PVOLVE has quickly become one of the most recognizable names in modern fitness. Built around low-impact, resistance-based workouts, the brand has attracted a loyal following ranging from casual fitness enthusiasts to high-profile celebrities. Behind it all is founder Rachel Katzman, an entrepreneur who transformed a simple idea into a global fitness platform with studios, a streaming platform, proprietary equipment, and a deeply devoted community.
To learn more about the woman behind the brand, Lauryn and Michael recently welcomed Rachel to The Bossticks. As a longtime PVOLVE fan, Lauryn has incorporated the method into her own fitness routine and recently collaborated with the company on the PVOLVE x Lauryn Bosstick Sculpt Bundle. In the interview, they discuss their partnership, Rachel’s entrepreneurial journey, and the story behind building PVOLVE into a global fitness brand.
Make sure to tune into the full podcast episode below. But in the meantime, we’re sharing a handful of highlights from this inspiring conversation:
Who Owns PVOLVE? Meet Rachel Katzman, the Founder
Rachel Katzman owns PVOLVE. She’s a Midwest native who used her determination, creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurial mindset to build a global fitness brand. While Rachel didn’t have formal training in fitness or business, she proved she didn’t need it. Instead, she knew how to trust her instincts, lean on the wisdom of others, and adapt as the company grew.
Those qualities helped her take PVOLVE from a modest Chinatown studio to a thriving fitness company with thousands of members, dozens of franchise locations, and a growing international presence. Rachel is a true self-starter who not only built a successful business but also helped popularize an entirely new approach to getting fit.
What Is PVOLVE and How Does It Work?
PVOLVE is a functional fitness method that combines low-impact movements with resistance-based training. Rather than focusing on intense, high-impact exercises that put excessive stress on the joints, PVOLVE uses the body’s natural movement patterns. It works by emphasizing controlled, intentional exercise sequences that engage multiple muscle groups at once. And instead of relying on heavy weights to build strength, the method uses equipment like balls, bands, cords, and gliders to create resistance.
The founder, Rachel Katzman, designed the exercises to build strength, improve mobility, enhance stability, and support overall body mechanics without the strain that comes with traditional workouts. Rather than chasing extreme training techniques or quick fixes, PVOLVE emphasizes building a body that supports everyday movement, long-term health, and simply feeling good as you exercise. Additionally, unlike many other boutique fitness brands, PVOLVE has research to support its methodology.
For example, a study conducted by the University of Exeter found that PVOLVE-style workouts led to greater improvements in flexibility, balance, energy levels, weight loss, and overall health outcomes for women compared to standard forms of exercise. The results also suggest that participants experienced benefits beyond fitness alone, supporting overall well-being and quality of life.
PVOLVE operates as a hybrid fitness platform, offering both in-person studio classes and an online streaming hub of digital workouts. Rachel designed the platform to help members better understand their bodies, improve movement quality, and build long-term fitness habits. The company also has a popular online shop where it sells its specialized equipment, including the P.Ball, P.Band, and PVOLVE Precision Mat.
Curious about other modern female-led fitness brands? Listen to The Bossticks episodes featuring Obé Fitness founder Ashley Mills and Evlo Fitness founder Dr. Shannon Ritchey.
Who Is Rachel Katzman?
Rachel Katzman is the founder of PVOLVE, a functional fitness company that combines low-impact movement with resistance-based training. Raised in Michigan, Rachel developed an interest in business ownership at a young age, growing up in an entrepreneurial family. After struggling to find a workout routine that made her feel strong without the next-day pain and regular injuries, she launched PVOLVE at just 23 years old.
Working alongside movement experts and trainers, Rachel helped develop the PVOLVE method, which focuses on natural movement patterns, strength, mobility, and stability. Today, she is best known for growing PVOLVE from a single New York studio into a global fitness platform featuring digital workouts, proprietary equipment, and high-profile partnerships with celebrities and influencers like Lauryn Bosstick and Jennifer Aniston.
