With origins in cross-country skiing Nordic walking was used as a way for skiers to keep fit in summer. Then, in 1997 a Finnish sports institute and ski pole company engineered the equipment and technique that the “fitness walking” activity would adopt.

On first glimpse, it looks odd. You wonder how the poles are making any difference, and just what the point is of walking around with them.

Patrick Burtscher, director of the Nordic Academy, speaks passionately about the sport he has helped establish in Australia, and explains the benefits are enormous. “Essentially, Nordic walking is walking with specially designed poles,” he says.

“It’s a low-impact total body workout that engages the upper body as well as your legs. This sets it apart from normal walking. I like to be outdoors, but my knees are buggered, so it’s a great activity that provides the workout of running with the impact of walking.”

Now one of the most popular lifestyle activities in Europe, Nordic walking has begun to grow in popularity across the world and Burtscher says Australians are coming around to the idea.

“It’s the biggest thing ever in Europe,” he says. “It’s still fairly new in Australia, but we’ve got 2000 people involved, directly or indirectly, in Nordic walking. And the more people who do it, the more say, ‘I’ve seen that and I want to get into it’.”

The other major benefit of Nordic walking is its accessibility. “You can do it anywhere,’’ Burtscher says. ‘‘Parks, sand, hills, suburban streets … there’s no restriction.”

Templestowe resident Naida Gross agrees. She took up Nordic walking as a way to stay fit, and regularly walks around Templestowe. “There are plenty of places to Nordic walk around the area,” she says. “Ruffy Lake Park in particular is one place that I go, but the great thing about it is wherever I go, I can just get out of the car and walk. It’s a great way to stay fit and it really adds to my walking enjoyment.”