Early on a crisp November morning, Professor Ueli Albert’s (Kinesiology) Nordic fitness lab, KINE 185, gathered behind the Athletics Complex as they’ve done all semester. But for this class, they were joined by a very special guest speaker: one of Prof. Albert’s former students.

While 25 glove-clad students adjusted their walking poles and gently warmed up, Avery Gilby (fourth year, Kinesiology) told the class about the community fitness initiative in her hometown of Lloydminster, Alberta that she started last summer using the very skills they are learning this semester.

What is Nordic walking, anyway?

If you’ve ever been on the Harvest Moon Trail (the 110 km trail that glides past Acadia University in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley) and seen students vigorously walking with what look like ski poles, you may have witnessed Prof. Albert’s Nordic fitness lab in action.

In the lab, students learn about the benefits of Nordic walking, which started as summer training for cross-country skiers but morphed into its own sport. It engages the whole body in movement by using poles to propel you forward, recruiting upper body and core strength for a more vigorous exercise experience. Researchers (including Prof. Albert when he was an undergraduate student!) have found that it burns more calories and is more effective in reducing depression than regular walking.

Nordic walking is particularly beneficial for older adults because it can help to improve mobility and balance. It also takes pressure off joints in the lower half of the body by transferring the impact through the poles to the upper body. In fact, the poles used in Prof. Albert’s class were purchased for the Acadia Active Aging program. He intends for his students to also use them as part of their one-on-one work with older adults.

While students learn about exercise physiology and biomechanics, they’re also taking in lessons about community leadership. “For me it is important for the students to learn how to create an inclusive environment where people feel safe to try new things,” says Prof. Albert. “When they do this, it can reach communities across the country.”

Big in Switzerland, and now, Lloydminster!

In Switzerland, where Prof. Albert is from, Nordic walking is big. “If you're out walking without your poles in Switzerland,” he explains, “people will ask if you forgot them at home.”

But this certainly wasn’t the case in Lloydminster before last summer! “I was talking to my family about Nordic walking, and no one in the prairies knew what it was,” says Avery, who returned to Alberta over the summer. So, she took it upon herself to bring the European fitness phenomenon to her own community.

Avery applied for a grant through the city of Lloydminster to purchase walking poles and got to work showing Lloydminster what Nordic walking is all about. She tapped Prof. Albert as a resource while putting together the funding application, but, he explains, “this was all initiated by Avery!”

“I remember being a bit surprised but very happy that she wanted to take this on. Especially since this was not a class project or something that was facilitated with a summer job,” says Prof. Albert.

“I think it shows that if we give our students the competence and the confidence to make a difference in their community, they will show leadership and apply themselves.”

Thanks to Avery, 10-15 newly minted Nordic walkers met three mornings every week all summer long. “The demographic of the group was interesting,” says Avery. “It was a mix of people our age and older adults.”

One regular in her walking group was Avery’s grandma, who used the group to train for trekking the Camino de Santiago. “She never missed a session!”

Avery is hopeful that even in her absence, the Nordic walking group will continue. “People from the group would go out walking on their own on the days it didn't run, and they kept going when I came back to school. They also introduced it to their friends who were interested!”

The adventure continues

“I came to Acadia for adventure,” says Avery. “I’d never been out east before.” She first heard about Acadia from her hockey coach in Alberta and decided she wanted to try something new. “I love how small the school is, and how personal the educational experience is.”

“And,” Avery adds, “the town of Wolfville is very sweet.”

When she graduates in May, Avery is off on a new adventure to pursue chiropractic school in Florida. Though she’s moving on from Acadia, the lessons about leadership she learned here will stick with her on her travels.  “Starting the summer program was a great experience,” she says. “I got to connect with community members, hear their stories, learn from them, and grow my confidence.”

“I truly believe that we have some of the best students in Canada,” says Prof. Albert. “That's why I teach this course. I can only get so many people active and healthy by myself, but if I teach students to do so too, the impact is that much greater.”

Get the Acadia Experience with Professor Albert

Keep an eye on the course catalogue for Professor Albert’s future classes! He will be teaching Parasport Studies and Sledge Hockey in addition to leading the Nordic Fitness lab again. He also hopes to teach an Inclusive Leadership Course.