Six million pole walkers cant be wrong etc

The Finns have a word for it. Sauvakaevely, literally pole walking, isnt a circus act - though, like speed walking, it can be something of a spectacle to behold. Its also an emerging option for anyone looking for a low-impact weekend workout. Better known as Nordic walking, the practice of taking a hike with what amounts to a pair of modified ski poles was developed in Finland more than 70 years ago by cross-country skiers poking around for off-season exercise. It caught on there as a sport of its own in the late 1990s, then jumped to Germany and Austria. In 2000 those were the only three member countries in the International Nordic Walking Association (INWA), in Vantaa, Finland. The INWA now has 16 member countries and instructors in about 40. Some 6 million people worldwide participate.