Yar, I feel fine with my bout of pole use. I did a fair bit of cross country skiing in my youth. Cut more than my share of hiking sticks and paddled a time or two as well. Like you say, you don't need to think too hard.
The video you posted does an excellent job of showing how to use the straps, it is disturbing how often you see folks with poles using them incorrectly.
@1:30 she makes a fine point- "Before we learn to Nordic Walk, first we must learn to walk"
@2:00 things start to fall apart.
Nordic walking, even delivered with the proper Scandinavian accent, is not trail walking. She states several times that it's purpose is to use 90% or more of your muscle groups to mimic the excellent exercise of Nordic skiing. It is a fitness technique. Much like we all agree that the Ankle and Wrist weight craze of the 80's was a great way to work out. In hiking though we all agree that wearing heavy boots and wrist weights (heavy poles) is not really a great way to travel all day for days on end. Great idea when you have 30-60 mins a day three days a week though!
You must also remember the motion of cross country skiing, wherein you are making an effort to push the front foot out prior to weighting it and thrust with the poles to transfer into a gliding motion. With no glide though it's pretty bad form. Cross country skies also have a camber built into them that takes up some of the downward force off our knees when over-striding this way. It is a difficult motion, only made efficient when the skis which inspire the technique are under foot.
I tried to post photos but it's not working right, but the pdf has some examples comparing the two to show it better.walking.pdf
Also, for every story you hear about how "poles saved my life" you hear two stories about how poles got tangled up in that dragging motion and nearly dislocated a hikers shoulder or flipped them onto their back. Poles are not exactly graceful at all times either. You may catch me wind milling my arms or even on the ground, but you can say the same of any hiker on the AT, poles or not.
Finally-
I tried poles to see if they would make me faster.
They did not, they made me slower, more fatigued, and a bad walker. Even with "proper" form.
At some point I may find them to be of benefit, likely when my natural ability starts to give way to age or joint issues.
Until that time comes though I have found poles to be much less efficient and more importantly, they spoiled my walk.
It isn't that I care what anyone does, or feel the need to push my choice. All I care about is that you make the right choice for you and that you have the best experience you can have. The goofy looking fella in the pdf above comes from a group of folks who like to say, "When you can run on the earth, and with the earth, you can run forever" I personally feel, because it is so little discussed or talked about, that few get the chance to walk in balance, to flow.
A bit like saying Vanilla is my favorite ice cream because I never got to try Chocolate. Both are good flavors, there is no best- but you have to try them both to know for sure which you prefer. I honestly don't care which you prefer, and personally I try every "strawberry" flavor that pops up too, just in case I prefer that. Be curious!