HIT PEAK FITNESS WITH A NEW RUN

If your boring workout regime could do with a lift, at the Snow Centre in Hertfordshire, every day is legs day

Full disclosure: working out can be a drag. Endlessly swapping between Boosts and Metcons, sprints and squats – it’s monotonous for even the most dedicated among us. Finding an activity that scales the twin peaks of function and fun is an endurance event in itself. Which is why we suggest taking your training off-piste.

Prior to 2009, The Snow Centre was a dry ski slope – Hemel Hempstead has a skiing heritage, believe it or not. But that certainly doesn’t mean it’s outmoded. “We’re one of six snow facilities in Britain,” says Pete Gillespie, head of snow sports. “But as the newest we have an edge because we use all the latest chillers and snow guns to create the best conditions.” Yes, it’s real snow. “Water is pumped out at high pressure into a cold environment, where it crystallises to create snow flakes,” explains Gillespie. These are conditions to match Val d’isere – minus the bill for your après-ski refreshment.

It’ll elevate your fitness, too. Because the slope is only 160m long, you can’t meander for miles looking suave. The emphasis is on drills involving tight turns or skiing on one leg.

“Balancing on one leg is an isometric hold to increase lower-body strength, while the instability also shifts emphasis to your core,” says Gillespie. That’s a strong set of quads for when you swap the salopettes for shorts, plus a six-pack. Accuracy here is paramount. Much like the time-under-tension that builds strength during a slow squat rep, a controlled descent accelerates muscle development.

If you’re new to skiing, worry not. The team is equipped to take you from black diamond in the rough to indomitable snowman, with a rolling roster of 100 instructors, some of whom are qualified to elite Level 4. And so, if yet another session at the squat rack has you running for the hills, head for Hertfordshire. It will put your gym-based boredom on ice.