inwa newsletter - nordic walking€¦ · 2013 inwa communication calendar newsletter - deadline to...

INWA Newsletter 8-2013

International Nordic Walking

Federation (INWA)

E-mail:

[email protected]

INWA PORTAL:

www.inwa-nordicwalking.com

Find us on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/nordic

walking

Registration:

Jollaksentie 27 A

FIN-00850 Helsinki

Finland

Secretary - Office:

P.O.Box 484

Silverdale

Auckland 0943

New Zealand

”Every step counts”

Welcome to the world of

Nordic Walking

WHAT IS INSIDE

INWA Announcement 2

INWA Communication Committee 5

INWA Nordic Walking Day 9

INWA International Convention 10

You Must Be Really Blind …. 10

China - Great Wall - Nordic Walking 11

Nordic Walking popularity in Finland 11 Exercise and Pregnancy 12

Partners of INWA:

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.inwa-nordicwalking.com/

http://www.facebook.com/nordicwalking



http://twitter.com/nordicwalkinwa

International Nordic Walking Federation Health, Exercise, Sport & Education for All


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IINNWWAA BBOOAARRDD MMEEEETTSS TTOO DDEEVVEELLOOPP 33 YYEEAARR PPLLAANN!! By Paul Stevenson

On the 7th December, the new INWA Board was formally welcomed to

Wroclaw in Poland for the start of their strategic planning meeting. They

were welcomed by Professor Dr Andrzej Rokita from the University

School of Physical Education (photo). He pointed out how important the

work of INWA was in helping people to remain fit and active. So many

people, particularly in Western countries, were, he said, suffering from

the lack of physical activity. His University was keen to work with

organisations, such as INWA, that were addressing this issue.

As part of the planning meeting, the Board affirmed the vision and values for INWA. They discussed the

impact of the Global Financial Crisis on a number of members and expressed the desire to “deliver more

to members for less.” This would continue to be a challenge given the difficulty in securing major

sponsors.

The Board then elected the various office holders. Aki Karhitala was re-elected President with particular

responsibilities for relationship management, marketing and sponsors. Greg Zurek was elected as Vice

President and Paul Stevenson was appointed as Board Secretary.

Each Board member was then nominated and elected to chair one of the Committees. The results were:

Greg Zurek - Education Committee

Gosia Borzeszkowska – Events Committee

Hans Wrang – Membership Committee

Haim Ashkenazi – Scientific Committee

Stefano Ben – Communications Committee

Paul Stevenson – Finance Committee



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Greg Zurek - Education Committee; Gosia Borzeszkowska - Events Committee; Hans Wrang - Membership Committee; Aki Karhitala - President; Haim Ashkenazi - Scientific Committee; Stefano Ben - Communications Committee and Paul

Stevenson - Finance Committee

The Board then spent the next two days developing the strategies for each Committee until 2015. The

chair of each Committee was then required to put together their Committee and finalise the action

plans to achieve each of the strategic objectives. More detail on the strategies will be given in future

newsletters.

The Event Committee is a new committee. Gosia, as Chair, is responsible for organising the Convention

as well as events and competitions that will promote and highlight Nordic Walking. Some of these

events will be run as pilots this northern summer.

Greg and Gosia were excellent hosts giving the Board an introduction to the history of Poland and

Wroclaw in particular. Haim, from Israel and Hans and Paul, arriving from a Southern Hemisphere

summer were intrigued with the snow and low temperatures. It gave the early-morning walks through

snow, with the river icing up an extra “challenge.”