How Rachel Katzman Founded PVOLVE
Early Inspiration
Rachel didn’t start in the fitness industry. Her interest in wellness started when she lived in New York and became increasingly frustrated with traditional exercise programs. They all made her feel sore and exhausted. This inspired her, in those early days, to discover a more sustainable approach to exercise that prioritized long-term health over short-term gains.
Developing the PVOLVE Method
Rachel knew that to create a method that addressed these common exercise concerns, she’d need some help. So, she partnered with wellness experts, including fitness trainer Stephen Pasterino, whose movement philosophy helped inspire the original PVOLVE method. Together, they developed a workout approach built around functional movement patterns, resistance training, mobility, and stability.
Curious why this approach is so effective? Listen to Rachel describe why stability and mobility matter in her interview with The Bossticks.
Opening the First Studio
In 2017, at just 23 years old, Rachel launched PVOLVE and opened a small studio in Chinatown, New York City. There, she introduced clients to the PVOLVE method through in-person fitness classes and hands-on coaching. What started as a modest wellness studio would soon grow into something much larger.
Expanding Into Digital Fitness
PVOLVE quickly gained traction. Members loved the practical and effective exercise method combined with the elevated aesthetics of a luxury wellness brand. To bring PVOLVE to more people, Rachel simultaneously launched an on-demand workout platform. The business continued to expand from there through word-of-mouth recommendations, social media, and its growing online community.
Want to start your own at-home exercise plan? Read our post, “How to Create a Workout Routine,” to get started!
Launching At-Home Equipment
Alongside the online platform, Rachel also launched PVOLVE’s signature equipment. These tools allowed members to get more out of the workouts and recreate the studio experience at home. Instead of relying on heavy weights alone, PVOLVE equipment focuses on resistance, stability, and controlled movement to enhance natural functional movement patterns.
Growing the PVOLVE Community
As interest in PVOLVE continued to grow, so did the company itself. In 2019, the brand opened its flagship studio in SoHo, NYC. This gave members a dedicated space to experience the method in person. Additional corporate-owned studios followed in Los Angeles and Chicago, while the launch of PVOLVE’s franchise program in 2021 accelerated expansion into new markets.
At the same time, the digital platform connected members far beyond studio walls. Today, PVOLVE’s community extends across the globe and includes hundreds of trainers, coaches, franchise owners, and fitness professionals. Together, these renowned influencers help bring the method to life for members every day.
Want to hear from one of those coaches? Listen to The Bossticks episode “How to Actually Build a Strong, Lean Body Ft. Jennifer Aniston’s Trainer Dani Coleman of PVOLVE.”
PVOLVE Today
Today, PVOLVE has more than 40 studio locations, and its digital platform serves members around the world. Multiple studies have examined the effectiveness of the PVOLVE method, and Rachel continues to emphasize evidence-based decision-making through research partnerships and the company’s Clinical Advisory Board. Despite her humble beginnings, she has become one of the leading voices in functional fitness.
Is Rachel Katzman Still Involved in PVOLVE Today?
Yes! Rachel Katzman still serves as PVOLVE’s founder and leader. She remains actively involved in the business, helping shape the brand’s direction and overseeing everything from new products and strategic partnerships to company growth and future initiatives. She has also played a key role in many of PVOLVE’s most successful collaborations and brand partnerships.
Beyond her behind-the-scenes work, Rachel regularly appears in interviews, on podcasts, and in media features, spreading the word about PVOLVE. Even as the company has grown into a global fitness platform, she has remained closely involved in its evolution and continued success.
Remember to listen to the full Rachel Katzman podcast with The Bossticks! Here, you can learn more about this inspiring founder and her revolutionary brand.
Rachel Katzman is the trailblazing founder behind the revolutionary fitness brand PVOLVE.
Rachel Katzman’s story is proof that you don’t need a traditional background to build something extraordinary. Through persistence, creativity, and a willingness to learn from others, she transformed a small fitness startup into one of the most recognizable brands in the wellness industry. And with new research, studio expansions, partnerships, and product launches continuing to roll out, it doesn’t look like PVOLVE’s growth is slowing down anytime soon.