Capital Nordic Walking | Health & wellness website
Capital Nordic Walking
Phone: +61 499 993 215
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24.01.2022 Big welcome and congratulations to the 30 NWing newbies who are doing the CNW Proficiency course this month! Great way to start the New Year! People are going to ask you "why"! They might say that they "walk with poles" also - but in all likelihood they will be using hiking poles and technique - very different to NWing. You are taking up Nordic Walking because you understand the long list of benefits to be had, how versatile and adaptable NWing is for different ages, fitnes...Continue reading
24.01.2022 Our perfect Spring Sunday Nordic Walk around Canberra’s beautiful Lake Burley Griffin ended with a shock We have started to see more pop up food and drink places on the lake edge which I think is not a bad thing If done well and in a sympathetic way with the environment. But to see DONUT BALLS as one of the first and most prominently positioned stalls was a shock and deeply disappointing after enjoying watching so many Canberrans out getting some exercise and taking ...care of their health. Australia is in the midst of a rapidly growing Non Communicable Disease pandemic - we are now ranked as one of the most inactive and fattest nations in the world with high levels of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, breast and bowel cancer - lifestyle diseases impacted by how little we move and what we eat and drink. I wonder if people enjoying a donut at the end of their walk realise that they are one the most calorie loaded, sugar and unhealthy fat laden things you could eat. I burned about 660 calories on our 7km Nordic Walk. 100gms of donuts is about 450 calories or 25% of an average daily calorie allowance - with zero nutritional benefit. If the ACT Government really cared about our communities health they would help us have better food and drink choices available.
24.01.2022 ' !! Jana said to also keep an eye on ABC breakfast tomorrow morning as "they sometimes pick up lovely pieces like this one"
24.01.2022 Check out our November small group Nordic Walking proficiency courses here! Capital Nordic Walking prides itself on providing the highest quality tuition in Nordic Walking based on many years of experience, proven programs, delivered by our highly qualified Instructors. Nordic Walking is more technical than most people realize to learn to do well, get the maximum benefits and avoid injuries. We teach the skills sequentially across our 3 x 1 hour session courses. Our courses take account of your health status and challenges and are carefully designed to ensure that you enjoy learning to Nordic Walking, achieve a high level of proficiency and enjoy maximum benefits.
23.01.2022 Sarah Wilson's 'This One Wild and Precious Life' is perhaps the wake-up call we need - the working title was actually 'Wake the F*** Up'! It's a discussion about climate change, loneliness, racial injustice, political fragmentation and, as the publication date was delayed again and again, the effects of the coronavirus and the bushfires and how the past few years have just left us all in a state of ... Wilson calls it disconnection, and that's the perfect word for it. "I ...didn't really see these things as separate issues," she says. "Disconnection is the overarching thing and everything else is just a symptom. It's all intertwined, interlinked, and in some ways that can make it easier for us to deal with. "Rather than thinking that it's all separate, feeling like that little girl trying to plug the holes in the dyke, it's about recognising that it's the same thing and not only is it the same problem, it's actually the same solution." And that solution, she says, is coming back to nature. "We've got to come back to nature, come back to our nature, come back to the way we're meant to be. I say throughout the book, we will save what we love, we will save what we're connected to. Not surprisingly (for Nordic Walkers!) Sarah quickly gets to how "Hiking brings us back to our nature because hiking is how we know our nature." and the well-documented scientific benefits of walking. How we're more creative, how our brain patterns change when we're in motion, she knows it's been one of the best fixes for her bipolar disorder over the years. "We emerged into human-hood walking in nature," she writes in the book. "Our human brain evolved because we got upright and walked. Our sentience and awareness - the stunning and special stuff that sets us apart from the animal kingdom - evolved to the rhythms of walking and in response to the patterns in nature we saw when we quit schlepping around on all fours and began looking upwards. The joy of walking in nature, she says, reminds us of what we're fighting for........ YES YES YES!
23.01.2022 Reporting in from our Savannah Gulf tour where there is no COVID, and, Canberra mates will be envious to note, no frosts - overnight temps of 18! There’s also usually no or very little internet or phone coverage, giving us a real feel for just some of the challenges that remote Aussies live with. We’ve travelled from Karumba east through Croydon and Georgetown to the spectacular Cobbold Gorge and are now in the tiny town of Mt Surprise. ...Continue reading
23.01.2022 Many of us are dealing with life challenges that others aren’t aware of. Some minor, some massive. My Nordic Walking colleague Hannes Holly of Nordic Walking WA, and his partner Hayden, have been dealing with the unimaginable - both their young daughters diagnosed with dreadful childhood cancers. You can read their story below. I’m reaching out to Canberra’s Nordic Walking community to join me in supporting their efforts to fund research into the prevention and treatment o...Continue reading
22.01.2022 Just 30 great things! That’s all! Good walking habits can have a profound effect on your physical, mental, and emotional health. The human body is designed for walking. Unfortunately, most people do too little of it. The sedentary lifestyles we lead keep us sitting far too much and walking far too little. There’s no need to give up, though. Taking the time to walk for 30 minutes each day can reverse the adverse effects of spending too much time sitting.
