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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.

Perhaps you’ve noticed APOGEE’s offer for 20%-off three private Pilates sessions* and wondered how one-on-one instruction would help you. We asked Lesly Levy, APOGEE’s new director of Pilates and Pilates programming, how private Pilates sessions benefit students who are currently in mat classes. “Private sessions help students connect to the method in a deeper way than in a class situation,” says Levy.

Levy, a senior-level teacher trainer for Power Pilates, says that working one-on-one with a certified instructor will allow you to build a proper foundation with no chance of error or misinterpretation of the instructor’s cues.  “Because Pilates trains the body through interpretation of the mind, for safe and effective advancement it is crucial that the student perform the method correctly,” says Levy.  “During a private session, the teacher will closely monitor your understanding and ability to internalize the important, often subtle, cues that transform the exercises into an experience, a practice.”

Each student brings unique physical strengths and weaknesses to the studio, says Levy. During a private session, the instructor will also assess your personal needs and use all of Joseph Pilates’ apparatus, including the mat and Tower, to help you progress. “Working with springs and against the pull of gravity in a number of different ways will deepen the effect of the method and allow for transformation of the body,” she says.

*Offer expires Oct. 31, 2009. New private Pilates training clients only. One-time use. Some restrictions apply. Sessions must be activated by 12/31/09 and completed within 30 days of activation.