Hear from Barb Gormley, our Tour de Friends guest on 1/22, on activating your New Year’s resolutions

Join us for 30 minutes on January 22, 2022 at 12:00 PM US Central / 1:00 PM Eastern to hear from Barb Gormley, Master Trainer and the Director of Education for Nordic walking company Urban Poling Inc. as well as owner of Custom Fit.

Barb will tell us about her Nordic walking journey and will share Nordic walking tips and lessons we can use to enhance our own Nordic walking journey to make our New Year’s resolutions come true.

Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87302079946?pwd=ZjJUN2N0SWMyVmVicytBb3Y2MVFjdz09

Time converter is at  https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html.

Who is Barb Gormley?

• Tell us about you and your company.
  • I’m a longtime certified personal trainer and professional health & fitness writer. I have a degree in Physical Education & Health. I have been a Master Trainer and the Director of Education for Canadian Nordic walking company Urban Poling Inc. since 2006.
  • I’ve been certifying Nordic walking instructors and offering Nordic walking group classes, private classes and small-group Quick-Start Clinics since 2008. I present at professional conferences and events.
  • For the past two years I’ve been teaching virtual group exercise classes (one class with poles), which have proven to be a surprisingly good alternative to the live experience!

• What are the links to your group’s website and social media
  • Website: www.barbgormley.com; www.barbgormley.contently.com
  • Social media:
    • Facebook: @BarbGormleyCustomFit
    • Instagram: @barb_gormley

• How did you get started in Nordic walking? I was coaching long distance power walkers when I got a call from Urban Poling in Vancouver. They were looking to expand into my region of the country and wondered if I was interested. They sent me some poles and a how-to DVD, and then I took their instructor course. I was hooked!

• Why did you want to become a Nordic walking coach? I was working with lots of personal training clients who were looking for running alternatives and older adults who wanted to exercise outdoors but found walking dull and too easy to consider a good cardio workout.

• Where is your group physically located? I offer all of my sessions in two very large and very beautiful locations in Toronto: High Park (west end of the city) and Mount Pleasant Cemetery (east end of the city).

• Share links to articles you have written, etc.: 
  • www.barbgormley.contently.com
  • http://www.barbgormley.com/new-blog-pg-grid

• Why should beginning Nordic walkers seek out professional coaching? I tell people that Nordic walking isn’t extremely difficult to learn, but there’s a lot of nuance. Chances of getting it right by watching YouTube videos or reading online are very slim. There is lots of online misinformation. Many people think they are Nordic walking, but they’re just hiking…so trying to learn by watching others (online or in real life) often isn’t a good approach.

• How have Nordic walkers managed their meetups during this pandemic? My classes were put on hold for about 12 months…then I started up and shut down twice, all due to Covid-19 restrictions. I had a very successful fall 2021 session, and I’m hoping my winter 2022 session will start and operate without interruption.

• What advice do you have for Nordic walkers who would like to start a local Nordic walking group with friends and neighbors? Become a certified/qualified Nordic walking instructor to be sure that you’re developing excellent Nordic walking students with excellent knowledge, confidence and skills.

• What are some memorable outcomes people have experienced as a result of Nordic walking? It’s not an exaggeration to say that Nordic walking changes lives; I’ve had many emails over the years that have used this exact phrase. People also have the most wonderful comments after classes when the feel-good exercise hormones are surging through their bodies. A couple favourites: “I haven’t had a workout this good in 30 years!” “Your classes are the sunshine of our COVID life!” (There are other Testimonials on my website.)

• Any last thoughts or advice for Nordic walkers? If you’re interested in learning to Nordic walk, find a qualified instructor. Don’t worry about the brand or style of poles. He or she will recommend poles and then teach you all you need to know. This is the best and most efficient way to learn the correct technique, even if you have to travel out of town to get to the instructor. The instructor is more important than the poles.