21.01.2022 The Art of the Start! Canberra Nordic Walkers at our regular weekly walk at the beautiful Australian National Botanic Gardens warming up and mobilising, led by one of our newest and youngest CNW Volunteer Angels Phoebe Hobbs! Thanks Phoebe!
21.01.2022 Spring putting a spring in my Nordic Walking step! For this training session I was focusing on 4 technique components for those of us with competitive tendencies! * Intensity of pressure through wrist strap, ... *maximum rear arm extension, *glute activation and *cadence - number of steps per minute. All need to work In unison to achieve improved speeds For those die hard runners and joggers out there! Check out the cardio workout I get easily with Nordic Walking (not bad for a 61 year old!) with significantly less strain through feet, ankles, knees and hips while getting a massive core and upper body workout not available to runners!
20.01.2022 CNW November Newsletter is here! Check out all the exciting things that we've been up to - from newborns to seniors! - and our new publication - COVID Tales and Trails - to be launched at our Spring Festival!
20.01.2022 ! ! Check out our 3 most exciting developments from 2020, inspiring stories from 2 of our Nordic Walkers - who come to Nordic Walking for very different reasons - showing just how versatile and adaptable it is, and our two favourite science-based articles about why exercise really is the best medicine!
19.01.2022 Post by CNWer Sally Eldridge of her mindful Nordic Walk in Australia’s National Botanic Gardens - take a look at the stunning images she captured.............A very foggy morning in Canberra made for a lovely Nordic Walk more focused on textures and colours than big views. #australiannationalbotanicgardens #anbg
19.01.2022 - ! , , ! Canberra’s Nordic Walkers responded in droves yesterday to a call to action from ABC Canberra TV News team who wanted to film a news story about Nordic Walking! ABC News reporter Jana Black interviewed CNW Founding Director Kristen Pratt, Werner Lausberg and Jacinta Greenwood, and cameraman Ben got hot and sweaty keeping up as we did laps along the lake for him to capture! ... Although CNW has taught well over 2,000 people to NW and we have a thriving active community of NWers, we still struggle to convince Canberran's that Nordic Walking is the best thing since sliced bread!!! This story is a great opportunity for us to get the message out that Nordic Walking is one of the safest, most effective, and most enjoyable ways of staying active and fit for all ages and all fitness levels - from elite athletes through to people with balance and mobility challenges and people living with disability. Jana said that the story is likely to go to air on this weekend’s local ABC news! Will update this information if we hear more on exactly when the story will go to air. Big thanks again to everyone who made the effort to come out and strut their stuff! and also to Canberra parkrun outreach ambassador (and NWer!) Suzanne Crane, for being armed with her fab camera and taking such great photos.
19.01.2022 THE United Nations’ International Day of Older Persons marks 30 years of supporting seniors today, October 1. To celebrate seniors here in Canberra, CityNews speaks to the organisations in the ACT who support seniors and are passionate about helping them make the most out of later life. Check out attached City News article and interview with Kristen of Capital Nordic Walking on how Nordic Walking is helping many Canberra seniors stay active, strong and able to keep doing e...verything they love and value in their lives. We have courses to suit everyone’s fitness levels and goals from people with significant health challenges like Parkinson’s and MS through to the super fit! Check out our October courses and book in here https://www.capitalnordicwalking.com.au/collections/package
18.01.2022 We often get asked "how often should I Nordic Walk"? You may have heard that when it comes to strength training, you should rest for a day or two in between workouts to give your muscles a chance to recover. But what about cardiovascular exercise? Do you need rest days? After all, cardio exercise - like Nordic Walking - helps: * improve your heart and lung function * strengthen your muscles * improve your blood flow - which helps your brain function... * boost your mood * improve your sleep, and * lower your risk of heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes This short article, takes a closer look at the recommended amount of cardio exercise, the pros and cons of doing cardio every day, and the best strategy for losing weight with this type of exercise. Just in case you don't click into this article - here's the top take away! If you engage in moderate-intensity workouts, such as a brisk walk, then 30 minutes every day can help you reap a variety of benefits.
