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“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
-Marianne Williamson

We’ve spoken about motivation in the past as well as the benefits of consistency when it comes to exercise and health. That’s why we’re happy to announce the success of our APOGEE Challenge.

If you’re not familiar with our challenge, it’s a competition where one member will win a Whole Foods gift card. Participants must complete 28 days of exercise within one month in order to be eligible. Not an easy task by any means – But that hasn’t stopped these motivated members from kickn’ butt and rocking steady! In no particular order, here are our challenge participants all of whom are still in the running to win:

But, if we had to guess, we’d say they were motivated by something more than just a gift card (although it doesn’t hurt!).  So keep up the motivation, guys! Every challenge becomes a stepping stone once we overcome it.

And, for those of you who need proof that consistency pays off, here’s a wonderful letter we received from a member, Allison who want’s everyone to know just how much Pilates has improved her already stellar tennis game.

“As a recreational and competitive tennis player, I am always looking for ways to improve my game. I started taking group tower classes at Apogee Pilates studio in White Plains. I started with a once weekly class. I quickly saw improvement in my core strength on the court and in daily activities. My posture improved and I realized that I needed more. I now do a minimum of two private sessions per week. The outcome is tremendous. I am capable of so much more on the tennis court with increased speed, endurance and accuracy. I also believe that Pilates has helped strengthen me and has saved me from injury. I highly recommend a commitment to pure Pilates for competition in any sport and for longevity.”

Allison McCarthy

White Plains, NY

So, just to be clear, we want there to be tons of names to choose from for this month’s winner and we want even more names next month. Great job, everybody!

It’s our birthday month! That’s right – not just one day, but a whole month. And to celebrate, we’re going to be giving out prizes and free gifts along with some helpful information and fun facts about who we are and the community that surrounds us.

So, what better place to get started than the very beginning? We’ve put together this list of 5 interesting facts about the Classical Pilates method and its creator. We bet even some of you seasoned vets didn’t know all of these!

1. Joseph Pilates, a German national, developed his techniques rehabilitating bed-ridden patients during World War I while in an English internment camp. His students reported fewer injuries and illness than any of the other camps.

2. It’s a myth that PILATES is an acronym for “Proximal Integrating Latent Agile Toning Exercise”. The name comes from the styles creator, Joseph Pilates who changed his name from the original Pilatus.

3. Joe Pilates brought his new exercise to America in 1926, introducing the routine to ballerina, dance and athletic schools.

4. Contrary to common belief, Pilates will not make you taller but it does improve posture which allows you to display your full height and stature.

5. Pilates was originally termed, “The Art of Contrology”

There you have it – 5 fun facts. You learn something new every day. Be sure to keep an eye out for our next set of facts and some giveaways to come soon.

Oh, and do us a favor – Give us a Happy Birthday wish by liking our Facebook page on or before 4/7/11 and following us on Twitter. OK? Thanks!

How did you fare after the big snow of December 2010?  If you’re feeling sore and achy after shoveling, sledding or just wading through drifts, use that sensation as a wake-up call says Jane Nielsen, general manager at APOGEE Bedford Hills.  “You might not be as strong as you thought you were—maybe it’s time to change your workout,” she says.

She’s there to help: Jane and the staff at APOGEE Bedford Hills are offering free 15-minute private stretching sessions to all APOGEE members. They’ll help you safely and gently stretch aching muscles to ease soreness. Then, you should address your weaknesses so you’re ready for the next big storm.

Where you’re aching is a key to the kind of training your body needs, says Jane.

Sore lower back? Basic Pilates moves on the Reformer will strengthen your Powerhouse, the core and back muscles that you probably strained while lifting and throwing the snow.

Sore legs? Lunges and squats will build strength in the quads and hamstrings to make pushing and lifting even the biggest shovel easier.

Sore shoulders? Try shoulder press and rows to strengthen your back and arms so you can throw snow with ease.

Huffing and puffing? If you’re out of breath, you need cardiovascular fitness. Try an intense interval training class or use one of the new treadmills, increasing the incline to challenge yourself.

Call  now (914-244-1606)  to schedule your free 15-minute stretch at APOGEE Bedford Hills—the staff is offering the sessions from now through 9:00pm Wednesday, January 5. Or, consider private training at APOGEE Bedford Hills or APOGEE White Plains.

