I tried Jennifer Aniston’s favorite workout class—here’s my honest opinion

I didn’t pay a lot of attention to functional fitness until I turned 30.

I thought my breezy approach to exercise would help me stay limber and strong, but then the big 3-0 hit and I suddenly noticed a decline in my mobility, balance and coordination.

Couple this with a few twinges in my joints and I realized that I needed to adjust my workouts if I wanted to feel better in my body.

I decided to prioritize functional fitness—exercise that reflects and supports everyday movements.

For me, this meant doing Pilates and bodyweight workouts at home, which encouraged me to mobilize my joints, strengthen my core and engage multiple muscles while moving in different planes.

One exercise platform that’s all about functional fitness is Pvolve. Jennifer Aniston is an ambassador and investor in the brand, which uses specialized equipment and Pilates-inspired moves to help you build muscle safely.

So, when the opportunity came up to attend a 50-minute one-off in-person Pvolve class in London, I jumped at the chance.

Here’s why I rate the Pvolve live class so highly, as someone who has been working on my own functional fitness for the past two years.

Pvolve live class review

Pvolve proves you don’t have to lift heavy to reap the rewards

Bodyweight exercises and small pulsing movements were the backbone of the Pvolve class, as well as squats, lunges, and planks featuring heavily. And there wasn’t a dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell in sight.

Instead, we used the brand’s signature P.band, which attaches to your hands and wrists, creating resistance across your arms, shoulders and back.

YouTube

Watch On

We also used the company’s ankle band, which added tension to the lower body, challenging the glutes, thighs, hips and core.

Adding these tools created extra resistance, helping me build practical strength without lifting heavy weights, which can be taxing on the joints.

It’s easy to adapt the moves

At the time of attending the Pvolve class, I was six months pregnant, which meant that the classic plank and crunches were off the table.

But the trainer was able to easily modify the program for my growing body. For example, instead of doing forearm planks, I could still fire up my core by doing knee planks.

It’s a great example of how simple it is to adapt functional strength training to your own body’s needs.

The Pvolve method also builds mobility and balance

The compound exercises in the class, combined with the resistance training tools, meant that my muscles got a good workout. I’m sure committing to these classes regularly would help most people build strength.

However, that isn’t the only benefit of the Pvolve classes.

During the class, we were tasked with moving across the three planes of motion: sagittal (forwards and backwards), frontal (side to side) and transverse (rotational).

Doing this not only tested my balance, but also helped enhance my mobility and put my joints through a wider range of motion.

Final thoughts

Pvolve is a great method for building strength and mobility, either at home or in one of the studios in LA, NYC or Chicago.

The classes are brilliant at challenging your strength while testing your balance and mobility, helping you build a robust body that can withstand the rigors of everyday life.

The only drawback is that the home equipment is pricey—it costs just under $200 to get the cheapest bundle.

However, you could try the app-only option, which costs $24.99 per month. Pvolve also offers a money-back guarantee for up to 30 days on equipment bundles.

You can also get 10% off site-wide at the moment, which makes it a little cheaper!