We recently sat down with Dani Coleman, Jennifer Aniston’s trainer and Pvolve’s VP of Training, to find out exactly how she trains Jen, from the workouts they do together to the surprisingly realistic philosophy behind her routine. After hearing Dani talk about strength, consistency and working with your body instead of absolutely destroying it every time you exercise, we had one obvious follow-up question: Can you put us through it?
So, naturally, we asked if Dani would lead a private workout for our team at Pvolve’s West Hollywood studio. She said yes. We showed up ready to work and, perhaps, slightly overconfident.
We’ve been following Pvolve for a while now. We’ve previously broken down Jennifer Aniston’s Pvolve workout, covered the Sculpt Anywhere Bundle she helped create, and most recently asked Dani to walk us through how Jennifer actually trains. But talking about a workout and having Jennifer Aniston’s trainer standing in front of you telling you there are, in fact, a few more reps left are two very different things.
The Workout
When we arrived at Pvolve’s West Hollywood studio, each of us had our own station set up with the equipment we’d be using. First up were the 3 lb Ankle Weights. Three pounds sounds innocent enough until you strap one to each ankle and start moving.
We also worked with pieces from Jen’s Arms & Abs Bundle, including the P.ball, P.band and P.3 Trainer. We moved through lower body work, arms and, eventually, core, with Dani guiding us through each section and always there adjust our form to keep going.
Low Impact, Very Much Not Easy
Pvolve is low impact, but low impact should absolutely not be confused with easy. The movements can look deceptively simple from across the room. Once you are actually doing them correctly, it is a different story.
The method is built around strength, mobility and stability, three things that become increasingly important if your goal is to keep moving well for a very long time.
And you feel it.
As someone who prides myself on going to the gym pretty regularly, I was suddenly working muscles I apparently had never formally introduced myself to. My glutes were shaking. My arms were cooked. Moves that looked completely manageable somehow became significantly less manageable about halfway through the set.
Dani walked around the room cueing us, correcting our positions and making tiny adjustments that somehow made everything harder. Sometimes the difference between “Oh, this is fine” and “Why is my side glute on fire?” was moving a leg a few inches or changing the angle of your body.
She also kept us going when we were ready to stop, and somehow always seemed to catch me the second I tried to sneak in an early break.
The Part That Surprised Us
What I liked most was that the workout did not feel like it was trying to exhaust us just for the sake of proving we had worked out. The challenge came from control.
You are balancing, resisting, stabilizing and paying attention to where your body is in space at the same time. Larger muscles are working, but so are all those smaller stabilizing muscles that are very easy to ignore when your usual gym routine is built around bigger lifts and machines.
It also made Dani’s emphasis on form during our original interview make a lot more sense. When movements are this precise, small corrections matter. Having her there to reposition a foot, change an angle or remind us where we should actually be feeling an exercise completely changed some of the moves.
By the end of the session, I felt like I had gotten a genuinely complete full body workout. Arms, legs, glutes, core, balance, mobility. Everything had done something.
And unlike the feeling after certain workouts where walking downstairs suddenly feels like an extreme sport, I felt worked without feeling wrecked.
So, Would We Do It Again?
Absolutely.
We admittedly came into this with a certain amount of Jennifer Aniston curiosity. The woman has the kind of arms that inspire investigative journalism. But experiencing the workout firsthand made it much easier to understand why she has stayed so consistent with the method.
It is challenging without feeling punishing, there is enough variety that your brain actually has to stay engaged, and the workout catches muscles your normal routine may be conveniently avoiding.
Also, there is something deeply humbling about thinking you are in pretty good shape and then being defeated by a three-pound ankle weight.
Want To Try It Yourself?
You do not need Dani standing six feet away from you to try the method, although we can confirm it is excellent motivation. Pvolve has more than 1,800 on-demand workouts plus live virtual classes, so you can use the equipment at home, at the gym or while traveling.
The Jen’s Arms & Abs Bundle we used includes the P.ball, P.band and P.3 Trainer, along with access for new members to Jen’s Express Arms & Abs Series, six of Jen’s go-to express workouts that target the arms and abs in 15 minutes or less. Translation: you can get a taste of what we did without having Jennifer Aniston’s trainer personally witnessing you give up on your last three reps.
If you’re in LA, though, we highly recommend trying it in person.
Pvolve West Hollywood
8447 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
This is where we trained with Dani, and the studio also offers group classes and 1:1 private training.
Pvolve Santa Monica
3110 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Come prepared to work. And maybe don’t underestimate the ankle weights. Jennifer, we get it now.