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As a middle-aged woman, the need to embrace resistance and strength training is not lost on me. Well-intentioned friends give advice almost on a daily basis, colleagues wax lyrical hieroxAnd the increasing number of workouts that have plagued my social feeds. While scrolling through the seemingly endless stream of plank and Pilates wall challenges, I noticed Pvolve – Mainly, I have to admit, because its leading lady is none other than Jennifer Aniston,
Pvolve promises “transformative whole-body toning” and if Jen, 56, is anything to go by it’s worth a try. A devotee for years, she loved the concept so much that she “just had to join the company”, and is now the brand’s spokeswoman and ambassador.
Pavlov’s early followers were in their twenties and thirties and included models such as Victoria’s Secret models. However, according to chief training officer Antonietta Vicario, Pavlov’s demographics have now “grown older”.
“Jane definitely brought more people around her age to us, but the low-impact nature of what we do really appeals to women in their forties and fifties. It’s the chicken and the egg.” She says.
A Study The University of Exeter Medical School, funded by Pvolve, is also boosting the brand’s popularity among women 40+. It found that the training method could improve many common physical problems affecting women menopause And it’s actually more effective than the 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week recommended by the government.
What is Pvolve?
Pvolve stands for “Personal Development” and promises ultimate functional fitness. It combines low-impact movements that originate from physiotherapy with resistance band equipment to sculpt, strengthen and restore the body without high-impact exercise.
Brand founder Rachel Katzman tried almost every fitness fad in New York City to lose weight. A punishing training regimen was making her scoliosis worse, causing increasing pain in her back and hips. Then she discovered functional fitness classes, where the focus was less on pushing her body to its limits and more on exercises that mimic normal movements. Bending, twisting, lifting and loading worked wonders for Katzman – her musculoskeletal pain went away and her body looked the way she wanted.
He began filming some of his workouts and soon opened his first Pavlov studio in New York. There are now over sixty studios open or in development across the United States and Canada. I’m told the UK is also on their wish list.
moving through menopause
Like many Pavlové devotees, I’m in the perimenopausal age group, so the results of a recent study from the Uni of Exeter forced me to sit up and listen. In my quest to understand how much I should trust the study, I talked not only to the team at Pevolve, but also to several experts who shed light on what happens to the body as we age and how exercise can affect common symptoms.
I’ve read frightening statistics, for example that muscle mass and strength decline by between three and seven percent by our late thirties, contributing to the worrying increase in osteoporosis and sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) in menopausal women.
Dr. John Toledano, Founder London Hormone Clinic reported that, “Although things like fitness, genetics, nutrition and alcohol consumption influence bone loss, hormones are the main players. Estrogen is the most important hormone for bone integrity and its decline in menopause means there is less bone formation and more bone loss. And, since estrogen supports the joints and soft tissues, we find more arthritis and joint inflammation. The decline of testosterone also contributes to bone loss and the decline of muscle mass. Makes construction and maintenance difficult.”
Toledano continues to say hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can stop and reverse all this. But before we get to that point, we can also help ourselves by making sure we eat well and get enough vitamin D, as well as doing weight-bearing exercise that stimulates bone growth. She adds, “The key is to be aware of all this in advance and work to prevent it rather than waiting for it to happen.”
health coach Jodi Montlake Agree. She explains that, “We don’t want to be thinking about the risk of falls and fractures, and even death from them, in our thirties and forties. These things probably aren’t on our radar, but we should consider them. The sooner we start building strength, dealing with muscle loss and working on balance and coordination, the better off we will be, especially if we want to live longer and stay stronger. Moving correctly and staying active puts the power back in our hands. And it means we can take control of our future.”
Since traveling to the states to visit the Pvolve studio wasn’t in the cards for me, I became one of Pvolve’s international streamers. By doing this you can access the workouts from anywhere in the world, and if you’re in the UK like me you can get access to all of the brand’s patented resistance equipment. online stockist,
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First impressions of Pvolve
Upon opening my freshly delivered Pvolve parcel, I realized that the product was designed with a certain audience in mind. The branding is simple yet stylish and the monotone packaging is classy yet contemporary. I photographed a crowd of lycra-clad New Yorkers working in a white industrial unit overlooking the city skyline that was a world away from my cold living room.
