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Ski school offering dryland training for instructors

A human body has 639 different muscles, give or take, and after the first day on the slopes, it always feels like each and every one of them has seized up.

A human body has 639 different muscles, give or take, and after the first day on the slopes, it always feels like each and every one of them has seized up.

The Whistler-Blackcomb Ski and Snowboard School is easing its instructors back into the sport by offering free dryland training sessions to run, jump and stretch.

"Our objective for offering a free pre-season training program is not only to prevent injuries, but we also want to motivate our staff by having them see managers and supervisors in a relaxed atmosphere," says Otto Kamstra, general manager of the ski school, and the first instructor to promote dry land training back in 1989. "Overall it’s a lot of fun and I feel you can get to know a co-worker better in one hour of sports than a whole year of work."

Sessions include a warm-up and stretch, some jumping, sprinting and balancing drills, and some all-important abdominal work. A session typically wraps up with a friendly soccer match.

Richard Potter, who manages the school’s multi-day Ski Esprit program, is running the dryland program on Tuesdays and Thursdays, rain or shine.

The sessions are light, but will increase in intensity as the season approaches.

Potter expects the number of participants to increase from about 15 a session to around 45 in the coming weeks.

If you’re a Whistler-Blackcomb instructor and want to get in condition for the season, join Potter at Spruce Grove at 4:30 p.m. – at least until the snow starts flying.

For more information, contact Richard Potter at rpotter@intrawest.com.