Aspen Lovers Rejoice — West Village’s Newest Boutique Fitness Studio Captures the Vibe of a Day on the Slopes

After hosting a string of pop-ups last summer and fall to perfect its mix of low-impact HIIT, PowderHeart finally opened in West Village. Located in the former District Climb space (which has since moved to Preston Center), the Dallas-based concept feels entirely original — a feat in the saturated world of boutique fitness.

The studio’s lineup of Skierg machines can be thanked for that freshness. The towering mechanism allows users to mimic the challenging movements of Nordic skiing, offering a low-impact alternative to the typical treadmill. (It also happens to look pretty cool.)

But beyond being Dallas’ first boutique fitness concept to incorporate a Skierg, PowderHeart hopes to foster community beyond classes — the beer, rosé, and kombucha on tap may help with that. “We just want it to be a cool, unique environment for people to hang out. Where they can get better physically, but also meet some like-minded people,” says PowderHeart founder Charlie Givens. And given Dallas’ affinity for Colorado ski country, PowderHeart should be able to attract some loyalists.

A first visit to any studio can be daunting, but especially when that workout may be unlike anything you’ve done before. To help you prep for PowderHeart, we compiled a few things to know before you go.

Expect a Slight Learning Curve

Just like it takes a few visits to RiseNation to figure out how to not feel like a gangly praying mantis on a VersaClimber, the Skierg takes a little getting used to. Its closest counterpart is probably a rowing machine. If you feel like you’re not getting a workout, ask a PowderHeart instructor for some guidance — when done probably, a few minutes on the Skierg should leave you slightly winded.

What We Talk About When We Talk About West Village

At this point, the boundaries of the rapidly evolving West Village go well beyond the blocks between Cole and McKinney Avenue. If you’re looking for PowderHeart next to SoulCycle or Nicole Kwon, you’ll be looking for a while. The new studio is tucked inside an alleyway between the trolley-lined City Place West Boulevard and the garage by Barry’s Bootcamp. A bright sign and a colorful mural are visible if you’re looking for a landmark.

Do I Have to Know How to Ski? 

As a person who has only attempting skiing one time (if you could even call it that), you do not.

Just How Ski-Inspired is PowderHeart?

Very. The walls are absolutely covered in cool vintage or editorial portraits evoking alpine culture, including several classic “Lange Girl” posters. The entrance to the dark, disco-ball filled studio is marked by an elevation sign, and several screens play ski videos on a loop inside. The three different portions of the workout are defined as “Backcountry” (strength), “Moguls” (core, balance, agility), and “Downhill” (the low-impact Skierg section).

Free rosé and beer (kombucha and nitro cold brew are $5) are available on tap beneath an “Après All Day” neon sign by the entrance, because everyone knows the best part of a day on the slopes is the après-ski portion.

Is it Hard?

Once again, very. But in a good way. Like Australian import F45 or ClassStudio’s Train45 class, the intervals are tough but fast—there’s no time to get bored or frustrated. I took a PowderHeart class with a few friends on Saturday morning and, once we got our breath back, we all agreed: Hard but fun!