Co-ordination: how to achieve harmonious cooperation between all body parts with an integrative perspective, awakening your organic intelligence of spontaneous self-correction.

Propulsion: how to use the alternating shifting of weight from one leg to the other with the undulating rhythmical wave for generating the propulsion into space for walking.

Impact: how to outsmart gravity by stepping in a way that loads the body with the rebounding force from the ground using the impact of upward elastic forces.

Alignment: how your skeleton can align into a streamlined trajectory for the transmission of the two way force, the body mass bearing down, as well as the springy reaction up, streaming from end to end, without loss, deviation, or compression.    

The 10 most significant benefits to walking with poles:
 
1.     Tones the upper and lower body at the same time. 
2.     Develops upright body posture.
3.     Uses 90% of the skeletal muscles.
4.     Burns up to 46% more calories than ordinary walking.
5.     Strengthens bones and combats the effects of osteoporosis.
6.     Reduces impact on knee and hip joints by 30%
7.     Burns up to 46% more calories than regular walking. 
8.     Increases heart- and cardiovascular training up to 22%. 
9.     Helps to eliminate back, shoulder and neck pain.
10.   Supports stress management.

Research

A novel sensorimotor movement and walking intervention to improve balance and gait in women

Published Online: October 08, 2014

Highlights

  • Women participated in a 5-day, intensive mind-body exercise intervention.
  • Outdoor walking and sensorimotor movements were performed multiple times per day.
  • Mobility, balance confidence and quality of life improved after the intervention.

Abstract

Purpose

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 5-day mind-body exercise (MBE) program on measures of quality of life, balance, balance confidence, mobility and gait in community-dwelling women.

Methods

The MBE program was a 5-day retreat where multiple sessions of Feldenkrais®-based sensorimotor movement training and walking were performed daily. Forty-six women aged 40–80 years old participated in either the MBE program or maintained normal daily activity. Two-footed eyes-closed balance, gait characteristics, mobility via the Timed Up and Go test, balance confidence and quality of life were assessed before and after the intervention.

Results

Women in the MBE group experienced improvements in mobility (6%; p = 0.01), stride length (3%; p = 0.008), single limb support time (1.3%; 0.006), balance confidence (5.2%; p < 0.001) and quality of life (p < 0.05) while the control group did not change.

Conclusion

This short-term intensive program may be beneficial to women at risk of mobility limitations.