Curves
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April 2008
I'm looking for a good work-out and wondered how well Curves
works for others. I did a boot-camp work-out for a month but
it was too high impact for my middle-aged knees. I liked the
variety and I liked being challenged. I'd like to hear from
those of you who have tried Curves or other classes that have
worked for you. I'd also like to hear from those who tried
but did not like Curves.
I need to move my booty and not be completely bored.
thanks
Well, if you're looking to avoid boredom, Curves may not be for you.
It's good in terms of being gentle on knees (it's as low impact as you
could ask for), and in terms of getting a fairly thorough workout in
as short a time as is probably possible -- although if you want to
tone your abs, that won't happen at Curves, you'll have to add some
situps.
But, it's dull. Same machines, every time, two or three times around.
Mostly same people, same music even. I go there mostly in the winter
when it's raining and I can't walk in the hills where I live.
Occasionally in the summer just to keep the upper body muscles more or
less toned.
Karen
If you are pro-choice and care what your money supports, you might
want to find another gym, as Gary Heavin, the founder and CEO of
Curves is a born-again Christian who contributes heavily to pro-life
organizations. He's also a close friend of George W. Bush.
No Curves fan
Hi,
I am not a gym person but wanted a work out with some simple yet
effective machines that I wouldn't need to spend hours at and be with
all women. That and more is what Curves offers. With long, converient
hours, a 30 minute 3 times a week program, friendly, knowlegable
staff, a no pressure/competition feeling and many locations, it worked
for me.
dancingal53
I checked out curves a while back and didn't like it. mostly because
of the routine. I couldn't keep up with it for more than 2 weeks.
Instead, I joined jazzercise (on san pablo in el cerrito) and I really
love it. There are few levels (you could start with ''lite''), you get
a great workout, both aerobic and strength, you listen to great music
and the instructors are amazing. Worth cheching out.
anon
Hi, I joined long time ago Curves, did not make it for me, what woks
better is a gym, nothing fancy, and no competition on looks, I happen
to join a really good one, no expensive and with all what you need,
and the owner/trainer (David) he is really good at what he teaches and
reasonable price for a session, the membership is also cheap...... if
compare with other clubs, and the monthly dues are extremely
reasonable, the crowd is great, love this place, best ever I found in
long long time, is in Montclair, and the name is Montclair Fitness,
off of Moraga Ave. next to Petco, Wells Fargo, etc.
Good luck,
anon
Hated Curves. I joined as a way to jumpstart my postpartum exercising
last year. I've never been a gym person - always preferred walking or
hiking for excercise - but I really needed some structure to get me
active. Anyway, I joined Curves because it seemed right - near my
house, good hours, decent price, 30 minute workout. However, the
workout just didn't do it for me. The circuit was great and the
cardio stations got my heartrate up, but the toning and strength
building machines didn't challenge me enough. I didn't like the
atmosphere either - I felt really out of place. And then I found out
that the man who founded Curves is a Born Again Christian who supports
pro-life causes.
So, it didn't work for me. Try looking into 24 Hour Fitness Fit Lite.
They have several spots (Piedmont Ave, Solano Ave.). It's a circuit,
but provides more variety with the machines.
still running in circles
Curves worked well for me. Unfortunately the one near my office
closed, otherwise I'd still be a member. Pros - reasonable variety,
short time demand, and women only. Also at the one I went to the
owner was friendly, the patrons were nice, and the music was great (it
was downtown Oakland). Cons -can't think of any really.
Rebecca
I love Curves and have been going for about 4 years. From the
beginning the workouts have given me more energy and tone. There is a
community there too. You can be involved with conversations around the
circuit, or you can keep to yourself and just work out. The owner at
the El Cerrito Plaza curves leads members in an advanced work out on
the recover stations for people who want more intensity.
JK
Can't tell you how many times I've joined a fancy gym, only to waste
my membership $$ cuz I can't stand the gym scene and I can't make
myself go.
I do Curves everyday- it's convenient, it's low attitude, folks are
friendly and supportive. I've been going for nearly 3 years. Working
out for 30-40 mins everyday has totally boosted my energy level. Folks
work out at their own pace, so you can start where its comfortable for
you. Local Curves are usually woman owned- mine donates $$ to Planned
Parenthood or Charlotte Maxwell cancer clinic if you make it to the
gym 3x a week.
A couple of things-
You need to mindful to increase the intensity of your workout if
that's your goal. The machines are all resistance based, so you can
effectively do not much of anything if you don't keep ramping it up.
