My Favorite At-Home Workout for Building Lean Muscle: P.volve Review

Disclaimer – always talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine, especially if you’re pregnant, new to exercise, or have any existing injuries or medical conditions ♥

If you follow me on Instagram and watch my Instagram stories, you probably know how much I love P.volve. Ever since I heard the P.volve founder, Stephen Pasterino, on the TSC Him & Her Podcast a couple of years ago, I’ve been in LOVE with this workout.

The P.volve approach incorporates physical therapy and “prehab” techniques that focus on functional movements that build strength and stability, all with low-impact exercises. The workouts are also designed to build long lean muscles, without adding bulk. The P.volve founder even trains Victoria’s Secret Angels (if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me that’s for sure).

In the past year and half of incorporating P.volve workouts, I‘ve noticed such a difference, not in just in how my body looks, but how it FEELS. My body feels more open, strong, and I have less low back pain when I’m doing P.volve consistently. 

WHY I LOVE IT

• IT FEELS GOOD.  Because P.volve is based on physical therapy and “pre-hab” techniques, the workouts are really good for you from a functional perspective. While all workouts have benefits, extreme movements like those you might see in a cross-fit gym come with their own set of risks, and don’t really prepare you for living your life (unless you’re flipping tires on the reg in your everyday life). P.volve’s functional approach means you’re working out in the way you live your life – standing, stretching, reaching, etc. and work on helping you improve everyday movement by stabilizing and strengthening your core, hips, and glutes. As someone with a previous lower back injury, P.volve exercises have been a godsend.
• IT GETS RESULTS. I’m a naturally petite person, but I put on muscle in my legs VERY easily. This means if I’m doing traditional exercises that people think of for glutes (squats, lunges, etc.), I end gaining more muscle on my thighs than my butt (where I really want it). While’s there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, I personally feel happier and more comfortable in my body with less bulk on my legs, which is what P.volve is made for! The “P-sit” which is the way of engaging your glutes during each exercise allows you to build strength in your glutes, not just your thighs.
• IT’S CONVENIENT. Hellooo working out in PJs while watching Netflix. It kind of doesn’t get better than that right? While I love a group fitness class, I don’t always have time, and being able to squeeze in 40 minutes during the day is THE BEST. It’s also a great travel workout since you can just stream it from your laptop.
• IT’S AFFORDABLE. A streaming subscription to P.volve is only $19.99/month if you pay monthly (which if you live in a major city like me, can be the cost of a SINGLE studio workout class) and only $7.99/month if you pay annually! Even if I only get to one P.volve workout a week, it’s worth it for me.

ALL ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT 

Since P.volve is available for online classes (unless you’re in NYC!), you’ll need some basic equipment to get you started, and some P.Volve-specific equipment to really take it to the next level.

I started with the following:
All of these are great to have around the house, and can be incorporated into all different types of at-home workouts

• 2-pound hand weights
• 1.5-pound ankle weights
• 1 light resistance band
• Gliders

And then upgraded to add these:

• P.Ball – This ball goes between your thighs and allows you to engage muscles in your inner thighs and butt you probably never knew you had. The burn is REAL – in the best way.
• P3 Trainer – This piece of equipment is SO unique and versatile. With a strap around the ankle and either a handle or weighted ball in your hand, you’re able to take resistance training to the next level in a way that’s all about lengthening and spans your entire body. I’ve been using this for a few weeks now and it has been kicking my ass and I’m loving it

OVERALL VERDICT

P.volve DEFINITELY gets the Elyse Wellness stamp of approval. And because it’s so low-impact it’s accessible to almost anyone, no matter where you are in your fitness journey. I find a get the best results when I’m combining P.volve workouts some cardio (I love hip hop dance classes and try to walk at least 30 minutes a day).

PS – P.volve offers a free 7-day streaming trial to see if it’s a good fit before committing! Highly recommend! 

Please note this post uses affiliate links. This means that I may earn a small commission for purchases made using these links (at no additional cost to you). All products shared on Elyse Wellness are products I genuinely use, love, and recommend. I will never share or recommend a product I haven’t personally used and loved.♥