Hiking and trekking poles are designed to give you extra confidence and stability, whether hiking rugged mountain trails or needing stability on sidewalks and park paths.
Poles can help relieve stress on your joints while going uphill or downhill, especially beneficial if you have osteoarthritis or are overweight. People with Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis can also benefit from improved stability when walking with trekking poles.
Learn how to use trekking poles, using proper arm and leg motion and adjusting them for going up and downhill. Walking with poles will have you feeling more confident walking and hiking.
Getty Images / Peathegee Inc.
Why Use Trekking Poles
The chief benefit of trekking poles is to provide extra stability, while Nordic walking poles use a technique that burns more calories and provides an upper body workout.
Trekking pole technique is not meant to add more exertion or calorie burn, making it suitable for long walks and hikes or when you need better balance and stability.
The best walking sticks and trekking poles reduce strain on your joints, increase balance, and decrease muscle activity, which helps you hike for longer with less muscular fatigue. Paired with insoles for hiking, they can also help you walk longer with more comfort and less pain.
How to Use Trekking Poles
Learning how to use trekking poles is fairly simple. Start with the grip, relaxing your hold on the pole so it can rotate back and forth between your thumb and forefinger. The handgrips are usually angled to assist with their use.
Keep your grip relaxed for minimal effort to flick the pole forward with each step. Hold it between your thumb and forefinger without using the other fingers to get used to the proper grip. That's all you'll need. You can close the other fingers loosely.
A tight grip on the pole isn't necessary and can tire your hands and wrists. You will naturally tighten your grasp if you feel yourself slipping or need a point of stability while walking.
Use Proper Arm Motion
Keep your elbows close to your sides as you walk and use the trekking poles. With each step, flick the opposite side's pole forward. This is a small upward motion of the forearm or a slight wrist flick. If you have a loose grip, it will cause the pole to pivot forward correctly.
The opposite arm/leg motion is essential. If you bring the same arm and leg forward, your gait will sway. Walk naturally, dragging the poles behind you with a gait. Now you can bring the trekking poles up enough so the tips touch the ground with each step.
There is no need to plant the tip into the ground. Your arms can move forward and backward naturally with no forced or exaggerated arm motion. Adjust the length of the poles so you maintain an angled elbow as your poles contact the ground.
Plant the Pole
For stability, the tip of the pole will plant lightly. It simply touches the ground before you flick it forward again with the next step. If you want to add a definite action and get upper body work, you can bear down on the trekking pole.
This can add a bit of thrust when going uphill or a braking action while downhill. When using a plant/push technique, apply pressure back and down.
When to Double Pole
Place both trekking poles in front of you uphill, downhill, or negotiating curbs or stairs.
Use the swing and drop technique, flicking both poles forward with an easy motion, then walking one to four steps ahead. Swing the poles forward again at the point you think you can use their stability.
If you feel confident and want to pick up the pace, you can relax your arms and put a little shoulder action into each poling movement with the tip of the pole planting slightly behind your body. This is similar to the Nordic walking technique. Planting the pole with each step when it is behind your body gives extra propulsion.
How to Use Poles on Hills
When you go downhill, loosen the straps or remove your hands so they don't get too tight with the increased angle. Lengthen the poles by 5 to 10 centimeters and rather than plant the poles parallel with your body, plant them slightly ahead to give a bit of a braking action.
Pick your way down with small steps, keeping your knees soft. Keep the poles ahead of your body. For steep hills with wide paths, zigzag across the trail with three or more steps to create small switchbacks.
You may want to shorten your poles for going uphill. Keep the poles close to your body and don't plant them ahead of you. You want to give yourself a little push up the hill, not a pull.
How to Use Trekking Poles on Stairs
For stability going down stairs, place both poles on the next lower step and then step down. Plant, step, plant, step. Don't let your poles get behind you.
For stability going up stairs, you will be pushing yourself up rather than pulling. Plant both poles next to your feet, step up, bring the poles up to meet your feet. Push, step, push, step.
A backpack is ideal if you need to carry more than your essentials while using trekking poles to keep the load out of the way of your arm movement. For hiking, choose a daypack or backpack with enough carrying capacity, especially for water and layers of clothing.
How to Adjust Your Trekking Poles
When you are using poles for stability, you should be able to hold them with your elbow at 90 degrees when the tip is on the ground next to your foot. This gives you the best leverage for the times when you need to bear down on the poles for stability.
When to Adjust Your Trekking Poles
Adjustable-length poles have markings in centimeters. You may want to shorten your poles by 5 to 10 centimeters when going uphill or lengthen them by the same amount going downhill. Sometimes you will be on a slanted trail for long enough that you may want to shorten one pole and lengthen the other.
Most adjustable poles work for people who are 5 to 6 feet tall. If you are shorter, poles designed for kids may fit you well. If you are taller, look for poles for the higher height range. Fixed-length poles can be suitable if you mostly walk on level ground.
How to Make Adjustments
Get acquainted with how to adjust the length of your trekking poles. Stand with your elbows bent at 90 degrees and adjust the length so the grip fits into your hands at that level. If you often have to lift the poles over rocks or grass, shorten the poles.
If you have 3-section poles, set the top section at the midway point and adjust the bottom section to the correct length for walking on the level. Now, you can only adjust the top section when you need to change the size.
If your trekking poles have a strap, bring your hand up through the strap and then grip the pole. This results in the strap being over the back of your hand (and not twisted), with your thumb over the strap.
Adjust the strap length, so the pole is secure in this position. Some poles have straps labeled left and right for your convenience. By using the strap in this way, you'll be able to release your grip on the pole for a brief time without it falling to the ground.
Trekking Poles vs. Nordic Walking Poles
The two trekking poles have key differences and are meant for different purposes.
Straps and Gloves
Trekking poles may or may not have a strap. If they do, it is to prevent them from slipping out of your hands. Nordic walking poles always have a strap or demi-glove that keeps the poles in your hands and allows you to release them from your grip on the backstroke and have them snap back into your hand.
If the straps on your trekking poles irritate your hands, you may want to wear bike gloves, which are reinforced between the thumb and forefinger.
Grips
Trekking pole grips are usually larger and anatomically designed. Nordic walking pole grips are slimmer and minimal in design.
Materials and Adjustability
Both trekking poles and Nordic walking poles are adjustable. Both are usually aluminum, but some higher-end designs are made with carbon fiber or other materials.
Tips and Baskets
Both poles usually have a carbide tip suitable for biting into ice and soft trails, a rubber paw to use on asphalt or pavement, snow baskets, and sand/dirt baskets to keep the tips from sinking deep into soft surfaces. To use the poles on the pavement, remove the baskets and use the rubber paw over the carbide tip.
While you can use Nordic walking poles for stability if you prefer their grips, you can't use trekking poles for the Nordic walking technique.
A Word From Verywell
Trekking poles can help you walk on a variety of terrain with confidence. They are a standard hiking accessory for anyone who needs more balance and stability. To use trekking poles when you have a condition that affects balance, discuss them with your doctor or physical therapist. Get out and explore all of the beautiful places there are to enjoy.
