Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Reply from Tom Rutlin
.
I want to both support David’s call for the creation of an open and independent international Nordic walking organization as well as his courage in promoting this discussion. I believe David is correct that the future of Nordic walking world-wide would be much better served if there were to be a NW organization whose mission was primarily to serve the growing community of Nordic walking enthusiasts.
I have been promoting the health and fitness benefits of fitness walking with poles here in the US since 1988. Although Exel and INWA have taken the position that what I have been doing in the US for nearly seventeen years (actually I’ve been personally fitness walking with my specially designed poles for over 20 years now) is not Nordic walking, what I have been doing all these years exactly fits the very definition of Nordic walking they offer on the official INWA website.
David has also had the courage and integrity to acknowledge my role in the development of Nordic walking in his account of its history as contained on his website. To learn more about my mission and work in this area since 1988 visit:
http://www.nordicwalking.us
In July of 2003, I traveled to Munich, Germany to attend ISPO and attempt to join INWA and create a cooperative relationship with other Nordic walking pole manufacturers aimed at promoting greater participation in NW and in furthering the evolution of the activity and associated gear in an open, unprejudiced atmosphere (Read more about my attempt to join INWA at:
http://walking.about.com/cs/poles/a/polepr0703_2.htm
Officials of Exel found my naiveté amusing and informed me that INWA was not an open association. They were not hesitant to reveal to me that they intended to tightly control INWA and by doing so set standards for equipment design and technique instruction that suited their marketing goals.
I told them at the time, that it was my belief that no organization, no matter how powerful, would, in the long run, be able to dictate the course of evolution of pole design and NW technique, nor would any organization be able to dictate a course for the overall evolution of NW movement.
While at ISPO, I was able to learn NW the INWA way from master instructor Anke Faller and a group of others, as well as introduce them to my Exerstride method NW equipment and techniques. To learn more about the rare open exchange that occurred there visit:
http://walking.about.com/cs/poles/a/polesrutlin.htm.
Some time later when I learned that a large number of INWA instructors had fractured from INWA and formed the International Nordic Fitness Organization (INFO) it was with similar optimism that I attempted to contact INFO on numerous occasions and join them in their efforts to "reform" the Nordic walking movement and serve the Nordic walking community.
Alas, INFO proved to be no more interested in working cooperatively, and as far as I can tell INFO has not yet created any lasting positive effect on the NW movement.
Recently I have corresponded with David and many others in the growing world-wide Nordic walking community regarding my hope that there would one day be an open and independent international Nordic walking organization (How about INWO or ANWE [association of Nordic walking enthusiasts where WE is the final word?) whose only goal is to serve the NW community and promote without prejudice or commercial or political agenda the future evolution of NW.
I believe the entire community would be much better served if Exel were to opt to make INWA a truly open and independent organization, but I have very serious doubts that true "independence" and "open-ness" is possible within INWA.
It will take a dedicated group of NW advocates coming together with a common and non-commercial, non-political agenda to bring about the formation of an organization of the kind David, I and many others would like to see.
It will likely take not only a core group of dedicated members of the NW community, but also the support of those in the NW industry. Such an organization could eventually be largely supported and allowed to maintain true independence and a true mission to serve the NW community by a small annual membership fee paid by its millions of members.
I have been on a personal mission for many years to promote this kind of physical activity and continue to be very interested in joining forces with other members of the Nordic walking community who will pledge to pursue an unprejudiced and service-minded path toward the creation of a new organization to truly serve the Nordic walking movement and community.
If INWA opens itself to all those interested in promoting and furthering the evolution of Nordic walking and pledges to undertake new policies designed to serve the Nordic walking community, I will be among the first to join. If another organization must be created to accomplish the goals David, I and others have dream of I will pledge to support that movement in any and every way I am able.
Just let me know where and when the 1st international independent Nordic walking conference is to be held, and I’ll make every effort to be there and to lend my whole-hearted support to creating a NW organization with a mission to truly serve and unite the Nordic walking community.
