Hardly a muscle remains unmoved
Half past eight in the morning in bamberg. While it is still quiet in the boathouse, the grove is already densely populated by sports enthusiasts of all kinds. There are many joggers and bikers on the paths and trails.
The nordic walking group of the bamberg adult education center also meets here every week in a relaxed atmosphere close to nature. Today, the group led by martina setz consists of ten participants, some of whom have already been taking part for seven years. From students to pensioners, every age group is represented.
Nordic walking, as the name suggests, is of scandinavian origin. The special aspect of this sport is that it trains up to 90 percent of the body's muscles. Because nordic walking is by far more than just walking with sticks.
The drafty running with the far-reaching arm and leg movements also strengthens the cardiovascular system. Posture improves, tension is relieved. A long-time participant reports that nordic walking was the first thing she did to get her years of back pain under control, after nothing else had helped before.
After extensive stretching and hugging under the guidance of martina setz, the participants set off from the boathouse along the river regnitz in the direction of buger spitze. Through the botanical garden, around the schillerwiese and back again.
The 90 minutes on the 4.5-kilometer track fly by. Despite the physical strain, the participants have a lot of fun and feel good, which is not least due to the positive charisma of the course instructor, who always supports and motivates them.
Despite the brisk pace, enough strength remains to exchange views with the others. This is how people talk, laugh and not infrequently make friends. "For me, the social aspect of nordic walking also plays a major role, and so for years I've always been happy to join in." Says a long-time participant. But if you want, you can also be for yourself, be silent and concentrate on your body.
But nordic walking is not as easy as it looks at first glance. As a beginner, it is easy to have problems coordinating arm and leg movements.
Professional advice is needed. Martina setz, who has been leading the course since 2006, stressed the importance of choosing the right poles: "a well-fitting strap is the be-all and end-all. Then the hand can relax while walking backwards without slipping too much out of the loop. Only in this way can the wide and sweeping movements really succeed." Claudia heitz