What do you think of Curves?

I hated it.. BUT if you do not workout.. and you just need something light to get your butt moving it might be good for you. It was way to slow, boring and repetitive for me when I was a member, but my mother did pretty good with it for quite a while.

I think it's a good starting place if you're too intimated to go to a real gym. But it's just that.. a starting place.

I am a Curves Complete coach at Curves been there 4 yrs and it is too bad so many of you have had a poor experience. I just wanted to comment to those of you who said they needed more verity. This Year Jillian Michaels (from the biggest loser) Has teamed up with Curves to bring tons of verity to the once "boring" circuit. Many Curves offer a Zumba and Body basic class as well. I have been saying this for months now to all my younger friends "this is no longer your moma/grandma's workout! This is an amazing NEW workout that will make you sweat and get you the results you are looking for. Come check us out, most if not all Curves are currently offering a free week.

I thinbk curves look nice on a woman!!!.......OHHHHHH,,,,,nevermind..........HAHAHA

Yeh buddy!

I have never been to a gym and I am VERY intimidated by them. I was thinking that Curves would be a baby step to getting to a traditional gym.

Do a trial at both Curves AND a regular gym. Don't be intimidated...there's absolutely nothing scary about a gym (they all have people at all levels of fitness)

Join a gym with barbells...

I tried curves a few years ago and thought it was terrible....I left when I realised that the 'instructor' had made my initial weight and measurements higher so they could claim that I had lost inches after a couple of weeks! I personally don't think it's a very good workout and too repetitive, but if you are interested try a trial.

I experienced that also. When they did my iniital measurements the tape measure was really loose and then at my 1 month measurements she pulled it quite tight and tried to convince me I had lost SOOOO many inches (rolls eyes). I was glad I only had the one month trial and didn't go back, it felt like a scam.

ETA: this was about 6 years ago.

I joined Curves last year. At the time I belong to a very popular gym here in central NJ. I didn't like the gym experience at all. It was to impersonal and crowded. And unless I wanted to pay an astronomical fee for a personal trainer I was on my own. At Curves there are a lot of wonderful women sharing the same goals and supporting one another. The Coaches are there to help us get the best out of our workouts. When I started I was so out of shape that when I was able to play on the floor with my grandchildren I would have to crawl to the nearest furniture to pull myself up now I can just jump right up and be on my merry way. I used to have no arm strength and now I can rake my garden without being sore all over and I can shovel snow with no problem. I don't find it boring at all because I'm to busy focused on working harder than I did on my last workout. I find I'm always in competition with myself when it come to my workouts. I haven't been gong lately because my daughter is using my car and i sure miss so much. For now I'm walking and working out with fitness DVDs. But as soon as I get my car back I'm there! Like with anything else in life Curves is what you make it.

Curves, Planet Fitness, and the like are "entry level" gyms. That's fine if you're just dipping your toes in the fitness pool to test the water. It's not so good if you'll easily let yourself get drawn into sticking with that routine even if you get yourself ready for something more challenging. I'm all for people having a comfortable place to work out, and Curves provides that environment. You'll get some physical benefits, too, but if you stick with it, there will come a time when you need to step things up if you're going to get to the next level.

I do have to say that it annoys me to see Jillian Michaels shilling for Curves. I like her workouts and have done JMBR, but it seems like she'll plaster her name on just about anything these days. Magic pills, supplements, gyms, whatever.

Good luck in whatever you choose! It will work if you work it hard.

I never have gone to one but I just read in our paper this week that Jillian Michaels is in business with curves now. So I wonder if there are going to be big changes in the franchise?

I am doing a Curves International Study right now and am required to do their circuit 4 times per week. It KICKS my BUTT! I think (like everything) you get out what you put in. I am soaked everyday after I do a 30 minute work out. I have seen more change in my body composition in the last two months than I did with 4 months of diet alone. I lost 4% straight FAT in one month doing Curves. I get body scans through the study.

The circuit is great but the website/ meal plan SUCKS. It is not user friendly and it doesn't teach you anything about how to eat. It is the run of the mill you must eat what we tell you and not think about it.