17.01.2022 Please support our nomination of our Volunteer Coordinations- Helen Portsmouth and Glenda Ible for the Volunteer ACT Canberra’s Choice! The Canberra’s Choice Award is presented to the volunteering individual or team that receives the most number of votes by the general public. Our wonderful and incredibly popular Community Outreach Program of weekly supported group Nordic Walks would not be possible without the fantastic support of CNWing Volunteers - organised and coordinat...ed by Helen and Glenda! We are ever grateful for their enthusiasm, passion, patience and ability to make everyone feel welcomed, supported and empowered. Voting closes Sunday 16 August at midnight. Get in quick and vote now! And spread the word! Share share share!
15.01.2022 Yesterday I was honored to participate in the Parkinson's Australia National Symposium - 'Prosper' - and gave the attached presentation in the "Living Well" segment about the many benefits of Nordic Walking for people living with Parkinson's: with a specific focus on the 3 Bs - Big, Balance and Brain and mood. Capital Nordic Walking has taught well over 2,000 Canberrans of all ages and fitness levels to Nordic Walk, including many people living with Parkinson's and other health and mobility challenges. Why are we always smiling? Because we get to see how Nordic Walking changes lives every day!
14.01.2022 In July 2020 I was supposed to be in France doing advanced Nordic Walking Coach training with Roland Air-z ....check out this inspirational video to see why! Before France I was due to be with Marko Kantaneva in Finland for the World Nordic Walking Cup Tour, and after France onto Italy to spend time with my colleague Gianpietro Beltramello, CEO of Gabel, a leading family business producing ski, trekking and Nordic Walking equipment, established by his father in 1956. COVIDBE GONE! Looking forward to rebooking this Nordic Walking adventure in the not too distant future!
12.01.2022 Fantastic article, with many practical tips, about the many significant health benefits of brisk walking - it's just missing a major piece of information........how to add value by Nordic Walking!!! Proven to be far more effective than jogging, running, cycling and walking without poles.
12.01.2022 Fight or flight? Or great Nordic Walking technique that had me averaging 154 beats per minute with a max HR of 175 bpm for a 6km NW along 4-mile beach this morning!
09.01.2022 Capital Nordic Walker’s last Sunday of the month Off-Piste Walk. Margo and Mike Lawson took about 30 of us on a fabulous 7km lake to city Nordic Walk on a perfect nearly Spring day! After skirting the shores of Lake Burley Griffin around the Acton Peninsula we followed Sullivan’s Creek though the Australian National University back into town finishing with a great coffee stop. Mike generously shared his knowledge of the local indigenous sites and history including an old... aboriginal corroboree ground at the south oval. The walk was full of surprises, even for those of us who’ve lived in Canberra for many years. We paused at the new Union Court/Kambri development to reflect on Ngambri Aboriginal culture, passed the National Film and Sound Archive (one of Australia’s most haunted buildings) to an unusual sculpture, Raised Pinnacle, then back past the Shine Dome - also known as the Martian Embassy! to some of us!
05.01.2022 Ok - so it's not quite the Tour de France! But it's the next best thing! and you'll get way more out of it than you ever imagined! CALL OUT TO CANBERRA CYCLISTS, WITH A FEW HOURS TO SPARE, WHO ARE KEEN TO SHARE THEIR LOVE OF CYCLING WITH OTHERS WHO CAN'T CYCLE SAFELY ON THEIR OWN! Spread the word also to Canberrans with Parkinson’s and other health challenges that make it difficult for them to cycle safely on their own. This is a great opportunity to get back to or try out... cycling and feel the wind in your hair! Canberra's fabulous Pedal Power, Fitability Tandem Program, is running a Tandem Come and Try event at Stromlo Forrest Park on Saturday 19th September starting at 9:30am. Riding a bike is an inclusive activity however it’s not always an activity everyone can be included in without some extra assistance, particularly if they have a visual impairment, disability or health condition, like Parkinson's, that means they can’t ride safely alone. Come and trial piloting a tandem bike! Instruction on piloting as well as disability specific information will be provided by experience pilots and volunteers. This is a great opportunity for people to turn up and see if piloting a tandem is something they enjoy and volunteer to share with riders with vision impairment or other disabilities. More information about Fitability Tandem Riding can be found at www.fitability.org.auor you can contact Lindy Hou on 0402 113 836 or email: [email protected]
05.01.2022 For our Canberra Camino mindful walkers and all of my friends who know and enjoy the magic and power of time spent in nature.......keep your eye out for nature dancing.....
