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Who

Leroy Hurt

Advanced Nordic Walking Instructor

Nordic Walking Guy

Meet Leroy Hurt

Leroy Hurt is Nordic Walking Guy. Check out his background and credentials. 

Dr. Leroy Hurt was most recently the Associate Dean for Community Engagement at The University of Alabama’s College of Continuing Studies. His responsibilities included the Bryant Conference Center, the Bryant Museum, Conference Services, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), the UA Gadsden Center, and Continuing Studies Registration Services.

Prior to joining The University of Alabama, he held management and consulting positions in Fortune 500 firms, state government, higher education, and the US military.

  • An officer in the US Army’s Signal Corps, Dr. Hurt was Assistant Chief of Staff/G6 (Chief Information Officer) for the I Corps at Fort Lewis, Washington.
  • He was also a manager and consultant at Sprint, Washington Mutual, and Booz Allen Hamilton as well as director of state IT policy and planning at the Washington Department of Information Services.

Nordic walking was a serendipitous discovery. Getting older and having to be more conscious about my glucose levels and other health numbers, I knew I needed something different from high-impact activities like running and indoor activities like gym machines. Running got me outdoors, which I enjoyed, and gym machines reduced impact on my joints, but what activity gave me both?

I found Nordic walking while searching the Internet for alternatives and tried it. I liked it so much I walk regularly to supplement my strength training. I found I could manage my glucose after meals quite effectively and still enjoy a fun outdoor activity. I was able to walk around the neighborhood and take advantage of our community’s parks. Walking along the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa is an energizing experience!

Leroy’s holistic approach to Nordic walking

Nordic Walking Guy's 3 rules

How Leroy coaches. Follow these rules to experience your best life here and now.

Walk with purpose!

Nordic walking is fun, but you need to walk with purpose to get the most out of the activity. It’s so fun, in fact, I tend to fall into daydreaming and letting my mind wander. There’s nothing wrong with that, but, if I’m not careful, my purposeful stride will turn into a leisurely stroll. My stride shortens, and my arm swing slows.

Be consistent!

You know what it’s like every January. The gym fills up in January, the refrigerator and pantry empty of junk food, and the library books stack up as we kick off our resolutions to exercise more, eat less, and get better about reading instead of watching TV and surfing the Internet. How’s that working out for everyone?

Everything counts, but count what matters!

Everything counts…

If you think you’re having a hard time learning the Nordic walking technique, take heart. Everything counts! That means you still get the benefits of the effort because you are actually out doing it. You’ve given yourself the gift of exercise, so just enjoy the journey. Every Nordic walker started where you started, learning the technique and getting synchronized. Mastery will come with practice, so keep at it!

Everything counts…

Everything also counts in ways you may not want. Those were the days. Multiple pizza slices followed by an ice cream sundae and washed down with a sugary soft drink. For most of us, that doesn’t work anymore, nor does it do great things for our bodies. Rather than give you a list of things you should and should not eat or get an argument started about different kinds of diets, I’ll just remind you that you already have the basic knowledge to improve your diet. Consider making it a social thing, sharing ideas with friends in forums like Facebook and exchanging information during meetups. You can do it!

…but count what matters!

There are different ways to track your progress in the different dimensions of your life. take advantage of them. You’ll be even more motivated as you start to see progress. However, don’t spend all your time tracking everything. Monitor the most important elements of your progress, including the health numbers your doctor watches. Nordic Walking Guy coaches and mentors individuals and groups to help them manage their progress in meaningful ways.

Background

Wellness knowledge

Aquired knowledge in these areas:

  • Certified Advanced Nordic Walking Instructor. American Nordic Walking Association (ANWA)
  • Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist (CCWS). Corporate Wellness and Health Association
  • SCW Fitness Education
    • Certified Active Aging Movement Coach
    • Certified Active Aging Nutrition Coach
    • Certified Group Fitness Instructor
    • Certified Yoga Instructor
    • Certified Aquatic Exercise Instructor
  • Certified PiYo Instructor. Beachbody Live

Education

  • Doctor of Transformational Leadership. Bakke Graduate University. Dallas, TX
  • Master of Science, Legal Studies. California University of Pennsylvania. California, PA
  • Master of Business Administration. Regis University. Denver, CO
  • Master of Arts, English. University of Washington. Seattle, WA
  • Bachelor of Science, Engineering Management. US Military Academy. West Point, NY

Professional certifications

  • Project Management Professional (PMP. Project Management Institute
  • Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT). ISACA

Don't wait any longer. Start your journey today!