Leki Poles Course

Kong Running - Leki Poles Course

Master the art of using your poles efficiently in The Lake District fells. Get the poles bug, and learn to love your new skill and those hills!

This workshop is ideal if you are a speedy fell walker, entering ultra distance events and anything in between..

HIKING HIGHS meets KONG RUNNING for A Leki Poles Workshop

Date: Sunday 17th March 2024
Time: 10:00 - 14:30
Location: Kong Running, Keswick (Leki poles available to buy after course)
Equipment: Leki demo poles will be provided to use and test
Kit List: See Below
Course Cost: £55

Our coach will teach you how to:

Increase uphill speed by â…“ with correct posture and pole plant
Use 90% of your muscles, by using upper body equally as hard as lower body
Strengthen lower back and core muscles - use these correctly and the rest of the body will just work alongside them with your poles
Lift pelvic floor, essential for everyone, this is where the power for our shoulder/arm strength originates in the body
Alleviate pressure on knees/hips/ankles on the descents
Additional balance techniques/protection for speedy descents
Manage your poles over technical and rough ground, to give confidence, allowing constant speeds where otherwise one may be hesitate
Have excellent ‘pole etiquette’ around other walkers and runners, no one likes poles flying everywhere at gates/stiles or when not being used
Understand when to use your poles, which will be different for everyone, depending on your goals
AND most of all have fun in the fells with 4 legs!
Please note that this session is all about technique and not about the hike or run, you can head off to practice after your course. The course will entail a 10km-15km hike/jog, dependent on participants and weather on the day.

Workshop Plan:

2 Hours basic techniques - begin with fundamentals of efficient use of poles, and how this changes the way your body moves once it becomes a quadruped (2 legs / 2 poles!).
2 Hour hike/jog will follow moving onto hill techniques for both uphill and downhill and over technical ground with ease.
We will have fun with our poles, even learning to skip for strength and fitness too.

Our Leki Poles Coach - Nicky Merrett

Nicky Merrett founder of "Hiking Highs" and formerly "Nics Nordic Walks" in 2015. She has taught over 1000 hikers and runners to move efficiently with Leki poles in the Lake District Mountains, and she prides herself on clients achieving a great technique by the end of a session. Nicky also delivers guided hikes and is a navigation coach, sharing these tools inspires folk in the Lake District Mountains to share her passion for exploring and pushing boundaries whatever their age or fitness level.
Nicky has worked alongside Leki since the beginning of her outdoor career in 2015, and partners up with Leki for national outdoor events and also races, to demonstrate techniques and advise on which poles and which length is right for their customers.
Living at the foot of Helvellyn, Nicky has the Helvellyn Massif as her playground all year round. Using poles in the fells and also teaching their magic is Nicky's passion.

KIT LIST REQUIRED for all participants in activities with HIKING HIGHS guides/instructors:

Rucksack/running vest for your kit for the day, lunch, and spare kit
Boots or trail shoes/approach shoes with good trail grip
Walking Socks, or Waterproof socks if weather not in our favour
Waterproof top with hood - taped seams essential, so fully waterproof
Waterproof bottoms with taped seams, so fully waterproof
(waterproofs essential even on dry day, as these are your emergency layer)
Spare midlayer/jacket for emergency that you don't intend to wear for the walk
Hat
Gloves, or waterproof gloves if due to be wet
Lunch & snacks that are easily accessible in your pack
Cold drink