One of the most talked-about benefits of cardio is better heart health. Research consistently shows it can lower blood pressure and triglycerides, cut the risk of obesity, and help the body manage blood sugar and insulin levels. There are countless ways to get your heart pumping and boost cardiovascular fitness—from swimming and biking to high-intensity HIIT classes or even a casual walk with friends.
But one type of walking may actually beat your go-to Sunday F45 sweat session, recent research shows. Nordic walking, a full-body style of walking that uses specially designed poles, engages your upper body as much as your lower half and delivers an extra dose of cardio benefits.
What is Nordic Walking?
If you’ve ever cross-country skied, you probably have a good sense of what Nordic walking feels like—it’s basically the same exercise without the skis. The technique is simple: walk using specially designed poles. Adding them doesn’t just boost stability; it also recruits your arms, shoulders, and core for a full-body workout.
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Nordic Walking for Heart Health
The study, originally published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, followed 130 participants with coronary artery disease, a condition where the arteries that supply blood to the heart become smaller or blocked due to the buildup of plaque.
Over 26 weeks, the participants performed different kinds of cardio exercises, including high-intensity interval training (HIIT), moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training (MICT), and Nordic walking (NW). Researchers measured their ability to perform typical daily tasks using a walk test at the start of the study, at six weeks, and after 12 weeks.
Despite most people believing that high-intensity training delivers the best cardiovascular results, the study showed that Nordic walking improved participants’ endurance on the walking test. It also boosted functional capacity by 19 percent, compared to 13 percent for HIIT and 12 percent for moderate-to-vigorous continuous training.
The Bottom Line
“In conclusion, when prescribing exercise for patients with [coronary artery disease], patients’ preferences should be considered,” the study authors said. “This study showed that HIIT, MICT, and NW have similar prolonged effects on disease-specific and general [quality of life] and depression symptoms, providing patients with [coronary artery disease] different exercise modalities to improve such important patient-rated outcomes.”
