Not everyone wants to join a gym. Plenty of people know they should be building strength and simply have no interest in walking into a room full of equipment and other people. If that is you, the poles you walk with can do the job instead.
Resistance in both directions
A BungyPump pole has a 20 cm elastic bungee built into the shaft. Walking with them, you press down against that bungee with every stride, which is where the upper-body work comes from. But the same bungee turns each pole into a piece of resistance equipment when you are standing still. Press down on it, squeeze it inwards, hold it under tension — the resistance is there whichever way you load it.
That is the part most people miss. The poles are not only for walking. They are a portable set of resistance exercises that happen to also be walking poles, and the whole thing fits behind a door.
Seven strength exercises
These need no equipment beyond the poles and no floor space to speak of. Ten minutes at the end of a walk is enough to start.
Wing Press. Arms out to the sides so your body makes a T, palms on top of each pole. Press both down using only your arms. Triceps, shoulders and upper back.
Arched Back. Feet shoulder-width, upper body hinged forward, poles out in front with arms straight. Press both poles down using the arms alone. Lats and rear shoulders.
Chest Press. Hold one pole across your chest with both hands, arms slightly bent. Squeeze the pole inwards against the bungee, then release. Chest and inner arms.
Arm Toning. One pole held overhead, arms open at right angles. Press the pole together and release. Shoulders and triceps.
Back Bound. One pole held behind your lower back with both hands, shoulders down. Press the pole together. Opens the chest and works the rear shoulders.
Vertical Press. One pole behind your back held vertically, one hand high and one low. Press together, release, then swap hands. Shoulder mobility and rotator cuff.
Cross Leg. Poles in front, wider than shoulder width, palms on the handles. Bend one leg and rest the ankle on the opposite knee. Hold your balance, then swap.
Each one has a harder version: hold the press for five seconds instead of releasing straight away, or bend your knees while you press. Build up slowly.
Warm up and stretching
The booklet also covers ten warm-up and stretching movements using the poles — arm swings, neck and shoulder releases, upper body twists, a half-moon swing, hamstring and calf stretches. The poles give you something to balance against, which makes several of these considerably easier than they are unaided.
A six-week starting program
If you would rather be told what to do than work it out, the booklet includes a six-week program that starts at thirty-minute walks with no strength work at all and builds to walks with ten to twenty minutes of strength exercises and two rest days a week. Week one asks nothing of you but a daily walk.
The booklet was written by BungyPump in Sweden with registered physiotherapist Rovena Westberg. It predates the Walkathlon and Power models, so it refers only to the 4 kg and 6 kg poles — the exercises work the same on any model.
Which poles to start with
For strength work at home, resistance is the thing that matters. The 4 kg models are the sensible starting point for most people. The Walkathlon is worth the small extra because it locks rigid when you want a plain walking pole and unlocks for the exercises, and it comes with a free upgrade from 4 kg to 6 kg for when the pressing gets easy. If you are already strong and want more from the outset, the Energy is 6 kg and the Power is 10 kg.
Every pole is made in Sweden, adjusts from 100–145 cm depending on model, and carries a two-year warranty. Shipping is free anywhere in Australia and there is a seven-day satisfaction guarantee, so you can try the exercises and send them back if they are not for you.