Tell me about Curves

[roselark]

I have read the website, so I think I understand the concept of the circuit, but I don't know much else about it.

I need to get motivated again. I have been pretty much sedentary since hurting my knee a couple of months ago. Dr says I am ok to work out and I need to start working out with weights to help strengthen it. I had a traditional gym membership for 2 years and only went a couple of times. This is a bit different, so I am hoping it might work better for me. I love my treadmill at home and once I get back into the swing of things I know I will use it, but I don't have room for weights. I tried resistance bands and just did not like them.

What is the typical cost? Can you go whenever you want? Do you have to go to one location or can you go to multiple (one is closer to home and one is closer to work).

It seems like it could be pretty motivating, working out with other women. Anyone have any experience with Curves? What did you like/dislike about it?

Thanks!

 

[Karalea]

I am bumping this back up because I was just going to post the same question.

Hopefully someone with some experience with Curves will see it

 

[LuvBaloo]

I tried Curves about 5 years ago.
For exercising you could go anytime they were open.
You had to make appointment for weight/size checks, if you wanted those.

Overall it was a good atmosphere, but I quit because the hours they were open weren't convenient for me.

I live in a small town, and there was only 1, so I have no idea if memberships can be used at different locations.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Like LuvBaloo, I quit because the center I belonged to had very limited hours. But I enjoyed the program. I think had my life not been so stressful at the time (my mother was in the end stage of cancer) I would have had much better success.

The atmosphere is fun, its nice to be with ladies only, its a good workout and not at all difficult. I always found the thirty minutes went very quickly.

I think my dues were around $35 a month, maybe a tad less. That was like three years ago.

Good luck to you. I recommend you don't sign more than a one year contract. From my research, experience and the experience of several of my friends, its great for beginners but as a long term thing, if you get in good shape, not challenging enough. But I think for you just getting back into the groove of exericsing, with weights esp., it would great.

I think since they are independant franchises you have to go to just one. Now I could be wrong. I do think you can transfer your membership. The biggest complaint I see about Curves is the limited hours. They are small set ups, with fewer members than other gyms so they usually have a limited number of employees. Mine for example only had the owner and one other lady. Mine was open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m and then from 4:00 to 7:00 Monday-Friday and like from 7:00 to 11:00 on Saturday's. That was it.

Also, tell them you cannot pay the join up fee. I did that and they did cut it way down for me. It never hurts to try. Sometimes they do run specials with no join up fee, just the montly dues. So ask about that. And I did get out of my year long membership early. I told the lady the truth, I had too much going on and the hours were too limited. She released me about five months early.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I haven't done this myself, but my MIL was a member a few years ago and when she came to visit us in another state she looked up their locations on their website so she could still workout while she was visiting so you may be able to use both locations.

 

[mainegal]

I did Curves for about two years. It is a good way to get into an exercise habit. I went 2 - 3 times a week. My weight didn't go down much, but it didn't go up at all. I didn't pay enough attention to what I was eating. My fault!

I quit curves and now go to a regular gym that is a little more challenging. But I thank Curves for getting me to do exercise as a habit.

 

[steelpens]

I went for over a year. The first month I lost 5 inches, but not much after that. I did maintain, but after I quit I gained weight, go figure. I quit because of the hours too. It was too restrictive with a preschooler. My mom has been going to curves for 5 years and she loves it.