Sloping off in peak condition

0 Comments | Mail on Sunday (London, England), The, March 7, 2010

Byline: Robert Mayes

‘Do you know where your feet are?’ Bryan Madden asks me. I look at him. So he asks even more politely: ‘Then why are you still looking at them?’ He has a point. I’m supposed to be looking where I’m going, but I’m in an unfamiliar situation, riding a snowboard on a tilted, moving carpet in the Ski Centre in a south Dublin industrial estate.

‘Loosen up – like a monkey,’ he tells me. ‘And stop beating yourself up. Even the most experienced skiers and snowboarders struggle at first.’ Thankfully, Bryan’s reserves of patience are endless as I battle to master my technique on the giant treadmill, which measures 10 metres long by five metres wide, and reaches speeds of up to 65km/h, though I suspect I stayed in the upper teens.

Weaning me off the padded safety rail is a painfully slow process, but eventually, if only for a moment, I’m off and free-riding down the mountain.

I visited the Ski Centre this week to prepare for short skiing trip and brush up on my fitness and technique, so I could hit the slopes running, so to speak.

An instructor monitors each person on the ski-slope simulator, giving one-on-one tuition and quickly correcting lazy technique.

At the end of my hour, I’m soaked in perspiration and rediscovering muscles I’d forgotten I had.

It’s excellent aerobic exercise, and indeed, the centre is keen to emphasise that it’s open all year round for anyone bored of the usual gym treadmill.

The centre also has a specialised ski gym, with machines tailored to skiing, and is run by Ian and Jane McGarry, whose daughters Kirsten and Tamsen have both been Olympic skiiers.

As for me, all I have to do is relax like a monkey. Now that shouldn’t be too hard.

Four adult classes cost [euro]208
brisbane treadmills