Lotus? Are you aware you are on a low carb forum where more than a few are very heavy? If you read through some of the other Curves posts, you will see it is working for several people who post here... who would otherwise not exercise or strength train at all.
Your opinion is noted, but to say it is a joke... is just plain rude.
Have a nice day.
Tammy

I do find it a joke and I don't think it's rude of me to say so. I was 306 pounds, I know what it's like to be fat, I still AM. So don't preach to me. And it IS for beginners like I said. No lies in my post. Just my review of curves. Not everyone thinks Curves is wonderful. If you like it and it works for you, good, I'm happy for ya, any exercise is better than none.

But what really made me laugh at Curves is how they emphasized and encouraged speed over form. I didn't even mention that in my previous post. That's a biiiiiiiiig no-no in terms of strength training.

I'm not just a Curves devotee... I switch back and forth from that and a lifting routine, and I once was 293, not far off... soooooo
If you can't understand why it may be rude, considering a 400 pound woman who just started a month ago, and has lost some inches and pounds and is happy.. could then read that its a joke?
Come on, have a heart, I've devoted a lot of time lately to helping very over weight people overcome their issues, so maybe I'm a bit more sensitive.
Don't bother replying, I'm off the couch and headed to work.

I got the idea they emphasized effort on the first few pushes. That resets the machine resistance so you are pushing against the hydrolics.

I'm not sure I made the right decision myself. Mine closes too early in evening -the county gym is open till 11 pm.

But the workout makes me sweat still so I have a way to go to outgrow it

Well, I guess I qualify as one of the "obese, old people" that have been refered to in several of the posts here. I'm fairly new to the Curves form of workouts...and I like it. Has it reshaped my body? Not yet. Have I lost inches? Not yet. Do I feel better than I did before I started working out?? You betcha!!! Was I inactive by choice?? No way! A regular gym was useless to me. Not only was it to hard on my "old" joints, but the people who need it the most are made to feel self concious. You see, I'm a strong believer in people finding out where they fit and what their bodies can handle. For some that may be a regular gym, for others it may be exercise at home and still others it may be curves. If your trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, it's just not a match. Same thing with any workout routine. If it's not for you, fine. Find what is for you. But try to keep in mind that calling what someone else finds helpful "a joke" or insinuating that it's only good for the very obese, old, lazy, couch potato type, may be offensive to those who have finally found something that makes them feel good and maybe just a little bit younger. Some people may outgrow the usefullness of the curves form of workout, some may find it's exactly what they want. To each their own.

I wanted to respond to this because I have given this some thought. This always seems to become a debate.

I feel it depends on what fitness level you are at and what fitness level you want to achieve.

I go to Curves and love it. However, here is my one gripe.

Curves encourages their members to workout 3 times a week for 30 minutes. I have heard the debate about whether it is safe to go more than three times a week - but lets just stick with what they promote. Three times a week - 30 minutes.

They also encourage you to stay within a heart range of 60% (they just changed it from 70%). So basically, they are encouraging people to do aerobic/fat burning exercise.

However, they tell you to work the machines fast and hard and fatigue the muscle - which brings your heart rate up to an anaerobic state/strength training. I wear a heart rate monitor to keep track.

They do tell you to use the recovery boards for recovery - many people don't. They tell you to not bounce on those boards because they want to get your heart rate down after getting it back up on the machines.

But do you see my gripe? One minute they tell you to stay at 60% aerobic - the next they tell you to push the machines and become anaerobic. I don't think this is the best mix of cardio/strength training. maybe I am wrong - I'm definitelty not an expert. My conclusion was that if you use it for fat burning, you need to keep the heart rate down and not push too hard on the machines. If you want to build muscle - ignore the 60% and push your heart rate higher (not dangerously high) - and work the machines hard. You'll lose fat by gaining muscle - so I am not knocking Curves. I love it there but I feel I get mixed signals. maybe someone with some fitness training can explain if the up and down with the heart rate is benificial and what it will do. It may be great for the heart like a sprint?

