Urban Nordic Walking Clinic - Point Defiance Park

• Activity Type:
  Cross-country Skiing, Urban Walking, Day Hiking
• Audience:
  Adults, All Who Qualify
• Difficulty:
  Easy, Sea Kayak I/II
• Leader Rating:
  Easy
• Mileage: 3.0 mi
• Elevation Gain: 150 ft
• Pace: 2.5 mph average moving speed
• Availability: 2( 5 capacity)
• Registration Open:
  Mon, Jan 12, 2026 at 7:00 AM
• Registration Closed:
  Thu, Jan 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM

Please only register for one student Nordic walking clinic. Each clinic covers the same instruction. There are limited places on each clinic and we want to give as many mountaineers as possible this opportunity!

Nordic walking is a great total-body fun and fitness outdoor activity. It can be particularly useful for those who cross-country ski and other Mountaineers wishing to increase their regular exercise and to be able to join Mountaineers Nordic walking trips as we develop these during 2026.

Taking this clinic will prepare you to Nordic walk efficiently. You will then be able to enjoy this great total-body exercise in your own neighborhood on your own and with friends or join a Mountaineers Nordic Walking trip. We will cover the basics of diagonal stride and how to use poles to give an extra dimension to walking, making it better exercise, more fun and more efficient than just walking.

This clinic will be led by American Walking Association Instructor and Mountaineers Urban Walk Leader Chris Ensor and Mountaineers Assistant Leader Linda Shewey.

The clinic will be valuable to anyone considering taking up Nordic walking as a sport and pastime. It is a better total body exercise that walking, jogging and cycling. It is something you can do almost anywhere you walk. The clinic also provides a great for those wishing to start or s refresher for those return to cross-country skiing as many of the movements and us of poles are the same.

The clinic will last for between 90 and 120 minutes.

We will start by adjusting the poles for your height, align the rubber tips, distinguishing between left and right poles and see how to adjust and use the wrist straps.

We do some warm-up exercises. Then we will practice some drills. Thesewill focus on the leg and arm movements of diagonal stride and the correct use of poles to give walking a whole new and exciting dimension. The exercises will be organized in a progression: learn one aspect leading to another and another to build up to the full set of movements designed for flat, uphill and downhill situations.

Once we have mastered these basics, in the second half of the clinic we take a trip to put them into practice.

The correct poles for Nordic walking will be provided. Most trekking and walking poles are not suitable.

If you want to bring your own poles, please inform the leader in advance. It is important to be sure that the pole length is correct for your height and that your wrist straps and the rubber pole tips are suitable.

Please wear layered clothing that is water resistant, stout trainers and a small backpack for clothes you remove, and to carry water and a snack. Much of the time we will be moving so we will warm up. But there will be some stand-still time for instruction and discussion. So, we will also cool down. Remember it’s now winter! If you wish to wear gloves, please avoid mittens and chose gloves that are quite thin.

Otherwise they may not fit into the wrist straps.

In view of the 2.5 mph pace and 3.5 mile distance that will include some short hills you should be able to maintain this average pace (we will go slower up hill) so we can keep the clinic group together. There will be some short breaks for instruction. A good level of fitness and stamina is needed to be able to keep up throughout the session.

If you have any concerns about meeting these expectations, please contact the principal leader Chris Ensor before registering.

This is an instructional activity, and the numbers are limited. It will mess up the start of the session and inconvenience the whole group if anyone is late or a no-show. So please allow plenty of time for your journey to arrive, park and be ready to start at the meeting place by 10am. If you have doubts that you can arrive and be ready on-time please do not register.

Thank you for your understanding.

You can drive or carpool. In addition there are some transit options from downtown Tacoma nand Tacoma Community College.

Here are some suggestions to watch to learn more about Nordic walking:

• Nordic walking - how to start walking with poles?
• (This video shows the progression from no-poles, to dragging poles to full use of poles. The video focuses on the advantages for rehab patients, but the progression sequence applies to everyone starting to Nordic walking)
• The Health Benefits of Nordic Walking (especially for seniors and those in rehab)
• Nordic Walking vs. Trekking Poles - What's the Difference?

Please contact the Primary Leader, Chris Ensor…