Get fit skiing
How many people resolve to ‘get fit’ in the New Year’s and simply don’t follow it through simply because their new fitness regime is not much fun?
The answer is to try a sport that not only provides a good all-round work out – but that you’ll actually enjoy as well.
Pete Gillespie, Head of Snow Sports at The Snow Centre at Hemel Hempstead is quick to point out the physical benefits of skiing and snowboarding. ‘It’s a really good aerobic exercise that improves your circulation and raises your heartbeat. It’s fantastic for toning your legs and buttock muscles and really works your core muscle groups as you need to balance and steer down the slopes.’
Booking a series of ‘Adult Beginner’ lessons is the most affordable way to see if skiing or snowboarding helps meet your ‘get fit’ resolution – with the added bonus that it’s a great way to meet people of similar standard to yourself. The Snow Centre offers a series of four one and half hour group lessons that can be taken at flexible choice of times for just £169.
Pete continued, ‘We have adult beginner lessons in the afternoons and ladies sessions in the morning as well coaching for particular techniques and levels of expertise. It’s easy to choose a lesson package that suits you best and we’re happy to advise if you’re not sure. A lot of our classes include a drink and a snack afterwards in The Edge café – so it’s a very friendly and sociable way to improve your fitness levels!’
All coaching is carried out by qualified instructors. The Snow Centre is the UK’s only BASI (British Association of Snowsports Instructors) Centre of Excellence, offering both group and private lessons for adults and children. They also offer a one day course designed to improve your ski or snowboard skills to the point where you feel comfortable on the snow and can make controlled turns down the slope.
The Snow Centre has the closest real snow to the centre of London with an impressive 160m main slope combined with the UK’s largest indoor lesson slope, offering a year round sporting option that you can enjoy whatever the weather.
Just off the M25, it’s easily accessible by public transport and with good road links not just to towns on the M4 and M40 corridors but also to the South Coast and Kent.
For details, visit thesnowcentre.com.