Again, I think it depends on your fitness level and fitness goals.

I think Curves is wonderful for general health, getting people started on a fitness program and losing some excess fat.

However, if you want to lose a significant amount of fat. Thirty minutes 3 times a week without being consistantly aerobic may not be enough in the long run. You may have to supplement the workout with walking or another aerobic activity.

If you are looking to gain a significant amount of muscle mass, you need to push those machines and focus on doing them correctly or again supplement the workout.

Asses what you want from a workout and give them a try.

Overall - KUDOS to Curves for getting so many people back into physical activity!

~Danielle

I did a little research on the net about circuit training and heart rate.

I've seen suggestions to have your heart rate between 60-70% during warm-up/cool down and 70-80% during the circuit.

I decided to go to the PACE website. They are the inventers of the hydraulic circuit training - or so they say.

I used PACE back when Polos and Penny Loafers were AWESOME! - If you catch my drift.

Here are some of the things they have to say:

PACE (Programmed Aerobic/Anaerobic/ Accommodating Circuit Exercise)

Q. Will I lose weight from PACE?
A. Yes and no. You will lose body fat faster than any other 30 minute workout. However, as you increase your muscle strength, you may gain a pound or two of muscle weight. Again, the major benefit will be inches lost.

Q. Why does PACE have the "in-between" stations? A. They serve two purposes. For those people pushing hard on the hydraulic machines, they act as "rest" stations and allow the user's heart rate to lower into their target zone. For those people not pushing quite as hard, they act as aerobic stations and serve to elevate the heart rate into their target zone. The format of PACE is work/recover/work/recover, which burns more calories and helps eliminate boredom.

MORE INFO HERE

Ok - These answered my own questions. It should be aerobic and anaerobic. Depending on your goal - is how you should use the recovery stations.

So I still believe that Curves is great and beneficial but one may need to adjust according to their fitness level and fitness goals.

I have my personal Curves to blame for lack of proper information. I wish I had this information from the get go. I would have had better results from the get go.

Try it out - you're now armed with lots of info from this thread and board.

~Danielle

Hi - I do Bikram yoga, am a serious karate student and I belong to a rad gym with every mahcine/class/cardio opportunity under the sun, and I still joined Curves.

Even though I workout a lot, my weight still climed up. Curves is not "hip and young" like my gym, but Curves works. The machines are effective if you make them effective -- I see it everyday. It's not a scene. It is there to serve women who need to grasp metabolism and exercising with weights. I've lost 17.5 inches off my body in 8 weeks. It doesn't relpace my gym or other activities, it enhances them. I could lift at my gym, but it isn't constructed like Curves, so it would take me longer and I appreciate the convenience of the 30 minutes at Curves. I know women who've been doing Curves for well over a year and they're cut and happy.

Curves is not about building muscle. It is about replacing fat with muscle. If you are looking to build serious muscle then a traditional gym is for you. If you have very little muscle to start with, like I did, curves can help you get fit without the bulk.

This month's Prevention Magazine has a small article on Curves (http://205.147.231.53/cda/feature20...80,6337,00.html), here is a small quote:

"While Curves has earned kudos for getting sedentary women moving, it has some limitations. "This program is great for out-of-shape beginners," says Prevention fitness advisor Wayne Westcott, PhD. "The machines are easy to use and unlikely to cause soreness, but they provide resistance only during the lifting phase of the exercises, so your muscles only get a partial workout."

My impression, from a relative who attends, and various readings I have come across, is that Curves is great for:
-beginners
-ladies who find gyms or gym rats intimidating
-ladies who want a quieter, more supportive and intimate fitness experience
-ladies needing a gentle start to rehab

I hear often "I can get a workout crammed into my lunch hour" as a justification for Curves...and I agree that gyms catering to working persons should offer short lunchtime and before and after business hours classes, but anyone can put together a simple 30 minute workout alternating cardio and strength training if they want to.