Same w/the cardio, you have to move to make it worthwhile. No one is
telling you what to do, so it's all on you to make sure you are
getting the workout you need.
The music sucks. And it's kinda hard to listen to your own b/c of the
format.
It's repetetive and you can feel a little like a hamster on a wheel.
I'm not thrilled w/the political causes the owner of the franchise
parent company supports financially.
However, all the pluses outweigh the minuses in my book. And it's
cheap enough that you can afford to get in a little yoga or swimming
or something else for your knees! I've heard 24 Hr Fitness's Fit Lite
on Piedmont is a similar set-up, but is a little more gym-like, if
that's what your looking for.
Good luck w/whatever you do!
Kris
I was a member of the Emeryville Curves for several years and loved
it. I think that particular club is a little less crowded than some
of the others. The music sucks (imho), but I loved the workout. I
felt that it was very well balanced, full body workout. My muscle
tone got really good, although I did not lose weight (whaddya know.)
That said, it is a repetitive work out, so if you are looking for
variety, Curves is probably not the place for you. I got a bit too
tired of the repetition after 3 years - that (and the lack of energy I
had during pregnancy) is the only reason I quit and I'm kind of
regretting it. good luck
anon
i belonged to curves for 1 1/2 years. while i enjoyed it at first, it
started to feel monotonous and i began questioning whether or not it
was really doing my body much good. yes, it got me moving for 1/2 hr,
but i never worked up much of a sweat and it became more of a social
place for many of the women than beneficial exercise. the machines are
hydrolic, not adjustable, so you have to push/pull quickly to get a
good resistance going.
once fit-lite opened up on solano i decided to check it out. a trial
workout sold me on how much better this workout would be for me. while
both curves and fit-lite are based on a circut, one can adjust most of
the machines at fit-lite for your own body size and strength. they
also focus on core strengthening, and i was able to tell a difference
within a month.
While I have only been a member of Curves for a little over 2 months,
I have lost 13 pounds doing it 3x/week, and I have a lot more energy.
I like the people at the Montclair Curves. They are friendly and I
always feel like you can talk or not, and nobody expects anything you
don't want to give. They are doing a food drive right now, and have a
place to donate books for needy kids, as well as a donation box for
shelters, and a bookshelf for members to share books. They have a new
system being put in place as I write this called Curves Smart which
gives you feedback about your workoout based on the baseline they put
in the system after they work with you, so you can ''go for green''
to intensify your workout if you need to, and it helps you to
progress where you need to, take it slower if you need to, and you
get lots more feedback than before, so I'd recommend it. You can also
opt to do it the old way, if you like that. I've been really enjoying
my time there but have never belonged to a gym, so I don't have
anything to compare it to.
Having Fun at Curves
Feb 2004
Can anyone comment (positively or negatively) on the ''Curves''
exercise gyms for women. If you joined, did you drop out, or
were you able to maintain your exercise program there? Thanks.
Diane
I've been a Curves member for about five months now. After trying
it for a month, I dropped my Courthouse membership and signed on
with Curves for six months.
It's very hard to say whether you, personally, can ''maintain your
exercise program there,'' to use your phrasing--'cause I have no
idea what that means for you. I can tell you that I chose Curves
over Courthouse because I just wasn't getting to Courthouse,
ever. The time commitment involved in getting to an exercise
class there (which was much more of an attraction for me,
personally, than doing freeweights and Stairmaster on my own) was
more than I could manage with a part-time job and two small kids.
Because I can go to Curves and get in some weight-training (at
what I consider a very low level, to be truthful) and a half hour
of aerobic exercise, all packed into roughly 35 minutes, I go far
more often than I went to Courthouse. In fact, I go twice a week,
ususally in the morning before my husband goes to work. The
program recommends that you do a Curves workout at least three
times a week, but I take at least one ballet class on the weekend
(and sometimes two), so I'm personally meeting my exercise goals.
Now, this hasn't led me to suddenly drop 20 pounds (or even 10),
but I'm slender to begin with, so that wasn't my overarching goal.
Hope that helps you.
darcy
I was skeptical about Curves until I saw the results on the work
out on two friends, one of whom went down a whole clothing
size. I have been going for about 5 weeks now, and I really
enjoy it. It is definitely a no-frills type place, but it is
only 30 minutes, and it is pretty fun once you get into it. I go
to the one by my office at El Cerrito Plaza. It is a real cross
section of people age, weight and strength levels. I tried the
one on Grand Ave. and would not go back as it was so small, I
thought I was going to hit the person next to me. The music is
good, and the boredom factor is minimal given the shortness of
the workout. The staff, at least at El Cerrito, are not the
most inspiring, but you get what you pay for. In short, I would
recommend joining Curves if you are looking for a fast workout.
