When I go for a walk with a child I always am amazed at how much longer it takes. They walk in wonder, explore, spin, jump on and off things, run stop turn around and do it all over again. You may not be able to take a kiddo along with you but you can walk with your inner child and open your eyes to the opportunities to play around you. Wherever you are there are bound to be opportunities. Choosing your walk – hard surface or soft. pavement or dirt. Your body will appreciate a variety and those soft surfaces are easier on your joints. or use the curb like a balance beam and walk along one fo ..read more

“Am I doing it right?” a question often heard when out with a Nordic walking group. If you’re out with your poles and enjoying the walk you’re on the right track. But there are simple things that we do that will diminish the benefits from your Nordic Walk and might even put you in danger of an injury or fall. Here are some simple mistakes to be aware of as you get started ..read more

Community Walking groups are typically free or may have a small membership fee to join. I’ve listed locations and contacts for these groups, if you have any questions feel free to reach out to me. Check to see if poles are provided for new walkers. Most groups allow walkers to choose their pace and distance that is comfortable for them. Be sure to check out the details before walking with any group. There will be more groups added as the season gets going. Maple Grove Maple Grove has 3 different Nordic walking groups. Contact Sher Monfor for schedules and for help in choosing the one just r ..read more

POP UP Walks are free community walks, open to all walkers, poles provided and a quick intro to basic technique to help newbies get excited! These walks are led by Linda Lemke We are hoping more walks can be scheduled in different areas of the city. Let me know if you would like to host one in your area. There will also be POP Ups schedule for July and August. Tuesday May 2 10am Three Rivers Park District Hyland Lake Park Preserve Meet in front of the visitor center next to the playground, poles provided to use during the walk. Saturday May 20 8am Early Bird Walk Three Rivers Park District ..read more

As we kick off the 2023 Nordic Walking Season here is a list of the classes that I know of in the Twin Cities. If you are teaching or know of other classes please let me know so we can put them on the NordicWalkingMN FB page. If you want to register for a class be sure to follow the link to complete the registration and pay for the class.  Linda Lemke’s Classes May 17  Sauk Rapids/Rice Community Ed Taste of Nordic Walking 6-7pm May 20 St Anthony/New Brighton CE     Nordic Walking Intro  10-11:30am May 22 Big Lake Community Ed Free Taste of Nordic Walking  6 ..read more

On Christmas Eve I fell and sprained my wrist which took me out of Nordic Walking for several weeks. At the same time I joined the Kula Dance Experiment – 20 minutes of dancing every morning. The two events pushed me to try my own experiment of Dance Walking! Before you shake your head, hear me out. When we go for a walk, with or without poles, we settle into our pace, swing our arms and continue on to the end. Perhaps some of us try a little HIIT, high intensity interval training activities along the way but for the most part we simply walk. Imagine what can happen if instead you turn on som ..read more

Walking has been shown to be a simple and effective exercise choice for individuals with Parkinson’s. Current research confirms that the use of Nordic walking poles provides many benefits over and above the basic aerobic workout of walking. I’ve been enjoying introducing the Parkinson’s Support Group along with a class of 20 here in Green Valley to Nordic Walking this winter. Benefits of Poles for Parkinson’s include: 1. Improved posture due to greater activation of back and core muscles 2. Promotes longer strides with better foot clearance, less shuffling and risk of falls 3. More intentiona ..read more

Greetings fellow Nordic Walkers! It’s that time of great anticipation for spring and Nordic Walking! I thought it might be easier for everyone if we had a list of classes and walking groups coming up in communities all over the Twin Cities and Beyond this year. I’m excited about all that are listed for this year and know that I still don’t have all of them. It’s hard to get all the links to work, my apologies, but there are contacts and locations and phone numbers for any that don’t have registration links yet. You can call the Community Ed or Parks and Recreation program listed and get into ..read more

I don’t really do New Year’s Resolutions as much as I try to look back over the year past, count my blessings and then look ahead to the possibilities and opportunities in the New Year. One of blessings of the past year, especially during Covid, was the Nordic Walking communities that have developed here in Central Minnesota. The weekly walking groups were so much more than just a chance to get outside for a walk. They are a community of friends and neighbors, as many as 20 strong, gathered for an hour of conversation, meeting new friends, sharing their stories and perhaps making plans to do ..read more

Summer of 2021 actually began in December with the article in the Star Tribune by Kevyn Burger touting Nordic Walking as the perfect pandemic fitness activity. Even tho it came out in the winter, in Minnesota, it sparked off a huge interest in Nordic walking and all the benefits of the poles – It’s a full body workout, it takes you outside, connects you with other people and it’s safe! My website, my email and my text messages blew up with questions and comments. I got phone calls from all over the US and even one from Ireland. It seemed that perhaps Nordic walking was finally going mainstrea ..read more