Curves

I did Curves several years ago. It's basically a big room with a circle of various machines and cardio stations between them. You use a machine for 30 secs. (about 12 reps), then switch to the step for 30 sec where you can dance, jog, whatever, and then switch again. The machines are hydraulic, so however hard you push, they resist to that extent. It's a really neat system. Once around is a little less than 30 min. The music is all remixed and sometimes a little cheesy. From what I saw it was an older adult crowd. They measure/weigh you once a month which is a nice feature you don't get most places. I saw a lot of improvement and supplemented it with biking everywhere (had no car LOL). I prefer a gym but I did enjoy the supportive atmosphere and how simple the workout was.

Joining Curves has absolutely SAVED MY LIFE!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! You do only get out of it what you put into it, and I do walk almost every evening. The friendship and support of the other members is Priceless!!!

Walking into Curves back in March of this year was the best decision I have made in a Long, Long time!

Curves was REALLY effective for me when I was going. You DO have to make the commitment and go, but I joined with a friend, and we're both very competetive, so it worked well. I think I lost 4 inches around my waist in the first month I was there - I think I lost 9 inches around my whole body the first 2 months. IT WORKS (if you work it). I only wish the ones in my area were open later. I transferred jobs, and couldn't keep my membership, as they close before I'm off from work, and I'm not able to go in the mornings- childcare issues. I liked the simplicity of it, the drawbacks - it's not a regular gym, so you won't have a pool, and other "classes," but honestly, I wasn't using any of that stuff when I had it available to me (or at least not often enough to know I was "missing" out on anything).

I hated curves, but I'll tell you why so you can make an informed decision. I cannot speak of it's effectiveness because that was before I found MFP and watched my calories and weighed myself regularily. That being said, yes, the workout is simple but it gets very boring in my opinion. It's all resistance, the only cardio you get is the running/jumping jacks/dancing in place you do on the stations between the machines. I can't imagine one time around would burn much more than 150 calories, but that's just my guess.

The people working there, to my knowledge, have virtually no fitness experience or nutrition knowledge. When I signed up they made my goal weight what my BMI says, which I will NEVER have a healthy BMI, it's just not possible, I would be sick.

There is nothing else to do except go in the rotation of machines, so if you get bored easily, or want to change up your routine to shock your body or whatever, you can't. At the location I went to, there was only one small (one toilet) bathroom, and none of them have lockerrooms or anything, just a small changing room. Any nutritional classes you want to take are extra and there are not aerobic classes or anything.

I found their hours to be pretty limiting (open at 7 or 8, close at 7 or 8 or something like that) and I was told if I signed up for a year I could use any location. Only later did they tell me you needed little hand written passes that expire after a month to go to another location. So I couldn't even have any extra on hand because they usually expired first.

The worst part was that you get all that (or only that) for 30 bucks a month, though this was like 3 or 4 years ago so it's probably more now. To me that just wasn't worth it for the little that you get. If you don't think you need a super pricey huge gym like lifetime, see if there are any Fitness 19's or Planet Fitness in your area. I got to fitness 19 and I think it's great. True it only has a public bathroom (but three toilets, yay!) and changing rooms, but they have every cardio, resistance and free weights you could need and I only pay $10/month. They don't have additional classes either but they have personal trainers. If your concerned about the co-ed atmosphere, don't be. Sure I notice a few guys looking sometimes (but it's a good feeling) but for the most part people mind their own business and work out. There are young girls, there are old men, there are people in full workout garb, there are people working out in jeans.....no gym is like the people on the commercials. Just take a friend the first time and after that you should be fine.

I hated curves, but I'll tell you why so you can make an informed decision. I cannot speak of it's effectiveness because that was before I found MFP and watched my calories and weighed myself regularily. That being said, yes, the workout is simple but it gets very boring in my opinion. It's all resistance, the only cardio you get is the running/jumping jacks/dancing in place you do on the stations between the machines. I can't imagine one time around would burn much more than 150 calories, but that's just my guess.

The people working there, to my knowledge, have virtually no fitness experience or nutrition knowledge. When I signed up they made my goal weight what my BMI says, which I will NEVER have a healthy BMI, it's just not possible, I would be sick.

There is nothing else to do except go in the rotation of machines, so if you get bored easily, or want to change up your routine to shock your body or whatever, you can't. At the location I went to, there was only one small (one toilet) bathroom, and none of them have lockerrooms or anything, just a small changing room. Any nutritional classes you want to take are extra and there are not aerobic classes or anything.

I found their hours to be pretty limiting (open at 7 or 8, close at 7 or 8 or something like that) and I was told if I signed up for a year I could use any location. Only later did they tell me you needed little hand written passes that expire after a month to go to another location. So I couldn't even have any extra on hand because they usually expired first.

The worst part was that you get all that (or only that) for 30 bucks a month, though this was like 3 or 4 years ago so it's probably more now. To me that just wasn't worth it for the little that you get. If you don't think you need a super pricey huge gym like lifetime, see if there are any Fitness 19's or Planet Fitness in your area. I got to fitness 19 and I think it's great. True it only has a public bathroom (but three toilets, yay!) and changing rooms, but they have every cardio, resistance and free weights you could need and I only pay $10/month. They don't have additional classes either but they have personal trainers. If your concerned about the co-ed atmosphere, don't be. Sure I notice a few guys looking sometimes (but it's a good feeling) but for the most part people mind their own business and work out. There are young girls, there are old men, there are people in full workout garb, there are people working out in jeans.....no gym is like the people on the commercials. Just take a friend the first time and after that you should be fine.

Unfortunately I agree. I used to work at Curves and we had little to no training in fitness or nutrition. I will also tell you that the longer you do the program the less effective it is. Your body gets used to the workout thats why we urged our members to add walking or other exercises to their routines if they felt the were not losing anymore. We were mostly taught how to answer common questions and the training lasted two days and was mostly scripts we had to learn about how to sell the memberships. I did lose weight there but I worked at a "gym" and was completely clueless about fitness because I had little training.

I think different work outs are for different people. I did curves when I was in high school. I felt awkward because there were a bunch of older ladies in there. But if its something you want to do do it. Any kind of work out is better than no work out at all. Just commit to it.