I opted for the brand’s Signature Bundle; A smooth black precision mat that is divided into squares and has dots and numbers printed on it, along with a P-band and a P-ball. The band offers a pair of gloves, which are attached to a lanyard like a baby one – it’s less about keeping the gloves together and more about providing resistance while pulling them apart. And the ball? It also has a resistance band wrapped around it, which initially seemed too tight to go over anything except my wrists (it’s supposed to be worn around the ankles and thighs).
After a little trouble logging on, which was resolved quickly, I started my program. Lead trainers Dani Coleman and Maeve McEwan introduced me to my bundle of tools and the Pavolve method, then we started working on Strengthening and sculpture – building mobility, stability and strength. This program is obviously Pvolve’s “bread and butter”, combining functional fitness with its specially designed resistance equipment. From here you move on to progressive weight training and, if you wish, sculpting and burning. I decided to stick with strength and sculpting in the beginning.
I’m a cardio lover at heart, I’m happiest when spinning, swimming, and generally getting sweaty. In lockdown, I became obsessed with yoga and did my fair share of barre, pilates And conditioning classes. But to be completely honest, I can find these workouts repetitive and even meditative, which wears me out after a while. Pvolve is a little different, and it should be. Its approach promises diversity and I’m told “no two classes will ever be alike”. The different equipment combinations, moves and sequences challenge both my body and mind. It feels like two workouts in one, which keeps me focused and engaged.
The second immediate difference I’ve noticed is the specific foot position and frequent hip rotation and mobility exercises – movements I’ve never intentionally put on my body before. However, Chief Training Officer Vicario told me that I do this every day when I tie shoelaces, pick things up from the floor or get in and out of the car. Not that I realized it, these are movements for and for life live long – This is what sets Pvolve apart. Basically, if I want to be able to do my shopping, do laundry, and stay active and mobile when I’m in my eighties, I need to start working on it right now.
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Pvolve Tools
The precision mat certainly helps with this, and as I progressed through the classes, I started to understand what the pattern of lines, numbers and dots drawn on it was for. I sometimes worry that my condition is not always what it should be and I can definitely personally see the benefit of doing Pvolve. But the quality of the instructors – they are all highly experienced and accredited – and their clear instructions make it a good choice for now.
Along with mats, P-Bands and P-Balls make frequent appearances in my classes and are exceptionally easy and comfortable to use. I may have been a little surprised to realize I had to wear the aforementioned P-ball between my thighs, but it was surprisingly easy to put on and it stayed in place – no chasing it around the room in comedy fashion as I’ve done many times before in Pilates.
In fact, I’m so impressed with the quality of the devices that I’m eager to buy more; foam rollerSkew boards and gliders catch my attention, as well as their premium price. The Signature bundle I am using costs £290.49 and the bundle with all the extra features will cost you £799.99.
Pvolve schedule
My suggested schedule consists of 12 classes over a three-week period. Even for a busy working mom, who often gets frustrated with workouts being pushed to the bottom of my priority list, this seems possible. The sessions are relatively short, lasting about thirty minutes on average, and since I don’t have to leave the house to do them, there are no excuses.
Full of enthusiasm, I did the first two workouts back to back and although I was worried I would be stiff as a board the next day, I wasn’t. In fact, I felt no pain at all and what’s more, I didn’t feel as tired as I might after a long swim or spin classHowever, the intensity of the sessions increased and I soon discovered that one session a day was enough – I definitely felt the burn,
as if there was little cardio So involved, I thought I would miss my heartbeat, but I still found it beating. Engaging muscle groups in new ways energized me and, even though I only did a fraction of the hundreds of workouts available to me, I never once felt bored. I’m amazed at the variety of exercises I can get with just three simple pieces of equipment and my own body weight, and I’m eager to learn more.
Decision
The women behind Pvolve say that what sets it apart from other fitness regimes is its science-based and science-backed approach, and I have to say that’s true. The precision of the movements, and knowing why I’m doing them, felt more gratifying than many workouts I’d done in the past, and I enjoyed the challenge of moving in ways I hadn’t before.
I have not yet seen the definition and toning that this method promises, although I am hopeful that it will come. I feel stronger and more coordinated when working out and in general. So would I recommend it? Well, the fact that I will continue my program is a resounding endorsement. And, while the device isn’t cheap, it seems to be built to last.
What’s more, and beyond all the marketing and promotion, it feels like I’m investing in my future. If keeping osteoporosis and muscle deterioration at bay is a tangible outcome, then I think it’s worth it and so am I.
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