I was asked about the use of walking and hiking poles. I did an Instagram live sharing my thoughts and tips for effective walking and hiking pole use. If you'd like to watch/listen you can do so. Or read on.
The number one reason I hear that someone uses poles is for balance. The second reason I hear is to take pressure off the knees. Everything I offer here about how to use poles achieves both balance and less pressure on the knees.
The sports definition of balance is the ability to stay upright or in control of body movement. I would add upright or in control of body movement as you move from point A to point B. When you use a pole or poles more points contact the ground. Of course, more points in contact with the ground can feel more stable but if the way you organize those points makes it harder to make space and move into that space the net benefit is negative. Having points contact the ground as you hike means more collisions impacting the tissues and joints. Plus there is more information coming in that the nervous system has to filter through, decide what is imperative and send directives out for each next point of contact which is more fatiguing. At the end of the day, more points to manage drains more of your resources.
Now if the way you coordinate contact of the ground with a pole helps you to make space and move into that space poles become helpful and reduce fatigue. It is commonly assumed that having the opposite arm and leg coordinate is optimal. But is it?
When you step with your right leg and foot and reach your left arm and pole into the space in front of you what comes next?
You now have a pole in the space you need to move your left leg and foot into. Coordinating the opposite leg foot with the opposite arm pole doesn't make space for you to move into.
Instead, pole plant and land the same side foot simultaneously. Not one and then the other but both points contact the ground at the same time. This is less fatiguing for a few reasons. It has the contact of the lower body and upper body work out instead of colliding with one another. It has information go to one hemisphere of the brain (when you step and pole plant with the left side it lights up the right half of the brain and vice versa) instead of ping-ponging between the two hemispheres. Try it.
Another way to improve your efficiency when using poles is to plant the end of the pole next to or slightly behind the fulcrum point of your foot. Planting the pole beside and or behind the fulcrum of the foot places more body mass over top and in front of the foot positioning you to be ready to take your next step. Allowing for quicker and more efficient movement.
Lastly when you use poles going downhill do not put the pole ends out ahead of you as I commonly see. Continue to use the same side pole and foot planting. Or try shortening the poles and holding the middle of the pole in your hand one pole end out in front of you and the other behind you and use each pole to help load the same side stance leg for better anchoring (which I discussed and shared drills for in my last email). Picture the dropping and catching in the air a pole as the same side foot hits the ground. Again, try it. It makes you feel much more secure in your contact with the ground than using poles out in front of you acting as a break to slow you down.
Pole use can enhance hiking efficiency and balance. It can also hinder it and result in greater fatigue. Reach out with your questions about anything I've shared here.
Happy trails,
Dawn xo
PS I am teaching two in-person classes this fall, details are below. Email me to sign up.
PPS I hiked 130 km in August which is wild! A couple of amazing backpacking adventures in August were in Waterton from Goat Haunt to Hole In the Wall and back and the other in Glacier from Logan Pass along the Highline Trail and out Swiftcurrent Pass