Curves for Women Gyms

sunshinel397

Hello. My co-worker and I are going to do a free trial at Curves.
I am a little skeptical of the program as it looks to easy to be true.
Does anyone have any experiences with Curves workouts-good or bad so I can get a good idea of if it is good for the long term?
Thanks!

needles85365

I joined for a little while, it does help. You have to push yourself. The machines work all your muscles as you work the circuit. Then in between each machine is a station to do cardio stuff. I wasn't very motivated when I was going and didn't put much effort into it. The one I was attending has now gone out of business. Don't think it would work if you really want to get active, I would say its a low to moderate exercise outlet.

Contrarian

You might be better off just going to a regular gym.

spartangirl79

They are OK for beginners and those looking to build a basic cardio foundation.
If you already exercise, you may be bored and/or not challenged. Even the "strength" machines are not really going to challenge your muscles that much.
While it's set up like a circuit, it's not true circuit training in the sense that you do some real weights, then cardio, then real weights. If I recall correctly, the "strength" machines don't use actual weights, but this may be different than many years ago.
However, like I said, if you are just getting into exercise and like the group dynamic, it is a great starting point.
Good luck!

yayam28

IMO Depends on what you're after.....for me it was a good way to get started since I wouldn't go to a mixed gym. Once I lost some and felt better (and was in better shape) I moved to a regular gym for a more intense workout and didn't have the same time constraints that Curves had. I could tailor my workouts to suit my goals. Just my 2 cents, hope it helps you decide

Sevio

I have been a Curves member for the past 5 years. It helped me to lose 40 lbs along with a proper diet. I also take Zumba classes 2 or 3 times per week which I just started about a year ago. I go to Curves 5 days a week. I like that it's 30 minutes.
Like the first post stated it is what you put into it. The machine are resistance machines so yes, the harder you push yourself, the better workout you will get. My location also has the "smart machines" which is your very own personal trainer~ it's a key tag you use that tracks your reps, calories burned, and your intensity. It's kinda neat. They also offer Zumba in the Circuit with a certified Zumba instructor.

The owner of my Curves is very much into wanting to be my personal coach and to assist me in "pushing it" on the high intensity workout days which I do three times per week since you have to give your muscles a break.

My advice would be for to try the free week trial and see how you like it.

I don't think I could ever see myself at a regular gym so Curves is perfect for me. I also like the fact that it's all woman! And my Curves opens up at 5:45 AM for some of us who have to get to work by 7:30.

AZKristi

Its a good starting point, especially for women who aren't comfortable joining a full gym. The most important thing to do is to get moving. But, the equipment they have is very limited.

7funnygirl7

I guess everyones body is different to how much workout it needs. I joined Curves in Oct 2011 and am down 42 pounds and 25.5 inches. i started eating better along with my workout and also walked on the treadmill. I usually go 5 times a week and think this is a benefit for me. I then joined MFP in Feb. 2012 and still go to Curves. All you can do is try and see how it works for you.

MrsBully4

I liked it, the exercises are varied enough to hold your attention as you do cardio and you get a very basic introduction to using the machines. I did feel limited there because I wanted to be able to lift weights and do more serious workouts, but if you're looking for a fun cardio routine in an upbeat atmosphere Curves is pretty great.

Dudagarcia

I went once and hated it I can get more out of my wo at home and that particular one closed down, not surprised

focus4fitness

I found that my experience with Curves for me was personally embarrassing. I thought that it would be okay because I lived in a tiny town and I was having a hard time making the drive 20 minutes into the metro area everyday to go to the gym. I loved that my gym had a woman only area, so I thought Curves would be right up my alley. So I signed up for my free trial and all of the little old ladies watched in amazement as I did my workout and remarked on how easily and skillfully I had done my time. I was already, at the time, in great shape and was really kind of confused about the whole thing. Those air pressure machines or whatever they were seemed to offer no resistance. Between machines that were weird to me, the program in general and the Christian music I felt very uncomfortable and never went back.