05.01.2022 You are invited to join a free live broadcast of the 29th Annual Volunteering Awards, Canberra region This prestigious event recognises the outstanding contribution of volunteers in the Canberra region. On Tuesday 8 September at 6pm we will gather virtually to celebrate this year’s nominees and winners. CNW Volunteer Coordinators Helen Portsmouth and Glenda Ible were nominated in the Volunteer Leadership category for making a significant contribution to advancing Volunteer l...eadership and reach. Their fantastic contributions to the Capital Nordic Walking Community will be recognised at this event. From bushfires, to COVID, and everything in between, 2020 really has been the Year of the Volunteer. Volunteering ACT received nearly 100 nominations for this year’s Awards spanning activities and programs across our entire community. Join us online, Tuesday 8 September at 6pm-7pm We’d be delighted to have you as our guest at Canberra’s premier volunteer recognition event. Want to know more about Capital Nordic Walking Community Outreach Program? and our fabulous CNW Volunteer Angels - like Helen and Glenda - who make it possible - check our website at these links - https://www.capitalnordicwalking.com.au/pages/volunteers https://www.capitalnordicwalking.com.au/pages/out-reach and why not join us for a walk and get to know our community and how you could become a part of it!
04.01.2022 Had our first Nordic Walking adventure of our Savannah Way tour in Karumba on the banks of the Norman River 2,647 kms north west of Canberra, snugged into the Gulf of Carpentaria! Here in Karumba the climate is perfect, the sunsets magnificent, the Barramundi to die for, and C19 physical distancing easy - with a population of around 500!! We were up early to beat the heat for a dawn Nordic Walk before a morning learning all about the incredible Barramundi - icon fish of nor...thern Australia. "Walk the new tourist walkway into Karumba" they said! Off we strode, drawing in the fresh summer morning air, watching a very unfamiliar landscape, plants and colors unfold, until we reached a part of the track that was submerged with running water and no obvious way across or around. After checking no crossings left or right we headed back only to find our previously clear path also now covered with fast flowing knee high water in 2 sections! Tried checking for crossings again left and right of the track - nothing - and by the time we got back to the path the water was flowing faster, covering a wider and deeper area. nothing for it but to lose the shoes and socks and wade through the slimy mud! As fast was we could! trying not to think about all the human-eating salties (salt water crocodiles) we'd seen on the way up! Exciting start to the day! And then onto discover some amazing secrets about the mighty Barramundi at the Barramundi Discovery Centre - a brand new interactive and state of the art Interpretive Centre providing the history, stories, lifecycle and habits of these sought-after fish. A fantastic not-for-profit collaboration of science to protect the species, education for fisherpeople and tourism. Here are my top 4 favorite facts! 1. Barramundi have sex-swapping super-powers! becoming sexually mature as males at about three to four years of age. Males turn into females from about five or six years of age, and about 80 cm in length 2. Large female Barramundi can produce upwards of 32 million eggs in a season. 3. Barramundi have been recorded to be over 4 feet long and weighing over 90 lbs! 4. They are ultra marathon athletes and can travel great distances in a lifetime; one fish was tagged and found 400 miles away.
04.01.2022 Canberra's City News Women’s Health Week is encouraging women to not overlook their health and well-being, especially this year with the added stress that COVID-19 has placed on people’s lives. Nordic Walking is featured in the attached article. Step it out this Spring! If you are ready to join the hundreds of Canberran's and millions of Nordic Walkers around the world who are enjoying the incredible health and fitness benefits that can be achieved from Nordic Walking - check out our September courses on the Capital Nordic Walking website - there is something for everyone - all ages, fitness levels and fitness goals! If you would like to know more - please give us a call on 04 9999 3215. We love chatting about Nordic Walking!
03.01.2022 Six months ago Jenny Hodge changed from using a wheelie walker to Nordic Walking to help her stay active and build her fitness to fight against the daily challenges of Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) - a rare neurological disorder in which there is inflammation of nerve roots and peripheral nerves and destruction of the fatty protective covering (myelin sheath) over the nerves. As the myelin is destroyed and lost, the electrical impulses between you...r brain and nerves will slow or get lost altogether. Symptoms include tingling, numbness or altered feeling which often begins in the feet and hands, weakness of the arms and legs, fatigue and aching pain in the muscles. Listen to Jenny describe CIDP and check out her impressive Nordic Walking technique! Now Jenny and her husband Peter are regulars at Capital Nordic Walking Community Outreach program weekly group walks at Lake Burley Griffin and the Australian National Botanic Gardens. One of our Volunteer Angels keeps Jenny company while Peter sets off for a serious workout! A win-win for them!