It is also helpful that they have them all over the place and
you can go to any of them. I would caution you that the hours
at most of the Curves are pretty strange, i.e. they close for
the afternoons, so make sure of the hours before you sign up.
Jenny B.
I have been going to Curves since it opened in my neighborhood (last July) and I
love it! I even brought a friend who was visiting from LA and she is now a member
at the Curves in her neighborhood. Membership is a bit expensive: I paid $503 for a
one-year membership, though I believe the dues vary between locations. Curves is
not your typical gym, a feature I like and appreciate, yet you are still able to get a
good workout and feel good about yourself afterwards. Also, you may be able to try
a few sessions for free, to see if you like it.
PJ
Curves is great! I go to the one in El Cerrito Plaza. I
joined last October. Exercising to rock music from the 60's
70's & 80's -- what's not to like? I always get an
endorphin ''high'' within the first 10 minutes and leave with a
big smile on my face.
Speaking of big smiles, I lost 5 inches off my body within the
first two months and I have lost more since.
I will say that, like me, most of the Curves participants are
middle-aged women with weight to lose and figure ''challenges''.
The routine might not be interesting or challenging enough for
some women. I find it easy to go 3 times a week. It's only a
half hour (sometimes I do 45 minutes) and for me, it has gotten
results without serious dieting. Oh, and I like the fact that
it is all-women.
Getting Curvier
I love Curves. I belong to the one in El Cerrito Plaza and I
think it is a great place. I really saw some physical changes
after going there for the first 6 weeks (3 days a week and 30-
40 minutes each session). I have slacked off a bit this winter
do to traveling, a few family funerals and just general
laziness and I had been going only 2 times a week. But I have
committed myself to going 3 days a week again because it helps
with my training for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and a trip
to Mexico where I will be wearing a bathing suit alot has been
a motivator. It is really easy to get into it. I see some
women who go every day and they have made tremendous strides in
their weight loss goals. Curves also has a great diet plan
that you can commit to for 6 weeks. I had lost about 7 pounds
doing it for 3 weeks (again, summer vacation coincided with the
timing of the group session and I just slacked off without the
support and well, you know, it was vacation!). It's free to
join the diet group when you are a member (the diet is a cross
between weight watchers and Atkins). At El Cerrito, they run a
group every 2 months or so.
I have found that Curve gyms are everywhere and when you travel
you can get a pass from your home gym and workout at any other
Curves (I have been to one in South Oklahoma, Lake Tahoe and in
Middletown, Lake County). That alone has been very convienent
for me.
Curves is a very successful place. The age range of the women
who work out there is from 20-80. Most of the older women who
I see in the mornings say they wished they had something like
Curves when they were younger, because the support of the
members, ease of the machines and the express workout time
really fits into a busy women's lifestyle.
I am glad to be fitting back into my pre-pregnancy pants again!
I've been going to Curves since last summer, quite faithfully,
usually three times a week. I definitely feel good for having
the exercise and recommend it on that basis. I can't say that
it has made any difference in my shape or weight, (I'd like to
lose 20 lbs.) though I am still reducing my food intake and
maybe just haven't gotten to the right ratio of calories
in/calories used. I should say I'm also 49 and at a stage where
my body is making a major change (get my drift?) and that, no
doubt, complicates all of this.
Anyway, I do recommend Curves. It's only women and there's a
nice feeling of support that we're all doing this together. If
you go regularly, you'll see the same faces there.
I joined the curves at rockridge market hall last september.
It's a great place for a good 30 minute - no frills workout.
The weight machines work on resistance. So you make the workout
as easy or hard as you need / want. I was craving excercise but
couldn't seem to work a gym or classes into my schedule. At
curves you just get on the machines, go around 3 times, and
you're done (plus stretching). Nothing to think about or skip
or in my case - cheat. The staff at the Rockridge curves are
very friendly and motivating.
I believe sometime in March the sign up fees for new members are
waved if you bring a bag of can goods for a charity drive.
