After years of working out for aesthetic reasons, Paige A., 24, was introduced to Pvolve and experienced a transformational shift in her exercise mindset.
I’m not one to sit still. Physically and mentally, I’m extremely restless. As a kid growing up in Florida, I rode horses competitively, danced for school, and was involved in other activities that got me outside. And during my college years in Nashville, you could often find me working out at the gym with my roommate.
After graduating, I relocated to New York City for work. The move took some adjustment. Because I don’t have a car, I wasn’t able to get out of the city to find ways to get active and sweat away stress. I felt extremely isolated, and thought that maybe I wasn’t cut out to live in New York. Then I stumbled upon Pvolve on the ClassPass app—and it changed everything.
Making new moves
My first class was at Pvolve’s Soho studio with Mel. The room was packed and full of energy, but when I heard Mel toss out Pvolve terminology (“internal rotation,” external rotation,” “stagger”), I thought I’d never be able to follow along. I was accustomed to taking classes where instructors called out moves without much explanation, forcing me to look around and attempt to mirror other people in order to keep up.
Pvolve was nothing like that. Mel took the time to walk around the class, correct form in an encouraging way, and offer tips on how to get more out of a move. I wouldn’t say that I perfected my internal and external rotations that day, but I started to get the hang of the method! At the end of my first week, I knew I had to get a membership.
Discovering my core
I became a regular at the Soho studio, and quickly learned that I had been going about strength training the wrong way. Before Pvolve, I relied mostly on my legs and arms to power my workouts, and I thought that by wearing out the muscles I used the most, I could build strength and stamina.
Pvolve taught me that strengthening my whole body allows me to use every muscle more effectively—and all of that starts by tapping into my core muscles. Now when I go to lift something heavy, for example, I make sure that the motion originates from my core. When my mind and core work together, I can truly do so much. I surprise myself with my own strength!
Adopting a new workout “why”
When I exercised at the gym during college, the focus was always on how I looked. To be honest, I never enjoyed those workouts, and they didn’t feel great on my body either. But I thought that was what I had to go through in order to get a “summer body” (whatever that is).
But near the beginning of my Pvolve journey, a trainer asked me what my goals were, and that question helped shift the way I think about my workouts. It made me consider what else I could aspire to, like being able to improve my balance or pushing myself a little bit harder.
Of course, I’m still proud of my new muscles, but I no longer judge my progress by what I see in the mirror. Instead, I aim to do a little bit better than I did the day before. It’s been a transformational mindset shift, and I’m proud of that!
Finding a home away from home
These days, I try to go to a Pvolve class seven days a week, and each time, I’m so happy to be there. If I start my morning at the studio, I know it's going to be an amazing day, and if I end my day at the studio, I know I’ll go to sleep feeling so accomplished. I leave feeling a million times better than when I came in—every time.
It’s wild to think that a year ago, I was convinced I was ready to leave New York City and move back to Nashville. Pvolve—and the studio community—gave me a reason to stay. From the trainers to the other students, everyone is so supportive. We cheer each other on as we work toward our fitness goals, and celebrate wins and highlights outside of the studio, like birthdays, promotions, and engagements. I’m part of a community, not just another membership number at a gym, and I truly feel lucky to know and work out with this one-of-a-kind group of people.
