Nation with a Stick - Nordic Walking

This article is being presented by the German magazine HANDICAP.

As every saturday, they meet up in order to train within the huge park at the rococo castle in Bayreuth, Germany. After a few greeting words, Rudolf Ziegler begins with exercises in order to warm up. On first sight, none of the participants seem to be handicapped but nevertheless all of them are leg amputees.

 
© Gunther Belitz

Rudolf Ziegler is a licensed nordic walking trainer and he offers a variety of courses during his freetime together with his wife Karin - from introductory courses up to competitive sports. Some time ago the trader used to be a successful marathon runner. "Back then, I used to smile at the first pioneers that have been using ski sticks in the flat country. Today I am smiling at joggers", Ziegler confesses. Nordic walking introduced in Germany in 1998 is not just a short lived fashionable trend. It quickly became a people's sport.

"During nordic walking, 90 per cent of all muscles are being trained", explains Ziegler. "Such training can only be reached by doing swimming or cross-country skiing but not with jogging or fast walking without sticks." And thanks to a friend, who had been amputated at the upper leg, an idea developed: a program specialised for users of a prosthesis.

 
© Gunther Belitz

Heike, who lives without a lower leg, joined in with the group two months ago and enjoys walking through the beautiful park. The snow on the pathways has already been flattened out by other people so that the unusual weather conditions do not create problems. "I have becom a lot more dynamic due to nordic walking and I also feel that my coordination during normal walking with the prosthesis has improved", says the 32-year-old. "Best of all is that this exercise has to be done outside whilst breathing fresh air."

Claudia has lost one upper and one lower leg. She is a successful member of the wheelchair national team for basketball. "Finally, I really wanted to do something with my legs again", explains the 28-year-old. Using sticks during nordic walking is of special benefit for her since this relieves her prosthesis'. "I am able to walk one and a half hours without a break which would be impossible without the sticks." On top of that she needs the motivation through being in a group. "I would not start walking just by myself."

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