Nordic walking is defined as "fitness walking using specially designed poles". According to David Downer, certified International Nordic Walking Association (INWA) Instructor, Nordic walking activist (see Nordic Walking News Online) , Nordic walking historian, and author of Nordic Walking Step by Step , "As a form of exercise in its own right and completely detached from skiing, hiking and trekking, the activity of Fitness Walking using specially designed poles was pioneered in the U.S. by cross-country skier and certified ski coach Tom Rutlin in 1985".

Click here to see what David Downer says about Tom's role in Nordic Walking.

I call my original version of Nordic walking "Exerstride Method Nordic walking"¦or "Exerstriding". Exerstriding is simply a specific technique of Nordic walking carefully designed using my 20+ years of dedication and experience to maximize the involvement of large core strength muscles in the trunk as well as the back, shoulders, arms and chest so as to maximize the physiological benefits, as well as the enjoyment and safety of the exercise.

Whether you call it Exerstriding, Nordic walking, fitness trekking or pole-walking, walking with poles has been a great way for me and many others to achieve and maintain total body fitness since I first conceived of it as a regular form of exercise in its own right back in 1985. I've now been seeking the most effective and safe methods of using poles to maximize my health and fitness and that of others for more than 23 years. I invite you to learn about my techniques and innovative Nordic walking equipment designs that have proven to deliver maximum fitness results, and also made Exerstrider Nordic walking poles the world's #1 fitness walking poles.

Click here to read Tom Rutlin's 'open letter' to the Nordic walking community

Exerstriding has been making headlines since 1988!

• "Exerstriding: A workout for everyone“ Exerstriding involves pushing with the modified ski poles as you walk or run. The added arm push works the large muscles of the upper body and ˜supercharges' any walking or running program." “ The Capital Times newspaper, December 13, 1988

• "Exerstriding is the name of the new trend from the USA. Go cross country skiing in the green. Exerstrider is used with athletic shoes and ski poles with rubber bottoms on the tips¦one always pushes off with the poles. Hips, knees and joints are less burdened. By using the Exerstrider poles in this way, the upper body gets a workout." “ Esquire magazine (German edition) July, 1989

• "Exerstriding is like cross-country [Nordic] skiing without the skis. By using the lightweight poles to propel your stride, you add the large muscles of your upper body to your standard walking workout. Besides toning your arms, shoulders, and chest muscles (and believe us, you do ˜feel the burn' the harder you push), you also boost your cardiovascular workout. Holding the poles forces you to swing your arms. The added benefit is 30% or greater caloric burn than walking without the poles, according to research at the University of Wisconsin, Madison." “ Walking magazine - September 1990

• "Get ready for Exerstriding! It's new, it's hot and it's coming soon to a neighborhood near you. Exerstriding is a new fitness walking technique that uses specially designed poles to create a total body workout. It firms up stomach, chest and arms, and strengthens the back. It gives you all the benefits of cross-country [Nordic] skiing 365 days a year and is easier to use than a ski simulator." “ Woman's Day magazine - summer, 1993

• "Poles Designed to Make Walking More Vigorous “ Cross-country skiers know that poles give power and balance to their stride. Now, there are poles for walkers, an idea based on the fact that two sticks are better than one. The basic idea is not new. But walking poles are being suggested for use as part of a regular exercise routine." “ The New York Times - October 14, 1993