In case you’ve never heard of it, The DB Method is an at-home squat machine that helps you get down deeper than you would doing a traditional air squat. (DB stands for “Dream Butt.”) It’s been spotted in the homes of celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Khloe Kardashian, and Tracee Ellis Ross, who all use The DB Method to help get toned, strong glutes with perfect form. But does the DB Method really work? That’s what I was determined to find out.
The DB Method: Getting started
The machine is $229, which is much more affordable than many other at-home workout machines. It’s also pretty lightweight and folds up for easy storage, and it doesn’t take a ton of time to use—just 10 minutes at a time will help firm up your butt. So, it’s basically perfect for your home gym. Plus, the DB Method reviews I read had me convinced that it was exactly what I needed in my life. First, setup is simple: It takes about 20 minutes to assemble the machine with nine steps (which, by the way, you only have to do once). And if you have any questions along the way, there’s a helpful YouTube video to walk you through everything. When you purchase your DB Method machine, you have the option of getting accessories, too—and there are plenty. You can snag The DreamMat for $29 to help keep your floors from getting scratched during all those squats, a $49 weighted belt called The DreamBelt, along with The DreamBand Pro, a $20 resistance band. There’s also $25 wrist and anklet weights, adorably called The Dreamlets and $18 floor discs called The DreamDiscs for a total body workout. The accessories are fairly small as a whole—you can stash them in a bag or basket for easy storage. To be honest, it takes some time to get the hang of this machine. It’s easy to assume you know what you’re doing, start squatting like it’s no biggie, and get little results. But, if you actually read the instructions or check out The DB Method’s YouTube tutorial on proper form, you learn that the seat has to go pretty far back, and you’re supposed to feel the burn in your butt, not your thighs. You also don’t want to rely on the handles that much—they’re more there to give you something to grip vs. actually holding yourself up while you squat.
The DB Method: Workouts
The machine looks simple—and it is, on some level. But there’s a lot you can do with it. I tried out standard squats, plie squats, and squats with The DreamBand Pro. When I first started out, I could only do a few minutes at a time (hello, weak butt). But I eventually worked my way up. Here’s the specific schedule I followed: Day 1: The DreamBand Beginner Workout This had me using The DreamBand for five minutes, which is surprisingly tough. Day 2: 5 Minute Burn Yep, I felt it. Day 3: 8 Minute Tone Zone This workout uses The DreamBand Pro to kick plie squats up a notch, and it’s tougher than it sounds. Day 4: 5 Minute Band Burn + Core Crusher Turns out, you can do core work on The DB Method, too. Day 5: Rest Day This was a rest day. And, TBH, my butt needed it. Day 6: Intermediate Squat Series Speaking of the need to rest up, this series kicked things up a notch—and my butt felt the burn. Day 7: Booty Bump This workout featured a whopping 10 minutes of full squats and plie squats to work the sides of my butt. Day 8: 5 on, 5 off The workout uses The Machine for an upper body workout, along with deep and short squats with The DreamBand Pro. Day 9: 10 Minute Booty Burn I felt a little more confident by the time I got to this workout, but it still was a serious butt burner. Day 10: Cardio Sculpt You get a pretty solid workout in with this one, including a few moves where you don’t even use the handlebars. Day 11: Rest Day My butt needed the break after the Cardio Sculpt! Day 12: Pulse + Push This workout features a bunch of different moves, including a “low zone pulse” that’ll make you feel the burn. Day 13: Sculpt + Sweat A mixture of the advanced cardio and sculpting routines, I was sweaty by the end. Day 14: Fully Body Flex I finished things off by doing this full-body workout using The DreamBelt
The DB Method Review: The Verdict
I was surprised at how versatile The DB Method is. It’s easy to think it’s ~just~ a squat machine, but there are so many workouts you can do with it, both to target different areas of your butt and to get a variety of workouts in. While I started out with the two-week workout, I’ve been using the machine regularly since then. And I definitely have worked butt muscles I haven’t used in a while—or ever. As I spend more time with The DB Method, my pancake butt is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Next up, here are the top 10 essentials for an actually affordable home gym.
