UK ski courses: Get your 'ski specific' muscles working before winter

Don't wait for winter to get back on your skis. The Warren Smith Academy is holding numerous day courses at real-snow centres up and down the UK this autumn, so you can find your groove before winter starts.

Hitting an indoor slope before winter means that you can work on areas of your ski technique in preparation for the season, including moguls, steeps and freerides. That way you don't lose a day at the beginning of your ski holiday trying to find your rhythm. Indoor snow centres are also generally quieter during the summer and autumn months, giving you more space to let loose on the slopes.

Warren Smith says, "Skiing in summer keeps the ‘ski specific’ muscles working . . . like with golf and tennis the longer you leave your skiing the more your technique can digress."

Warren Smith's Autumn ski courses in the UK

Where: The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead; SNO!zone, Castleford; Chill Factore, Manchester; SnowDome, Tamworth 

When: September and October

What: The group courses are designed to build skill and confidence while tackling all terrains including moguls, steeps, variables, powder and how to carve effectively on piste. During the group courses each skier is also looked at from an individual point of view.

Skiers hit the slopes on each of the full-day sessions from 10 a.m until 4 p.m with a lunch or coffee break halfway through the day. It’s a good idea to arrive at the centers at approximately 9.30 a.m. This way you can have time to pick up your lift pass from the Snow Centre and also have time to get changed and have a few warm-up runs.

Price: £129 per session (includes full day tuition fee, lift pass and equipment hire).

Ski level: Skier ability levels range from basic intermediate skiers wishing to get off of the typical intermediate plateau and gain confidence to skiers taking their instructors exams and performance training for competition (alpine racing or freeride).

Warren Smith is one of Britain’s leading professional freeskiers and an Internationally Certified Performance Coach and Ski Instructor. He has spent many years teaching recreational skiers, developing ski instructors and coaching racers all over Europe.