The new Board would like to thank the previous Board for their hard work and for providing a

foundation on which INWA can grow.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151264098572767&set=at.474712392766.260153.314142902766.100001015537612&type=1&relevant_count=4



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IIINNNWWWAAA CCCOOOMMMMMMUUUNNNIIICCCAAATTTIIIOOONNN CCCOOOMMMMMMIIITTTTTTEEEEEE By Daniela Coelho

Do you use LinkedIn? Now INWA has a page so you can also follow us there! Just search for International Nordic Walking Federation on https://www.linkedin.com

222000111333 IIINNNWWWAAA WWWIIILLLLLL RRREEELLLEEEAAASSSEEE 666 NNNEEEWWWSSSLLLEEETTTTTTEEERRRSSS,,, BBBEEE PPPAAARRRTTT OOOFFF IIITTT!!! Do you have information about a breaking news event and want to promote it? Please send

any Nordic Walking news or fitness and health news press releases to communication@inwa-

nordicwalking.com.

Would you prefer to reach out to us via Twitter or Facebook? Just access and let us know!

If you have questions or suggestions for our other networks, you also can send to

[email protected]

2013 INWA Communication Calendar

Newsletter - deadline to send news and articles

March - 10/03

May - 10/05

July - 10/07

September - 10/09

November - 10/11

And also ENews Nordic Walking Day and Convention, every month via Social Media, website

and email database

https://www.linkedin.com/






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WWWIIITTTHHH YYYOOOUUURRR CCCUUUSSSTTTOOOMMMEEERRR Sending the right message will help you capitalize on social media and build your business.

The growing prevalence of social media is having a tremendous influence on how we get our

news, the way we communicate and on our behavior as consumers. It is definitly an importnat

growing marketing tool.

Want to know more? Have a look on the following article!

HOW CAN SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACT MY BUSINESS?

Social Media sites such as blogs and social networks allow people to form connections with

other users and brands and share content such as messages, news, video and photos. Sites

such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have experienced unprecedented growth over the last

few years and are some of the most talked about destinations on the web.

Social media offers an opportunity to connect and interact with your customers, promote your

brand and drive traffic to your website.

Getting involved in social media can also create a more human face to your business and be

fun at the same time.

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES?

Whilst many online services now have a social element, the five most important social

media sites for businesses are:

Facebook. Social network available in 70 languages with over 800 million members

worldwide, and more than 425 million monthly active users logging in with mobile smartphones.

Twitter. Micro blogging site where users post frequent 60 character messages with over 1 billion

tweets sent a week.

Youtube. Video sharing site owned by Google, with 8 million unique visitors each month and

100 million people taking a social action (likes, shares, comments etc) every week.

Linkedin. Business focussed networking site with over 8 million members in the UK, and 2

million companies profiles worldwide.

Google+. Social network launched in 2011, attracting 25 million members in its first month!

WHAT IS A BLOG?

Alongside using the above services to help promote your business, it is possible to add a social

dimension to your own site by adding a blog. A blog consists of a chronologically ordered list of



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entries (referred to as blog posts) where readers can add comments. These comments are

important as they change a post from a simple article into a discussion. Blogs are great for

adding interesting, original and frequently updated content to a site, which will be loved by both

readers and search engines!

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS

Form closer relationships with customers

Using social media is a great way to make your business seem friendlier and to form

closer relationships with your customers. By engaging in social media, your company can

interact directly with customers and by creating interesting and useful content you can

position yourself as an expert in your field.

Drive website traffic and encourage recommendations

It's quick and easy to set up a company profile on the major social media sites and then

start publishing your own content. If your content is interesting, other users will share it

with their friends, which will generate interest in your business and clickthroughs to your

site. Such personal recommendations are a highly effective way to promote a business

and using social media has the potential to massively expand your reach.

On Facebook, for example, companies can set up their own 'page'. Other users can 'Like'

the page itself and any posts on it. The things that they 'Like' will then appear on their

own profile for their friends to see. In this way, interesting content will be naturally

distributed and generate interest in your business.

Blogging on your site is also a great way of driving traffic. Blog posts tend to be unique

and the interactive nature of blogs means that they tend to attract incoming links. These

two factors cause blog posts to frequently appear in search engine results, generating

natural search traffic.

Get instant customer feedback

Social media is not just a way to talk to your customers, but also a great way to listen. By

monitoring what people are saying about you on Twitter, blogs and other social networking sites

and talking to customers directly, you can get real time feedback on what customers are

thinking about your products and services. Lots of free tools exist for monitoring and listening on

the social web, including Google Alerts.

