AS FOR any sport, snowboarding requires a good base level of cardiovascular fitness, according to Jenny Joliffe, group fitness manager for Cannons City, who is presenting an off-piste workout at the FitPro convention in Loughborough next month. For beginners, this means doing a minimum of 20 minutes’ continuous aerobic work, such as running, cycling or swimming, three times a week at an intensity of 65 to 75 per cent of your maximum heart-rate.

This sort of training should begin at least eight weeks before any snowboarding holiday and the intensity level of the workouts should be increased gradually.

EXERCISE: Single-leg dead-lift with side raise. Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding a pair of dumbbells with your arms fully extended by your sides. Tip forward from your hips while slightly bending your knees, keeping your back straight and your abdominal muscles clenched. Your dumbbells should

slide down your outer thighs to your knees. Return to your start position, then bend your elbows slightly and raise your arms out to the side up to shoulder height before returning to the start position. Perform 8 to 12 repetitions, then try doing it while balancing on one leg at a time.

Stretch: Hamstring. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat, slightly away from your buttocks. Hug one knee into your chest and, while holding your thigh still and keeping your back flat on the floor, straighten the knee until you feel a stretch on the back of your thigh. Hold for 30 seconds, then release and repeat on the other leg.

• Exercises provided by Jenny Joliffe, Cannons Health Club group exercise co-ordinator. To find your nearest club, phone 0870-780 8182, or see www.cannons.co.uk

  Talk to your GP before embarking on a new exercise regime and do not undertake any activity if you are unwell or injured

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