“We’ve never started a craze before, but that’s exactly what’s happening now. People stop me in the street to tell me how much they love urban poling,” says Cheryl Phillips, wellness supervisor with Town and Country Support Services. 

The trend towards healthy active aging and a demand for low-cost exercise activities has created an upswing in walking for fitness. Now walkers have another option – urban poling.  Also known as Nordic walking, urban poling is a full-body, low-impact activity that engages 90% of the body’s muscles. All that’s needed are specially designed walking poles to begin exercising on neighbourhood streets and local trails.  

"We’ve run free demos in 11 different towns within Huron County since April, have completed over 12 four-week sessions since then and we’re still going strong,” says VandenHeuvel, wellness  coordinator with Town and Country Support Services in Clinton. ”We attracted easily over 150 new people – people from their 40s to their 80s.”  

“Since starting urban poling, I don’t experience the achy feeling in my lower back after walking because the poles help to correct my posture,” says Betty Foxton, a class participant.

According to Mandy Shintani, an occupational therapist and co-director of Vancouver-based Urban Poling Inc., urban poling is one of the most effective ways to improve your posture, stability and balance. It’s also an extremely effective workout because it burns up to 46% more calories compared to regular walking. People with sore hips, knees or arthritic joints love poling because it relieves joint stress letting them walk farther and faster.

Walkers meet at the Wescast Community Complex parking lot Mondays and Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. New classes will begin Sept. 14.