03.01.2022 Listen in to Canberra Radio 2CC at 10.30 on Sunday 27th to hear Capital Nordic Walker's Jennifer Pickard and Belinda Cheong being interviewed live by Chris McLenaghan and Ian Meikle about their Canberra Camino walk. Jennifer and Belinda have been members of the rapidly growing Canberra Nordic Walking community for over 3 years! Jennifer was booked to Nordic Walk the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) this year, but COVID put an end to that. So, they decided to o...rganise their own Canberra Camino where Nordic Walkers will walk Canberra’s Centenary Trail - 145kms covering about 10kms daily, 3 days a week in September. Belinda and Jennifer said that the Canberra Camino is the outcome of friendship, walking and dreaming. They hope it will be a time of refreshment, fun, friendship and fitness for Canberra’s Nordic Walkers and that everyone is able to enjoy all that Canberra’s Camino offers. Traditionally people walk the Camino for religious or spiritual reasons, for exercise or a physical challenge, for social reasons, for solitude or to simply reconnect with nature; but usually with a particular intention in mind. Jennifer and Belinda have stressed to Canberra’s Camino pilgrims that it is important to respect each other as they walk and enable everyone other to have the space, solitude or company that each person needs. Canberra's inaugral Camino walk group hit their 100km mark yesterday - listen in to hear what a wonderful experience it has been!
03.01.2022 CNWers Thursday Lake Burley Griffin Pack! all 45 of them! Braving the fog! Rewarded with sunshine by the time we got back for coffee after a decent NWing Talking Workout! Stars today were our Parkie Pacers! - John Kimball who got a decent HIIT session! - which stretched him out and got him puffing, sweating and standing tall again, and John Robbins and his gorgeous wife Merrelin, looking rather glamorous and French!!
03.01.2022 Kristen stretching out - Nordic Walking along 4-mile beach in Port Douglas in northern Australia - happily no crocs for company!
03.01.2022 Over 1,000 kms later, having set out from Karumba on the 3rd of August, here we are in beautiful Port Douglas for some chilling out time before heading home next weekend. Did a cheeky little 5km exploratory Nordic Walk this morning that turned out to have stunning vistas at every turn! Nordic Walking! Great way to explore your neighbourhood and entertain the locals! ... Note the long beach - Port Douglas famous 4-mile beach - famous not only for how long and beautiful it is - but because tourists are sometimes gobbled up by the salt water crocodiles lurking in the shallows! Seriously!
03.01.2022 N-awe-dic Walkers know all about awe-walking! That’s why we are such a chipper bunch! Read more to discover the massive benefits of turning your walks into awe walks! Consciously watching for small wonders in the world around you during an otherwise ordinary walk could amplify the mental health benefits of the stroll, according to an interesting new psychological study of what the study's authors call "awe walks." The findings are subjective but indicate that a...we walks could be a simple way to combat malaise and worry. They also underscore that how we think and feel during exercise can alter how the exercise alters us. There already is considerable evidence, of course, that exercise, including walking, can buoy our moods. Past studies have linked increased physical activity to greater happiness and reduced risks for anxiety, depression and other mental ills. Feeling a sense of awe also seems to up our overall feelings of gladness and improve health. A somewhat nebulous emotion, awe generally is defined as the sense that you are in the presence of something larger and more consequential than yourself and that this something is mysterious and ineffable. "It is such a simple thing" to look around for small wonders while you exercise, she says, "and there's no downside."
02.01.2022 Bravo Exe Nordic Walking Exeter Devon! Great and familiar story about how Nordic Walking changing lives! Benefits and results for the super fit to those with serious health and mobility challenges, and all in between. Walking tall, great posture, less/no pain, walking faster, further for longer!
01.01.2022 Canberra's Capital Nordic Walkers and friends - please get on line and complete this important survey seeking views on a plan to provide a safer and more user friendly precinct in the Kings Park area of Lake Burley Griffin. It will take you about 1 minute. Long overdue but exciting features for us include: * Convert part of Wendouree Drive to cycle path * Encourage faster cyclists to use the cycle path rather than RG Menzies Walk by introducing circuitous path route interven...tions at key decision points on paths The NCA encourages you to provide thoughts on the new concepts or make others suggestions on ways to improve the park. Let's not miss this opportunity to have our say about this terrific development and urge the NCA to apply similar principles around safe shared spaces to all high-use parts of the Lake precinct. Give us a Thumbs Up when you have completed the survey so that we can get a sense of the level of support.
