josephmcclain
Active Member
Hi everybody! Given the wildly differing opinion on using trekking poles and also taking into consideration the amusing sights one sees on the Camino of flailing around with poles, I thought I would try to get some quick tips in. One thing is for sure: unless you learn to use them, they are almost useless. Before my Camino I had never touched a pair. Feeling kind of stupid about it all, I went to YouTube and watched tutorials and set off from Saint Jean. So, everything I write here is stuff that I felt was central to my surviving the Camino in good shape at age 74. What do you think? Other ideas? These are just my experiences that helped me enormously.
The most basic stuff:
1. Adjust your poles for level ground at a height that makes the angle at elbow between upper arm and lower arm about a 90 degree angle.
2. Put your hand through the loops of the wrist straps from below, up through. Your thumb will actually go over the strap. If this is crazy uncomfortable make the strap a little looser.
3. Don´t grasp the pole tightly. You just guide the pole between your thumb and forefinger. The pressure is carried on the strap. You should get a feel of the pectoral muscles being worked. Great upper body excercise.
4. Use the rubber tips on your poles. The carbide points are really not necessary for 99% of the terrain on the Camino. Stick a second pair in your pack. They wear out!
The most important stuff
1. Right arm moves with left leg and left arm with right arm. No exceptions for me! I felt so awkward doing this. It took me about two days of practice runs to get to feeling natural. That way of walking is, of course, natural, but nevertheless.
2. On level ground the poles should hit the ground at the level of the alternating foot as you step forward. Press into the wrist straps and feel the transfer of work to your chest muscles. The poles are helping your body carry the load of the backpack.
3. Ascending you want the poles to hit a little behind you to give you more forward propulsion. Ideally, and on very long ascents you should shorten them. You will get much more power out of them. But on the Camino Francés, with notable exceptions, one is always going up and down and constantly adjusting poles is a drag. I only adjusted for long ascents. Otherwise left them in the level ground position and used them as if they were shorter. Compromise.
4. Descending swing the poles forward with a flick of the wrist and let them hit the ground in front of you. This is a phenomenal way of avoiding strain on the knees. Generally a big issue! And great to avoid slipping or instability on descents. Also here one should lengthen the poles for long descents. It works even better. Same compromise can happen as above.
5. Level ground, ascending, descending always sticking with the rhythm of left foot with right arm and vice versa. Always. After a couple of days you will not be able to do it wrong!
6th
General walking tips:
1. The rhythm of the alternating hand-foot motion is easy to transfer into the whole body and it feels like a massage if you do it. Feel your body. How it swing and moves along.
2. On level ground I like to have a feeling of ¨planking.¨ That is, taking advantage of gravity and leaning the whole body a little forward so that gravity participates in moving you along.
3. Try to land on the middle of your foot and not the heal and for sure not the toes.
4. When ascending just feel the hips moving from side to side. Only the poles strive upward. The rest of the body is moving side to side. I got this watching a horse climb the steep trail to O Cebreiro. And felt like I had become four-legged once I got the hang of it.
5. This may be especially for men. Become aware of the pelvic area as you walk. I tend to hold too much energy high in my chest and I really had to let that go. This is the Pilates core! I think, not sure, but I think women have an easier time with this.
CAVEAT....These are just my experiences. I am not anybody´s expert, but this really helped me and wanted to share! Buen Camino!!!
The most basic stuff:
1. Adjust your poles for level ground at a height that makes the angle at elbow between upper arm and lower arm about a 90 degree angle.
2. Put your hand through the loops of the wrist straps from below, up through. Your thumb will actually go over the strap. If this is crazy uncomfortable make the strap a little looser.
3. Don´t grasp the pole tightly. You just guide the pole between your thumb and forefinger. The pressure is carried on the strap. You should get a feel of the pectoral muscles being worked. Great upper body excercise.
4. Use the rubber tips on your poles. The carbide points are really not necessary for 99% of the terrain on the Camino. Stick a second pair in your pack. They wear out!
The most important stuff
1. Right arm moves with left leg and left arm with right arm. No exceptions for me! I felt so awkward doing this. It took me about two days of practice runs to get to feeling natural. That way of walking is, of course, natural, but nevertheless.
2. On level ground the poles should hit the ground at the level of the alternating foot as you step forward. Press into the wrist straps and feel the transfer of work to your chest muscles. The poles are helping your body carry the load of the backpack.
3. Ascending you want the poles to hit a little behind you to give you more forward propulsion. Ideally, and on very long ascents you should shorten them. You will get much more power out of them. But on the Camino Francés, with notable exceptions, one is always going up and down and constantly adjusting poles is a drag. I only adjusted for long ascents. Otherwise left them in the level ground position and used them as if they were shorter. Compromise.
4. Descending swing the poles forward with a flick of the wrist and let them hit the ground in front of you. This is a phenomenal way of avoiding strain on the knees. Generally a big issue! And great to avoid slipping or instability on descents. Also here one should lengthen the poles for long descents. It works even better. Same compromise can happen as above.
5. Level ground, ascending, descending always sticking with the rhythm of left foot with right arm and vice versa. Always. After a couple of days you will not be able to do it wrong!
6th
General walking tips:
1. The rhythm of the alternating hand-foot motion is easy to transfer into the whole body and it feels like a massage if you do it. Feel your body. How it swing and moves along.
2. On level ground I like to have a feeling of ¨planking.¨ That is, taking advantage of gravity and leaning the whole body a little forward so that gravity participates in moving you along.
3. Try to land on the middle of your foot and not the heal and for sure not the toes.
4. When ascending just feel the hips moving from side to side. Only the poles strive upward. The rest of the body is moving side to side. I got this watching a horse climb the steep trail to O Cebreiro. And felt like I had become four-legged once I got the hang of it.
5. This may be especially for men. Become aware of the pelvic area as you walk. I tend to hold too much energy high in my chest and I really had to let that go. This is the Pilates core! I think, not sure, but I think women have an easier time with this.
CAVEAT....These are just my experiences. I am not anybody´s expert, but this really helped me and wanted to share! Buen Camino!!!