Alyssa Dorazio has invested a lot of time in fitness: She played soccer and lacrosse all through high school and has kept up an exercise routine ever since. When she started working and wanted to boost her fitness, Alyssa hired a personal trainer at a local gym. The Westchester native dutifully spent hours being trained but felt like her investment wasn’t paying off: There was really no change in her body.

Then, two years ago Alyssa joined APOGEE White Plains, started doing Pilates and found out what was missing: Intensity, focus, and core strength.  “Pilates has made me strong and lean,” says Alyssa. “The trainers here really understand how to train a woman’s body.”

In September, Alyssa tried the new TRX class and found a whole new way to challenge her body.  In TRX class, Alyssa puts her hands or feet through ropes attached to the walls: She must use her core to stabilize her body as the instructor directs the class to do squats, modified push-ups or other moves. “Instead of weights, you’re pushing or pulling your own body weight,” she says. The ropes are unstable; it takes strength and control to keep aligned. “It’s really hard!” says Alyssa. As with Pilates, there’s no boredom or rut, the instructor is always switching activities and effort. “You might do ab work then jumping jacks,” says Alyssa. “Your heart rate is always elevated.” These intense intervals deliver huge fitness benefits in very little time.

An added benefit is the mental workout that Pilates and TRX provide, says Alyssa. “During Pilates and TRX you have to be focused on what you are doing; you really understand what you are doing for your body,” she says. Such awareness has helped Alyssa clean up her diet, knowing what she eats will affect how her body works. “I feel so much better eating lots of fruits and vegetables and fish,” she says.

Alyssa realized just how fit she is when she was hiking outside of San Diego recently. The hike was straight up a mountain trail for one hour. “The guys on the trip were saying, ‘How do you make it look so easy?’” she says. “I realized how strong I am and that I know how to use my core.” For Alyssa, that’s a change worth the investment.

Find a TRX class in White Plains or Bedford Hills.

The last thing Angela Simpson needs when she works out is noise and chaos. “I live with chaos, “ she says. “I have three boys, ages 8, 9 and 10.” So when Angela dropped her membership at a national gym chain because of the loud music and crowds, a friend told her to try Pilates classes instead, and Angela found APOGEE White Plains.

“It’s calm and friendly,” she says of the APOGEE studio on Mamaroneck Avenue. “And I’m getting a complete workout—toning, cardio and strength with weights.”  In early July, Angela took her first Pilates mat classes and private Pilates training sessions.  A former gymnast, she found herself calling on core muscles in ways she never had before. “Now my stomach is flat, and I also have curves at my waist,” she says.

When  APOGEE introduced Functional Integrative Training (F.I.T.),  Angela signed up for IndoRow and Kettlebells, eager to add intense strength and cardio to her routine.  And has she ever! “In IndoRow, Lesly Levy takes me places I’d never go on my own,” she says.  Lesly synchronizes the class, so everyone is rowing at the same pace, then repeatedly takes the group to peaks of intensity, alternating with short periods of recovery. “I always think I’m not going to make it,” Angela says. “But I do!”

In her weekly Kettlebells class, Angela challenges her body in a different way.  “It’s really works  my backside,  especially my butt,” she says. Lunging and squatting while keeping a 5- or 10-pound kettlebell weight in motion is a challenge that builds total-body strength.  “I’d never even seen a Kettlebells class,” Angela says, “but after five minutes I said, ‘This is amazing!’”

“I’m getting a complete workout every week,” says Angela. She’s doing Pilates twice a week, usually one mat and one Tower or Reformer class, and one IndoRow and Kettlebells class, for a totally of four weekly visits.

As much as her body is challenged, Angela has found that time at APOGEE also creates a mindful awareness that benefits her outside the studio. “I go in all stressed, but come out feeling calm and refreshed—that is something I didn’t expect,” she says. She now has tools that help her in her daily life. For example, a Pilates teacher  pointed out that Angela holds tension in her shoulders and tends to take shallow breaths. “Now I am aware,” says Angela, “I’ll be in the car and notice that my shoulders are up around my ears. Or if I’m at home in a stressful situation, I can ask myself, ‘Am I breathing?’ and remember to take a breath.”

“I feel better in mind, body and spirit,” Angela says. “APOGEE is my own personal oasis.”

Find a Pilates or APOGEE F.I.T. class in White Plains.
Find a Pilates or  APOGEE F.I.T. class in Bedford Hills.