Broadcast articles, news and offers

Social media sites allow companies to share news and ideas and distribute promotions. Here

are some ideas for what you could write about:

'How to' articles and videos: Demonstrate your knowledge of your products and provide

useful information that other users will want to share.

Competitions: Competitions generate lots of excitement and are fun to do.

Company news: Publish interesting news and developments about your company.



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You might, for example, post news about awards won or even a picture of a team fundraising

event to give a feel for the people behind your brand.

Product launches and reviews: Keep your customers up to date with your latest products and

make product recommendations.

Special offers: Everyone loves a bargain so share frequent special offers exclusively with your

social media connections.

Be careful though, as obvious sales pitches do not go down well on social media sites! Also,

remember that a conversation is a two-way thing and it is very important to join in by reply to

comments as well as direct messages. Engaging with your audiences will be the key to a

successful social media approach.

Social Advertising

Facebook Ads enable businesses to advertise to Facebook users based on their profile

information. These adverts are charged on a cost per click basis and require a minimal initial

spend. Start small and experiment with different adverts and target audiences to get the best

results. Remember, the more targeted and relevant you can make your social ads; the more

likely they are to provide a positive return.

Connect and interact with your customers today with these simple tips to getting started with

social media.

Source: How can social media impact my business | PayPal for Business | https://www.paypal-

business.co.uk

If your Association has any kind of social media page/address, please send

details to us. INWA can help you to promote your organisation and spread

Nordic Walking in your area.







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By Daniela Coelho

EEEVVVEEERRRYYYWWWHHHEEERRREEE,,, EEEVVVEEERRRYYYBBBOOODDDYYY!!! LLLEEETTT’’’SSS NNNOOORRRDDDIIICCC WWWAAALLLKKK!!! Great events have been organised in the past years. The World Nordic Walking Day has been

growing and it has become an important opportunity to promote Nordic Walking around the

world!

By promoting an event together, everyone gets stronger, feels part of something bigger. So why

not participate? You can organise a simple walk with your friends and clients, or by yourselves,

with your dog or organise a massive walk event. Every initiative is an amazing initiative!

Tell us what your will do? Inwa will help promote your event and you can use the Nordic walking

day logo and be part of the Photo competition and Challenges.

Want some ideas?

Walk in the park

In the city

Pub/cafe Nordic Walking Challenge

5k, 10k, 21k, 42k etc

Walk on the beach

Walk on the moon

Walk on the mountains

Get together with your areas instructors, invite your clients and celebrate!

Want to travel? There are really nice walking events happening, why not join? You can go to

Italy, Spain, Wales, England, Japan, Poland, New Zealand, Israel, and much more.

Be part of our day!



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NNoorrddiicc WWaallkkiinngg IInntteerrnnaattiioonnaall CCoonnvveennttiioonn 22001133!! By Daniela Coelho

The 2013 Convention will be held in Poland for the second time: the Polish Nordic Walking

Federations and INWA aim to do a fantastic and unforgettable convention.

The organisation is finalising some aspects of the event and soon INWA will confirm the date

and city. The provisional date is the 3rd – 6th October 2013.

Do you have any suggestion for the Convention? About the Programme? The Social activities?

Why not let us know? Send us an email and help us to make an amazing event.

YYoouu MMuusstt BBee RReeaallllyy BBlliinndd ………… By Paul Stevenson

Recently, Helen, a regular Nordic walker in New Zealand had an

interesting encounter. She was a few minutes late for her regular

Nordic walking group that leaves Downtown Auckland at 6.00am

every Thursday morning. She knew where the group was going so

headed off to catch up with them.

She stopped at an intersection to wait for the “Cross Now” signal.

She was approached by a young man who had obviously been attending an all-night Christmas

celebration and was quite drunk.

He said, ”Good morning, lady, would you like me to help you across the road?”

