What do you think of Curves?

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.

I just joined this week. I was looking around for something on Saturdays in particular because my free work fitness center isn't open on weekends. I, too, am just getting back into a gym after way too many years of working at a desk. Yes, I think Curves is probably too expensive - but then I priced the local Y - even *more* expensive - and the local senior center which is only open weekdays 9-5. I'm still working fulltime. The thing that impressed me LEAST was the staff, who bluntly, should be glad to be working at Curves because I don't konw what else they could do. Maybe they don't get paid much, but I went to two different places and was told there "wasn't enough time" to get me through the rotations - 30 minutes - really???!!! or weighed and measured. Well, a miracle happened. At the second place, I just insisted "Do what you can finish and we'll see where we get by your closing time." Amazingly, I was weighed, measured and went through two rounds of the circuit within that time frame! I'm not interested in their total plan - I have been working with a medical weight loss clinic for 9 months and have lost 20% body weight! Now, I need to tone and improve my stamina. I can alternate Curves with my work fitness center which has ellipticals and free weights and traditional "Nautilus"-like stacked weight machines. I think Curves will serve my purpose if I'm left alone to do it the way I see fit. For example, the woman last night wouldn't "allow" me to use hand weights during the "square pad" phase of things. She criticized what I was doing as "non-cardio" - but I can tell you (and told her) that if I had had the hand weights in my hands - it is indeed cardio - and something we do at the work fitness center. I understand that many Curves franchises have gone out of business - if this is a part-time "hobby" for some of the workers, I can see how that could happen. I'll continue as long as I can do it the way I think is best. One funny thing. I actually have one leg that is smaller than the other due to atrophy. The larger leg alone was measured. At my next measurement, I'm thinking of sticking out the smaller leg and let's see if miraculous claims are made! Otherwise, today I do actually "feel" some of the twisting and bending - and for me, personally, that is a good thing.