The Pvolve workout pairs resistance bands with numbered mats that help with proper form and hand/foot placement. Workouts can be modified to make them easier or more challenging.
Imagine a full-body workout that builds muscle, elevates heart rate, speeds up metabolism, increases stability and helps reduce pain with long-lasting results. The Pvolve method consists of functional movement and targeted resistance instruction. It’s a combination of strength training, physical therapy, barre and yoga, with elements of low-impact cardio that gets your heart rate up without doing jumping jacks or burpees. “It takes all the best parts of each of those workouts and combines them into one,” says Darien studio owner Christine Friedman Partouche. “I never feel depleted after a class, I always feel energized. It’s a sneaky-hard workout that I always feel the next day.”
Pvolve officially found its first Connecticut-based home in the Heights Crossing complex this fall. The sparkling clean and airy studio offers numerous classes seven days a week. The Pvolve method draws from 13 different types of equipment, including light weights, balls, a variety of resistance bands and more, keeping every workout unique. The 50-minute classes are conducted in a room where each client has their own numbered mat to assist with proper form, and hand and foot placement. Instructors lead students through various exercise sequences, and every movement comes with options to modify, making the workouts easier or more challenging. “This way of training your body and the focus on health, wellness and longevity is a way of future-proofing your life,” says Partouche.
The workout program draws from 13 different types of equipment, including light weights and balls, in addition to the resistance bands.
A New Chapter in Fitness
Starting out with a career in finance and then moving into fashion, Partouche says she now refers to her work experience as “the four F’s,” after adding fitness franchise owner to her resume. Partouche, an Old Greenwich resident, started taking Pvolve classes online two and a half years ago, after years of triathlon training had left her with back, shoulder and hamstring pain. Physical therapy wasn’t working, so she went in search of an alternative solution. “Pvolve was different than anything I’d ever done before,” Partouche says. “I felt tighter, more toned, less puffy and inflamed. I could see a big difference. I didn’t have aches and pains anymore.”
Opening Doors in Darien
Partouche became passionate about the positive impact Pvolve had made on her life and started thinking about opening her own studio. After reaching out about a possible franchise, Partouche says she loved the “warm, collaborative, inclusive feel” of the company, in addition to a workout that just made sense to her.
Pvolve’s method is structured to fit every body type, age group and fitness level. Beyond the typical health benefits of exercising, Partouche says the Pvolve method can help manage common challenges like frozen shoulder or hormonal weight gain. The focus on balance and stability also helps to lower a client’s risk of injuries due to slips and falls. Partouche recommends taking classes at least two to three times a week to see results.
A-List Endorsement
In 2021, after struggling to recover from a back injury, actress Jennifer Aniston started streaming Pvolve classes. She was so happy with the results that she reached out to founder Rachel Katzman about partnering with the Pvolve team. “Our minds used to think, we have to hurt—no pain, no gain. With this, you can start gentle,” Aniston has said. “My girlfriend transformed her entire body, and it just had such a beautiful snowball effect in so many positive areas of her life.”
To learn more about the Pvolve method or to book a class at the new Darien location, visit pvolve.com.
Pvolve
326 Heights Road, Darien
(203) 487-8649
app.pvolve.com/locations/darien
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