P.volve: My Current Workout Obsession

Did you know I quit cardio?

That’s right friends. Earlier this year, I decided to make a big shift in my workout routine and completely dropped intense cardio and HIIT routines. Yeah, me! The girl who was literally obsessed with running! And to be honest…it was kind of a hard choice to make.

Time to get a little deep.

Body image issues just suck don’t they?? Many of us put so much pressure on ourselves to look perfect and skinny all the time, and we feel like in order to do so we have to torture ourselves with gruesome workouts and crazy diets.

And even though I felt like I had overcome the “crazy diet” part with my Fab Four lifestyle, I was still totally killing myself at the gym every day. I felt like I HAD to do some form of cardio every day or else I wasn’t really “working out”. (Yet all my joints were KILLING me and my thighs seemed bulkier than ever…)

Sounds ridiculous right?? And that’s because it is! Don’t get me wrong, some people completely thrive off of cardio. But then there’s people like me who absolutely do not…never have and never will! #sorrynotsorry

How I Learned about P.volve

OMG guys, I’m currently obsessed with podcasts. My two favorites are Almost 30 and The Skinny Confidential. They are both totally for millennials like moi, but I’ve learned SOOO much from them!

Cue: P.volve

Thanks to Lauryn Evarts of The Skinny Confidential, I was introduced to Stephen Pasterino (a.k.a. P) and the P.volve method. P’s background in fitness is focused on functional science, human chain biomechanics and manual therapy…in other words, he’s obsessed with discovering and activating all the tiny muscles that are ignored by typical fitness routines. You know, the kind that no number of lunges or squats can get to.

His passion for physical therapy and rehabilitation lead him to create the P.volve method which…

• Elongates and creates lean muscles
• Eliminates bulk
• Is low impact and anti-pulse
• Focuses on stretching and opening the hips

Ummm sign me up!! Sounds amazing, right??

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My P.volve Routine

To be completely honest, I was pretty skeptical about this program when I first started. First off, it didn’t include any cardio (lol I was so crazy about cardio!) and second of all, there were no real lunges or jump squats or bicep curls or…any of the traditional moves I was used to.

But at the same time, I was craving something new in my workout routine and knew deep down that I had to cut back on the cardio a bit. So I gave it a whirl!

I started with their 30 Day Evolution program, which is a great way to learn the form (the KEY to getting results!), the moves and P’s teaching style. My first day in, I felt a little frazzled! The moves were so different and so much smaller in range to what I was used to. It felt like a mind exercise more than anything! But the nice thing about the 30 Day Evolution is that you do the same 4 workout videos throughout the 30 days. So you really get to know the moves and perfect your form!

I stuck with the 30 Day Evolution for about three weeks and then decided I felt comfortable enough to move on to their extensive streaming library of workouts that P records in his NYC-based studio. And I haven’t looked back since! I was originally doing a couple days of cardio (low-impact dancing or stairmaster) a week but eventually dropped all cardio and stuck to P.volve and walking.

Currently, I do P.volve videos 4 times a week and mix in some longer stretching routines and walking. And of course take a couple days a week OFF! Like completely off.

I haven’t felt this good about my health and my body in a looooong time!

P.volve Sneak Peek

Alright guys, below is a little video of me doing one of the P.volve workouts. It’s cut down into snippets so I don’t show you the entire workout but you get the jist of the style of movements and the technique.

Now, let’s break down this program, shall we?

• Length of workouts: They range from 20-60+ minutes. So it is totally dependant on you and your schedule. And they are ALL effective…no matter what!
• Equipment used: Okay, so this is where it gets a little tricky. P.volve DEFINITELY requires equipment for it to be 100% effective. Below is a list of the equipment they use with my thoughts on what is totally necessary and what you can live without to start off:
  • 2lb hand weights  – Must have.
  • Light and heavy resistance bands – Both are necessary but you can start with light.
  • Light and heavy ankle weights – Both are necessary but you can start with light.
  • Gliders – You can use paper plates or towels as an alternative.
  • P.ball – This is their signature piece of equipment! It’s the best for inner thighs.
  • P.band – A great one for the arms but not necessary right away.

My P.volve Results

You’re probably wondering, “Okay, so what happened to your body after you gave up cardio??” And my answer is, “My body has never been so happy!”

About a month into my P.volve journey, I noticed the following AMAZING things…

1. My thighs leaned out a TON and I immediately noticed different muscles carving out…”runway muscles” as P calls them. (Did I mention he trains Victoria Secret models??)
2. The booty is perky and pumped! P.volve focuses on getting the bulk out of the thighs by placing a larger emphasis on the butt. And the results show!
3. Abs be poppin!! Seriously though, my abs feel so elongated and strong! And not a single sit up was involved.
4. Stress levels are down…hunger is down…energy is UP. I think I was spending so much energy on cardio that I was literally ruining my body from the inside out. My body feels so much more relaxed (but very strong and defined) and my appetite has calmed wayyyy down.
5. I lost 5lbs! Now, I don’t have much to lose TBH…and am not doing these workouts to lose weight. But I do feel like a lot of the bulkiness I was seeing from other workouts disappeared and thus a few pounds were shed.

In other words, I’m a happy camper!

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