swing of it - or at least I think you do!

We soon got started on our walk and I got chatting the trainer who told me all about Nordic Walking and the benefits. She said that it gives you a whole body workout, you're using your arms and swinging sticks while walking and I did notice that you tend to walk faster when you're digging sticks into the ground. 

The lovely instructor told us how Nordic Walking was started by Olympians who needed to train for their skiing even when the snow had melted. They worked out that by using their ski poles when walking they could work their upper body and when the snow returned they could work on the skiing. They managed to get a good workout all year round despite there not being any snow some of the time.

During the walk it was so nice to hear the instructor telling LP that he was doing well and she even commented that he seemed to be enjoying himself. BP, while not really in the mood for it (it was outdoors on a Sunday morning - teenagers!) did give it a go and said it was "okay" so I guess for him that's a win. 

As we walked through Wollaton Park I continued talking to the instructor who was telling me about how she had been teaching amputees about Nordic Walking. She works in hospitals around the country to help them get back confidence when walking and she said that even their doctors had commented on how happy they all looked and how their posture had improved since she started teaching them. Apparently Nordic Walking is great for older people because they feel more confident walking with sticks and it keeps them fit and healthy while getting them outdoors. 

I really enjoyed our Nordic Walking session and I learned a lot. One of the things that sticks in my mind is that the sticks have tungsten spikes in the end of them. This means that while you're walking you should avoid walking too close to other people in your group. I learned this lesson on the day when the Hubby and I were walking close together and his stick bounced off mine and scratched the back of my leg! Luckily it wasn't deep and while it hurt it wasn't terrible but we certainly learned a lesson. 



Overall we had a good morning and got a workout in the process. I've put together a short video for you to check it out...





If you get a chance head over to the ParkLives website and check out what activities are available in your local parks. You never know, you might find something you've always wanted to try out!

Have you ever tried Nordic Walking?




If you enjoyed reading this post you might also enjoy London during the summer holidays or if you're looking for more activity inspiration try Activities that will bring you together as a family.

I'd love to hear what activities you book so head over to Facebook and let me know.

And if you'd like some tips on how to get some essential me time during the summer you can join my #MumWinning Revolution where I celebrate ALL of your wins!

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