Happy with curves!
anon
I joined the Telegraph Avenue Curves with a friend in September,
and just recently stopped going. The first couple of weeks there
were some really cool people working there, and the place was
friendly and funky. Then they hired a robot by-the-books-
corporate manager, and since then the staff has been quitting
every few weeks. I don't like the music and it is usually too loud,
and it is hard to get staff to lower the volume. The machines
are not adjustable for one's stature, and it is really easy to
injure yourself on them. It is also difficult to tailor the
circuit to your own needs, because there are people in front and
behind you so you can't easily go out of order or skip a
machine. I wanted to not use the abs machine and just hit the
floor and do crunches instead, and they told me that their
liability policy wouldn't let me do that!
I love Curves!! I live on Lake Merritt and joined the Park
Blvd. location in Oakland (2706 Park Blvd., 1/2 mile south of
580) a little over a month ago, and I can't believe how good I
am feeling already. It is a great workout, fun, over in 30
minutes, is not intimidating, and so far has been easy to stick
with. In fact, I have worked out more in the past month at
Curves than I did during the year I was a member at Gold's Gym!
I am also finding that it is hard to talk myself out of skipping
the gym when the workout only takes 30 minutes! The Park Blvd.
location has been open almost 2 months and there is ample street
parking. The franchise owner, Sharon Jones, is very hands on
with her members and periodically gets right in there and
exercises with us and cheers us on. It actually is lots of fun.
Give Sharon a call at (510) 645-1101 if you live in our
neighborhood and she will be happy to give you more specific
information. I believe there may still be a special deal going
on for new members, but you would have to ask Sharon about that.
I am so happy that you posted your question about Curves because
I am bursting at the seams to share how great I think this
workout is. The concept must work since 24 Hour Fitness has
copied the 30-second-each-station circuit training system at
their gyms. Good luck with your decision.
Charlotte, a new Curves convert
Regarding the earlier posts about Curves gyms... this may be
relevant to anyone thinking of joining one. There has been
some on-line discussion recently about the founder of Curves,
Gary Heavin, and his large donations to anti-choice
organizations.
There is an extensive report about it at
http://www.snopes.com/business/alliance/curves.asp (Snopes.com
is a site that researches urban legends and reports about their
truth or lack thereof).
The short version is that Mr. Heavin donated $10 million last
year to charities (approx 10% of Curves gross revenues) and
that anti-choice groups are major recipients of these
donations. Notably, he donates to the radical group Operation
Save America (which calls legal abortion a ''holocaust'' and is
affiliated with Operation Rescue).
Something to think about, if you are a member or thinking of
becoming one. Plenty of other good gyms around...
Jen
July 2003
Hi,
My sister -in-law in So. Cal is raving about the fitness
program CURVES. Does anyone know if there is a center in
Berkekey?
Thanks
Jamie
I don't know if there is a Curves in Berkeley but there is one
in Oakland, off Grand Avenue, a few blocks up from the theater.
There is a Curves in the El Cerrito Plaza (between Trader Joes
and Citibank) and one in Emeryville (not sure where). I have
been going to the EC one for about 2 weeks and have noticed a
definate change in my body defination (and I lost 6 pounds). I
love it-it is truly a 30 minute work out/3 days a week and you
will see results. They also have a great diet plan (sort of
Atkins like, with a support like WW). Give them a visit.
Kerri
A Curves studio just opened up in Oakland/Piedmont on Grand Avenue.
I am curious as to what they offer, but I haven't been there yet.
Heather
Yes, the address is:
2855 Telegraph Ave Suite 104
Berkeley, California 94705
Their is also one in Piedmont and Emervyille. You can look it
up on, www.curvesforwomen.com
ellia
There is a new Curves on San Pablo in Emeryville, that's only
minutes from Berkeley. I don't know the exact address but it is
definitely between 40th and 51st on the East side of the street.
April 2003
Has anyone tried Curves, the circuit training fitness program? It
appeals to me because of the 30 minute work-out. Are there any
locations that are better?
eve
I tried Curves with my Mother-in-Law in Michigan in January. I
have worked out for many years, doing step aerobics, weight
training and circuit training at high end clubs and found Curves
to be a very un-strenuous work out. I thought it was great for
some of the people in MI who have never worked out a day in their
lives as it gets them moving, but I was really disappointed as I
didn't really get a really great work out. The machines they
offer are only adjusted to one setting, so once your body
accumulates to the machines, you body will require more in order
to get positive results. It would be a good program to start
off with I you have never done anything like this at all, but
then I would gradually move on to something more challenging and
strenuous like free weights and/or something aerobic to make your
body work a little harder . If your looking for big results
fast, I would not recommend Curves..(my $0.02)
Suzanna
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