Jennifer Aniston Completely Swears By This Low-Impact Workout

Over the course of her 30-plus years in the spotlight, Jennifer Aniston has been just as famous for her fitness game as the characters she’s played on screen. Look at practically any interview with her since starring as Rachel Green on Friends and you’re sure to find a question about her exercise routine — for good reason, of course. Aniston has opened up about her love of all sorts of workouts, from boxing to Pilates and VersaClimber classes (the last of which has gone on to skyrocket in popularity, might I add). Like most people with any kind of fitness regimen, however, the star’s preferences have evolved.

“Our society tells us we have to feel the burn, and that if it doesn’t hurt, [a workout] isn’t effective,” Aniston, 54, tells Bustle over Zoom. “All of these taglines like ‘no pain, no gain’ are just absolute BS because you can get an incredible workout without feeling like you can never do it again once you’re done.” She’s learned to be kinder to her body after following a more go-big-or-go-home fitness philosophy for a long time — especially now that she’s found Pvolve, a low-impact functional fitness brand that’s like strength-training-meets-Pilates-style-sculpting. The classes, which you can take IRL or on demand, involve small, precise movements using the studio’s line of resistance equipment to improve your full-body strength and mobility.

Aniston says she fell in love with Pvolve’s workouts in 2021 after a friend claimed she had a complete mind and body transformation from taking its classes, and she’s been hooked ever since. “It’s such a unique method. I started really simple with 20-minute beginner classes, and I was drenched. I felt incredible,” she says. “It’s approachable and not intimidating.” The actor is so passionate about the workouts that she’s signed on to help advise on the company’s marketing, product, and programming opportunities.

Here, Aniston reflects on her fitness journey, what she loves about Pvolve, and her advice for getting through workouts on days you’re not feeling it.

Tell me more about Pvolve and why you like its workouts so much.

This resistance training is incredible because it works all those teeny little muscles that just get completely forgotten about that then allow your bigger muscle group to all just become one beautiful, harmonious body of muscles.

After I came back home from filming a movie, I had a back injury, and my friend told me to try Pvolve because it can work around injuries. That’s when I got a membership and all the equipment, and I started working all of the muscles around my injury. I fell in love with it.

What does your current workout routine look like?

I work out about three to four times a week, which is basically all your body really needs. I’ll do Pvolve, and then to switch it up, sometimes I’ll do Pilates, or sometimes I’ll take a hike. But I’ve been focusing mainly on Pvolve because there’s so much variety there. You never get like “All right, I’m bored of that.” So you can change it up no matter what your mood is or if you’ve slept or if you haven’t slept, or if you have an injury or you don’t have an injury, and depending on your fitness level.

How has your workout routine changed over the years? I’ve read that you used to do boxing and more intense stuff.

Yes — it’s way less aggressive, way less time-consuming, and just gentler and more efficient, actually, than it was before. And my body’s not broken — that’s the main thing. Boxing was too hard on my wrists. It was just too hard. I loved it for a minute, and then I burnt out. Same with running or doing 45 minutes of cardio. Oh, I would just dread it. It was also too hard on my knees and joints, and ultimately, it was mindless. I just was kind of going through it.

What do you like to do to recover from your workouts?

I love an infrared sauna or an Epsom salt bath. Those are two really good for drawing that lactic acid out, and I’ll even use my hands or a little gua sha on my legs for the same purpose. I also love to use the Pvolve Precision Foam Roller.

Is there an exercise that you just love to do?

I love working with the [Pvolve] P.ball. My arms have always had good definition, but this has given them extra definition and extra strength in my abs when I use it with the [brand’s] Gliders. You can do all kinds of moves with them, whether it’s the splits or pikes — those are a couple of my favorites.

Is there an exercise move that you hate or have a love-hate relationship with?

The [Pvolve] Slant Board is a little intimidating. I have a short Achilles, so it’s a little painful, but it’s just more challenging for me. I'm sure that’s what other people just absolutely love it. Oh, and the P.3 Trainer — it’s the little black ball that attaches to a band that then attaches to your ankle, and that is deceivingly hard. When that comes out in a workout, I’m like, “Oh God, this is going to be hard.”

How do you get through workouts when you just aren’t feeling it?

I always say to just do 10 minutes. You can do anything for 10 to 20 minutes. You’ll usually get through three minutes of it and you’re back.

There are also some days where if I’m really not feeling it, I’ll skip a workout and give myself a break. I don’t put the pressure on myself that I used to. And the crazy thing is that I feel better than I used to feel, and I’m more in shape than I’ve ever been because every muscle is being worked, not just the big muscle groups.

What would you say you’ve learned about your body through your changing fitness journey over the years?

To be gentler on your body. These aggressive workouts are not sustainable, no matter how strong you think you are or how well-versed you are in any kind of fitness. It’s degenerative over time. You can’t help it. Our knees can only take so much.

I love that this workout is way more mindful, and it’s slow and way more effective [for me]. I actually get excited because I look forward to it.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.