Dani Coleman, Director of Training at Pvolve and Aniston’s personal trainer, shares what makes this functional fitness brand unique
Dani Coleman demonstrates the effectiveness and appeal of the Pvolve approach.
A long-time professional dancer, Coleman became a NASM certified personal trainer in an attempt to better understand the effects of exercise on the body. Her experience as a trainer for top fitness brands such as Equinox and Physique 57 has given her a comprehensive understanding of the industry and different workout types.
2020, Coleman join in pwolf After falling in love with the brand’s unique approach to low-impact functional fitness and women’s health. Two years later, she became Pvolve’s director of training and played a major role in the boutique fitness brand’s recent rise (with the franchise rapidly expanding, Pvolve has about 50 studios open or in development.)
Coleman also serves as Jennifer Aniston’s Pvolve trainer, giving the former “Friends” star weekly workouts that include weightlifting, cardio and plyometrics, combined with Pvolve’s proprietary fitness equipment.
Coleman spoke with Athletech News to discuss the uniqueness of the Pvolve method, the rise of women’s strength training and her work as Aniston’s personal trainer.
The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Athletech News: Can you tell us a little bit about your fitness background and what led you to join Pvolve?
Danny Coleman: I grew up on the East Coast where I earned my BFA in Dance. I think dance naturally led me down the path to fitness and I now have over 10 years of fitness experience and various certifications. I have provided personal training to individual clients at various boutique studios.
Before Pvolve, I liked to do more aggressive workouts, so my body craved exercise at a different pace. During my first Pvolve class, I remember thinking, “Wow, this is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.” I left feeling exercised and energized. Functional training is very new to me, so it took me a second to get used to it. But once I learned all the science behind it, I was hooked. I also love that Pvolve is female-led.
ATN: The term “functional training” is used a lot these days in different fitness contexts. What does functional training mean to Pvolve?
DC: Functional simply means that you can move your body in all the ways you would in your daily life. We tend to think of traditional fitness as using one plane of motion, front to back or side to side. At Pvolve we’ll also work on rotation in all the ways you really move every day. We also use incredible resistance equipment, so as you move through these corrective movement patterns and natural movement patterns, you’ll also build smart and sustainable strength.
I always say Pvolve is your one stop shop. We offer everything from mobility training to weight training to cardiovascular training, as well as meditation on our On-demand platform. We truly look at health and fitness from a holistic perspective.
ATN: Pvolve has developed a cult following, attracting celebrities like Jennifer Aniston as well as everyday fitness enthusiasts. How do Pvolve workouts differ from other boutique fitness concepts?
DC: I’ll start where I have a lot of experience, and that’s the coaching staff. Our trainers undergo an extensive 100-hour immersive training program, and this is true whether you’re at one of our corporate or franchise (studio) locations. This leads to mastery method. We have proprietary equipment you can’t get anywhere else. So even if another brand offers functional fitness products, you won’t get what we offer.
We also have a Clinical Advisory Committee, a group of experts who help us keep the approach current with the science. This is something we take very seriously and I’m proud to say we’ve done a lot of scientifically backed research. We also have a strong focus on women’s health. As a woman, there is a Pvolve program to suit you at any stage of your life.
ATN: How does Pvolve focus on women’s health?
DC: Our workouts can be adapted to your body, no matter where you are in your life journey, whether you are interested in understanding your menstrual cycle or are going through menopause later in life and interested in optimizing your hormones. We also offer classes you won’t find anywhere else, such as pelvic floor strengthening classes, birth-focused classes, prenatal or postpartum series, and knee stability series. Then we have plans for anyone and everyone.
ATN: Pvolve has been involved in several studies, one of which shows Benefits of Functional Fitness for Women Over 40. Why is scientific support important for brands?
DC: There’s a lot of crap out there in fitness, so we’re proud to say we’ve got the science to back it up. We always work with our Clinical Advisory Board to ensure our programs are in sync with the science.
Pvolve stands for “Personal Evolution” – we are always looking to do better and evolve with the times. When I first joined a company, we started with one format, “Strength and Sculpture.” Then we added Sculpt and Burn to enhance cardiovascular health, which we know is so important. Then we add the big weights that we know will be vital and moving throughout your life. We continue to push boundaries with our clinical advisory committee to understand the science behind what we do to improve our products and build credibility in the community.
ATN: Speaking of weightlifting, strength training has become very popular among women in the past few years. What is causing more women to take up strength training?
DC: I think women are starting to realize that weightlifting isn’t just for men. These spaces are traditionally dominated by men, and I love that women feel more empowered to walk into the gym and lift heavier weights, because whether you’re a man or a woman, muscle is important to quality of life as you age. I always say, “Cardio will extend your life, but weight training will extend your life.” I hope strength training is something we continue to talk about, especially for women who start losing weight around age 30 Muscle mass, faster than men.
ATN: You have been Jennifer Aniston’s Pvolve coach since she joined the Pvolve brand. How is your relationship with her?
DC: I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing her before, but we found out during the pandemic that she was Pvolve’s secret anchor, and she came to us for personal training sessions. I had the pleasure of working with her for about two years. We do personal training several times a week when her schedule allows.
During the workout we draw on all training modalities including strength and conditioning, cardiovascular elements and some light plyometrics. We also lift weights with a focus on building muscle mass, increasing metabolic rate and longevity. It’s always full body and very challenging. She loves a challenging workout and never shies away from anything I throw at her.
ATN: For better or worse, fitness can be a trending industry. What trends do you foresee emerging in the industry over the next few years?
DC: I think we’re going to continue to see how technology can be used to biohack ourselves, whether it’s a big ring or an Apple watch or whatever. More technologies can help us understand how our bodies work and how to optimize exercise and recovery.
I also think we’re going to see more conversation around peptides like GLP-1. Some studies show that people not only lose weight but also lose muscle mass. There are also some interesting studies that show that when people start seeing positive changes in their bodies, their chances of exercising are higher. Hopefully we’ll see some new content focused on people who may be walking into a gym for the first time – or exercising their bodies for the first time.