Tom Rutlin
Exerstrider Fitness
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
I want to both support David’s call for the creation of an open and independent international Nordic walking organization as well as his courage in promoting this discussion. I believe David is correct that the future of Nordic walking world-wide would be much better served if there were to be a NW organization whose mission was primarily to serve the growing community of Nordic walking enthusiasts.
I have been promoting the health and fitness benefits of fitness walking with poles here in the US since 1988. Although Exel and INWA have taken the position that what I have been doing in the US for nearly seventeen years (actually I’ve been personally fitness walking with my specially designed poles for over 20 years now) is not Nordic walking, what I have been doing all these years exactly fits the very definition of Nordic walking they offer on the official INWA website.
David has also had the courage and integrity to acknowledge my role in the development of Nordic walking in his account of its history as contained on his website. To learn more about my mission and work in this area since 1988 visit:
http://www.nordicwalking.us
In July of 2003, I traveled to Munich, Germany to attend ISPO and attempt to join INWA and create a cooperative relationship with other Nordic walking pole manufacturers aimed at promoting greater participation in NW and in furthering the evolution of the activity and associated gear in an open, unprejudiced atmosphere (Read more about my attempt to join INWA at:
http://walking.about.com/cs/poles/a/polepr0703_2.htm
Officials of Exel found my naiveté amusing and informed me that INWA was not an open association. They were not hesitant to reveal to me that they intended to tightly control INWA and by doing so set standards for equipment design and technique instruction that suited their marketing goals.
I told them at the time, that it was my belief that no organization, no matter how powerful, would, in the long run, be able to dictate the course of evolution of pole design and NW technique, nor would any organization be able to dictate a course for the overall evolution of NW movement.
While at ISPO, I was able to learn NW the INWA way from master instructor Anke Faller and a group of others, as well as introduce them to my Exerstride method NW equipment and techniques. To learn more about the rare open exchange that occurred there visit:
http://walking.about.com/cs/poles/a/polesrutlin.htm.
Some time later when I learned that a large number of INWA instructors had fractured from INWA and formed the International Nordic Fitness Organization (INFO) it was with similar optimism that I attempted to contact INFO on numerous occasions and join them in their efforts to "reform" the Nordic walking movement and serve the Nordic walking community.
Alas, INFO proved to be no more interested in working cooperatively, and as far as I can tell INFO has not yet created any lasting positive effect on the NW movement.
Recently I have corresponded with David and many others in the growing world-wide Nordic walking community regarding my hope that there would one day be an open and independent international Nordic walking organization (How about INWO or ANWE [association of Nordic walking enthusiasts where WE is the final word?) whose only goal is to serve the NW community and promote without prejudice or commercial or political agenda the future evolution of NW.
I believe the entire community would be much better served if Exel were to opt to make INWA a truly open and independent organization, but I have very serious doubts that true "independence" and "open-ness" is possible within INWA.
It will take a dedicated group of NW advocates coming together with a common and non-commercial, non-political agenda to bring about the formation of an organization of the kind David, I and many others would like to see.
It will likely take not only a core group of dedicated members of the NW community, but also the support of those in the NW industry. Such an organization could eventually be largely supported and allowed to maintain true independence and a true mission to serve the NW community by a small annual membership fee paid by its millions of members.
I have been on a personal mission for many years to promote this kind of physical activity and continue to be very interested in joining forces with other members of the Nordic walking community who will pledge to pursue an unprejudiced and service-minded path toward the creation of a new organization to truly serve the Nordic walking movement and community.
If INWA opens itself to all those interested in promoting and furthering the evolution of Nordic walking and pledges to undertake new policies designed to serve the Nordic walking community, I will be among the first to join. If another organization must be created to accomplish the goals David, I and others have dream of I will pledge to support that movement in any and every way I am able.
Just let me know where and when the 1st international independent Nordic walking conference is to be held, and I’ll make every effort to be there and to lend my whole-hearted support to creating a NW organization with a mission to truly serve and unite the Nordic walking community.
Tom Rutlin
Exerstrider Fitness
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
# posted by Only Me @ 5:51 PM 
