Ashley Lamb was scrolling on Instagram when she stumbled across one of the newest methods in boutique fitness. Having never seen a workout quite like it, she decided to give it a try.
Five years later, Lamb opened South Carolina’s first Pvolve fitness studio, which specializes in functional movement methods, aims to meet customers wherever they are in their fitness journey and offers specialized workouts in personal settings — the goal of boutique fitness. Founded in 2017, Pvolve has just 12 locations currently open all around the U.S. with five in the process of opening soon.
The studio in Columbia opened on May 11 in the retail space of the new Bennet at BullStreet apartments between Boyce and Pickens streets in the Bull Street District. The functional, low-impact, focused studio hopes to introduce and spread a new workout method all across the Midlands.
Lamb said Pvolve targets boosting women’s energy, increasing their strength and improving their balance and flexibility while being easy on their joints. The use of Pvolve's patented resistance equipment is intended to prevent injury and strengthen through low impact movement.
Workouts at the studio are formulated by a clinical advisory board made up of distinguished medical doctors, healthcare experts, and credentialed trainers who lead studies based on results. The board conducts trial periods out of different universities across the U.S. that study participants who use the Pvolve method. The results show significant improvements in strength and mobility that help form movement guidelines for classes in the studio.
Lamb said Pvolve provides an inclusive fitness experience that is designed for women of any age.
“We have a series for women going through IVF, going through menopause,” Lamb said. “We have (menstrual) cycle synching with your workouts. Who knew that was even a thing?”
With these specialized workouts, Lamb hopes that her studio serves as a safe space for everyone, no matter what their fitness goals are.
“We celebrate each member where they are in their journey, and that’s something we instill in our trainers,” Lamb said. “Everybody is at a different place, and to celebrate them where they are and encourage and push them and challenge them to push themselves a little bit more.”
Sophie Dragomire, a fourth-year dance performance and choreography student at the University of South Carolina, had never heard of Pvolve before the studio began development in Columbia. However, last December, her college program director sent out an email that a new fitness studio was looking for trainers.
Dragomire said Lamb was interested in dancers because of their ability to pick up choreography quickly. Dragomire was curious how the methods could be beneficial for cross-training and counteract the high impact of her dance training.
Pvolve provides her with a new creative outlet in fitness outside of dance, Dragomire said. But before she could get creative, she had to learn to basics.
Pvolve's special equipment is foreign to most trainers as it is the first of its kind, requiring Dragomire to train for an extensive period of time before ever stepping in the studio. Its equipment is designed to target muscles you otherwise may miss or help form and maintain during fast paced workouts.
“Our trainers had, like, an intensive 100-hour training before our studio even opened. During that, we learned how to use all of the equipment. We practiced a ton," Dragomire said. “It was a lot, but it helped us really understand how to use the equipment and know how to program with it because we have to create new classes pretty much for every day we teach.”
With her newfound knowledge, Dragomire has shared the excitement of working with new equipment with members of Pvolve, as well as adding her own personal flair, such as crafting playlists.
“Creating playlists to go with the workout I make is important,” Dragomire said. “We use a heavy ankle band for some workouts, and that is a very grounded workout. So I need a very solid beat throughout that class. Or if I’m doing some upper body stuff, I’ll use more upbeat music. So it kind of depends, and I think part of the reason it’s unique is because it’s different every time.”
Similar to Dragomire, Lamb hopes that everyone in Columbia can experience what makes Pvolve special for them. Since the franchise is new to the area, she decided to host a pop-up to introduce the method to the community.
Addie Comer, a recent high school graduate, saw a Facebook post advertising a pop-up class. After Comer and her mother attended the class, they signed up for Pvolve's founding membership and have been attending classes ever since.
“I think that, because it’s low impact, you can really be of any age to do it, and I think it really helps with mobility and stability,” Comer said. “I’ve found that I’m already a lot more stable, but I think it also just helps give you a lot more mobility you can carry through your daily life.”
Lamb said she would like to continue hosting pop-ups and hopes to draw in a younger audience when students return to campus in the fall.
In her attempt to spread the word, Pvolve has been active on ClassPass, a monthly fitness and wellness membership that allows users to try and attend several studios and gyms. Lamb said she would also like to partner with sororities at USC and host a pop-up at the Russell House.
Lamb wants events like these to involve the entire Columbia community in experiencing the benefits of Pvolve’s training methods. She is passionate about spreading the word and promoting healthier workout habits.
“We have built such a strong community so far, and I know it’s just going to get even stronger the more members and more guests we get in our studio. I want everyone to live and breathe Pvolve, and I think it’s going to happen," Lamb said. "When people find out about us and do our workout, they’re going to be hooked.”