Helen thanked him for his offer but said that she could manage all right by herself.

As they stood waiting for the signal he turned to her and said, “Gee lady, you must be really

blind. You need TWO sticks!!!”




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Regards from the INWA China Nordic Walkers from the Great Wall

By Sam Xiao and Aki Karihtala

The popularity of Nordic Walking in Finland! By Aki Karihtala

Finnish Latu ja Polku-magazine published a report in December on the popularity of different

sports in Finland. The study covered 2146 people of which 54% were members of Suomen Latu

(one of the largest associations in Finland focusing on outdoor sports). 83 % were between 26

and 65 years old. 61% were women and 39% men. Some statistics:

From the participants of the study 86% walk, 73% ride bicycles, 68% ski cross country, 65% hike

and 46% nordic walk.

- 53 % of the female participants of the questionnaire Nordic Walk, 36 % of the men.

- 64 % own a pair of Nordic Walking poles.

- 57 % of the Nordic Walkers do it throughout the year

- 80 % of the Nordic Walkers ski cross country during the winter

In short, Nordic Walking is still going strong in Finland.



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Did you know that 150 minutes of walking each week has loads of benefits for pregnant

mums?

This bump is made for walking – staying active during pregnancy

By NHS UK

Did you know that 150 minutes of walking each week has loads of

benefits for pregnant mums? And it doesn’t even have to be in one go!

A healthier baby

Being active during pregnancy means you're likely maintain a healthier weight and be able to

cope better with the physical demands of pregnancy and labour. It also reduces the risk of

miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects and diabetes.

It can also prevent gestational diabetes, which makes your baby grow too big in pregnancy, and

can lead to a delivery complications and low blood sugar,. Being active can also prevent you

from getting high blood pressure, which can result in a stillbirth.

And a healthier you

And for you, 150 minutes of walking a week makes it easier to get back to your normal weight

after your baby is born. It can also:

Give you more energy, help you sleep better, and reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and

depression. So even if you’re feeling shattered, it’s a great reason to try to get some

walking in.

Make you stronger, so you can carry the weight of your growing baby.

Prepare your body for the physical challenge of labour. This can help to make labour

quicker and reduces the risk of complications.

Help to lessen the risk of depression after your baby is born.



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Top tips – easy ways to build 150 minutes of walking into your routine

It’s easy, when you know how! Just use your two feet whenever you can:

Walk to work, a friend’s house or the shops

If you already have kids, walk them to school

Get off the bus one stop early

Park the car further away than you need

Take the long way

Use the stairs, not the lift

If you work in an office, deliver messages in person rather than over the phone/ email

Talk and walk with a friend

Walk the dog – or someone else’s!

And if you fancy a change from walking, why not try:

Swimming

Aquanatal classes

Yoga

Dance classes

Source: http://www.nhs.uk/start4life/Pages/walking-activity-during-pregnancy.aspx

Instructors, do you have pregnant clients in your Nordic walking class? Why

not share your experience with us!

http://www.nhs.uk/start4life/Pages/walking-activity-during-pregnancy.aspx



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Feelmax launches new shoe for Nordic Walking 31.Jan.2013

Feelmax - a company from Finland specializing in Barefoot shoes - launches new shoe suitable for

Nordic Walking in cold and extreme conditions.

The new model, called VASKO, features a ultrathin 2,8mm. outsole to provide all the benefits of

barefoot walking, while providing protection.There is a waterrepellent, breathable upper to give

protection against rain and mud, and some extra isolation against cold. The shoe has been tested in

conditions between -20°C and +15°C, with very satisfactory results. The VASKO is currently the

only Barefoot model on the market suitable for winter.

Due to the flexible design, the shoe is extremely comfortable. The last is wide, to allow the toes to

spread naturally.

The Vasko is also very light, less than 200g. The Vasko is available in EUR sizes 37-46.

More information:

www.feelmax.com

[email protected]


http://www.feelmax.com/


http://www.inwa-nordicwalking.com/



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