Any time you’re working out, there are moves you can do that specifically benefit the shape of your derriere. That funky all-fours-leg-thrust-into-the-air thing in a Pilates class—that’s for your butt. We all know “Lower Focus” at Barry’s Bootcamp really just means “Butt.” (Well, probably “Legs and Butt,” but definitely “Butt.”)
Are you still with me? Can you believe I’ve said “butt” this many times in 100 words or less? I can’t! But it’s all in the name of regional lifestyle journalism.
To get to the point: District Climb, the Dallas-based Versaclimber studio in West Village, recently debuted a version of their level 1 (Beta) class that focuses a portion of its 30-minute session on glutes. I am a person who likes those heavy-cardio Versaclimber classes, and has glutes that I would like to look good this summer, so I signed up for the 6:30 class this morning.
First of all, if you’re new to Versaclimber classes, I suggest bouncing back and forth from District Climb and Knox District’s Rise Nation, the Los Angeles-based studio founded by the man who got Brie Larson in “Captain Marvel” shape (and a ton of other celebrities in shape for a ton of other things), to help you figure out which studio works best for you. Though District Climb was likely inspired by Rise Nation (the first Versaclimber-centric boutique studio), both brands have their own style. District Climb tends to be a bit more dance-y in my experience, while Rise Nation is more of a straightforward cardio climb.
District Climb has also started introducing more sculpting into their schedule. (There’s an “Arms” class in addition to the “Butt” class.) In “Beta Climb + Butt” we actually got off the climbers for an entire song (in this case, it was that Grimes song with Janelle Monáe) and used resistance bands to do some toning. I wish we had gone a little harder, but I always sort of wish District Climb would go a little harder (louder music, longer strides, etc.). That being said, I loved the idea of the class. The one downside to Versaclimber classes is that they need to be supplemented with Pilates, or yoga, or some sort of sculpting session. It’s nice to combine cardio and toning in one class, even just for a little bit. (Also, this class is very new, and likely to get more intense in the coming weeks.)
A glute focus also makes perfect sense for studios with Versaclimbers, whose vertical nature is naturally beneficial to your legs and backside. (The machines may be the true heir apparent to the Stairmaster.) All of this is to say that I welcome any and all butt classes this summer and beyond. If we’re not striving to be J. Lo every time we work out, what are we even doing here?
