So many women are programmed to push themselves to high-impact exercise. It doesn’t feel like a workout unless you’re drenched in sweat, running miles at a time, or cross-training in competitive programs.
But what happens when physical challenges or changes make that difficult?
There’s a new fitness brand coming to Charlotte this month that honors the idea of personal evolution. That’s why it’s called Pvolve, and it’s a program that celebrates the power of lower-impact, functional exercises for women of all ages. The national craze is coming to North Carolina for the first time, with a Pvolve studio opening this month in Dilworth. It’s located in the new 1700 apartment building on East Boulevard, with retail on the first floor.
For Rachel Katzman, the national founder of Pvolve, the physical challenge that sent her searching for a new workout was scoliosis. For celebrity Jennifer Aniston, an avid brand ambassador and Pvolve partner, it was a back injury. For Charlotte’s new franchise owner Mariana Lim, her outlook on fitness started to change as she went through perimenopause.
“I was navigating changes that come with midlife,” she says. “My body and my hormones were shifting. I noticed that high-intensity workouts were no longer serving me. It took time for me to accept that, but I think it was meant to be, my involvement with Pvolve.”
Lim quit her corporate job and over the past year, has transformed her body, mindset and motivation.
“I was asking, ‘What is the meaning of this?’” Lim says of her corporate job. “There was no meaning, just literally the money part of it. Pvolve for me has a meaning. I had a vision that I wanted to empower women to move with confidence, strength and grace. This is what Pvolve inspires. It’s transformation beyond fitness. It's fostering health and wellness, with your body, mind and spirit. I thought, ‘I need to bring this to Charlotte and help other people to feel the way that I am feeling right now.’”
Pvolve is a low-impact workout that fosters strength, balance, and flexibility. It’s aimed at women of all ages. Classes are no more than 50 minutes and can be done in studio or online, using some from 13 pieces of specialized Pvolve equipment, like a P.ball, a resistance band with an inflatable fitness ball, and a Precision Mat labeled like a grid, which makes it easy to follow along with the instructor’s movements.
“Pvolve is a workout that checks every box because it combines the mobility and flexibility of yoga, the core strength of Pilates and the muscle building of weightlifting all in one,” Lim says. “All the movements are rooted in how we move in everyday life, so they are not only effective but easy to learn.”
The program is backed by clinical research and designed to meet women’s needs throughout their physical evolution from their 20s to their 60s. Lim visualizes clients coming in their mid-30s as they recover from pregnancy, at age 42 rehabbing a knee injury from a skiing fall, at age 52 moving a son or daughter into a college dorm room, or in their 60s, staying healthy for hiking trips with grandchildren.
Classes can be done in person for 50 minutes or online for as little as 5 or 10 minutes. Lim wants Pvolve to meet clients where they are, on family trips, at home with children over the summer and more. Pvolve will also be offering the convenience of childcare through The Grove and feature a beauty bar with products from Skin by Blair.
Lim began building Pvolve's local clientele through pop-up classes in SouthPark and Myers Park throughout the fall.
“Give yourself permission to prioritize your health and well-being,” Lim says. “Pvolve is here to support you every step of the way. It's not about perfection, but progress. It's about feeling strong, confident and happy with your body. Your personal evolution starts here, with movements that honor you.”
"I wanted to empower women to move with confidence, strength and grace. This is what Pvolve inspires."
"It combines the mobility and flexibility of yoga, the core strength of Pilates and the muscle building of weightlifting."