The Nordic Walking History.

In the 1930s and 40s, some people in the Nordic countries began using poles as a part of their workouts.

And in the early beginning of 1980 Ingemar Stenmark, Juha Mieto and other Scandinavian skiers found out that pole training, without skies, allows them to keep their fitness up over summer. The result improved their strength and skills to completely new dimensions.

In the middle of the 1980s, people in Finland began using poles in their exercise more frequently and now over 760,000 people in Finland walk regularly with poles. The rest of Scandinavia counties followed the trend and there are now over 500.000 Nordic Walking enthusiasts. In Europe, and especially in Germany, the Nordic Walking is one of the fastest growing recreational fitness activities.

The estimation for year 2012 is that over 10 million persons will practise the Nordic Walking concept in the European Union.

In the end of 1990 Ingbritt Ekman and Ronny Karlsson, both active in The Swedish Federation for Company Sports, went to Finland to find out the huge benefit to use walking poles as an aid in physical training.

Both Ingbritt and Ronny are recognised as the most experience Nordic Walking experts in Europe. They are also authors for some of the best selling books in Nordic Walking.