I think most gyms are really missing the market out there for the overweight, out of shape baby boomer. I have a LOT of friends who refuse, utterly, to be seen huffing, puffing, jiggling and sweating in public. There is so much pressure to be gorgeous, the very people who need to get active are ashamed of being seen. A lot of these women (and I imagine lots of guys feel that way, too) have beaten themselves up so badly for not looking great, they simply cannot summon the courage it takes to walk into a gym of ripped 25 year olds. They can't find gym wear in their size, a sports bra that works (wear two), and they can't take an in-your-face boot camp approach. They need a TLC approach, and as Curves proves, they are in a position to pay for it.

That said, I am uneasy when I hear people chirping that by going to Curves, they are getting a high level workout and need never push themselves harder (the Curves web page states: "Curves allows you to get a complete aerobic and strength training workout in just 30 minutes." They fail to factor in that this workout is both low intensity AND short duration, and that at some point you will need more challenge to really get fit and lean: denial ain't just a river in Egypt, baby!

So Curves seems a great place to start, and hopefully the confidence gained there will lead people to a wider and more challenging menu of physical activities.

I joined "Curves" one month ago, and have gone 3X a week. I got
re-weighed yesterday. I have lost 7 lbs ( due to Atkins, not curves).
But - I have lost a total of 8.50 Inches! 1.50 off of each thigh, my waist,
and abs, 1. off my hips etc.
It is quick, painless, and close to our office, so I can go after work.
I used to go to the weightroom, but found I had trouble fitting it in.
No - I don't sweat, or work as hard as I did at the weightroom, but
this is convenient, so at least I go. You lose Inches at "Curves', not lbs.
I find dieting, and "Curves' combined is working for me.

Just my two cents...I have been working out at Curves since September. When I started, I was only three pounds away from my goal of 175 pounds. Since joining, I have lost 12 pounds and 30 inches.
When I workout, I focus on the machines and work them as hard as I can. By the time 30 seconds on a machine is over, my muscles are ready to be done. If you are not feeling a workout, and that is what you are looking for, you are not working hard enough. I use ther recovery stations for just that, recovering. At the end of my 30 minutes, I feel worked out.
If you think that the instructors encourage repitition over form, you were not trained correctly. When you start, you should be taught how to correctly position and use the machines. After you have gotten the form down, then you increase your repititions to your comfort level. For some, that is just getting moving, for others, a nice steady pace, and for even others like me, busting a** for a really good workout. Our Curves always has someone on the curcuit to remind members of the correct position/form to use the machines correctly.
Just so you know, I was not a beginner to exercise when I joined Curves, and I still saw results. Heck, I still see results (though not as rapidly) each month. I joined not just for the workout, but the all ladies aspect, the limited amount of time I have to spend there, and the social atmosphere. I also like that I can go to any Curves, anywhere.

Really? I'm a bodybuilder, but I don't know any other female bodybuilders personally, so I've never spoken to a bodybuilder who uses the Curves workout. What am I missing out on?



Now this puzzles me, but I'm VERY happy for you. 30 pounds in 3 months is AWESOME.

May I ask what your exact routine was in your "gym rat" days? I'd be interested to know what was different about the Curves approach that did the trick for you.

I work at a gym & get a free family membership. I see women all the time joining that once belonged to ****** - (I try not to say the c word). We have what is called "Figures" in our gym - upstairs. It is comparible to ****** but you can use it anytime, as much as you want - plus we have access to the entire gym. I havn't heard of one person leaving our gym to join ******.

i have been a member of curves for 3 years and have recently become an employee.
i know from experience that curves is not a joke. i have lost a total of 69.25 inches and pounds--with out dieting, w/o protien shakes. i did take the weight smart one a days w/ green tea.
i will start my first diet at the end of this month, and i am excited!

regardless of how much weight training someone does, i believe, they still need cardio in their exercise.

if you are comfortable working out at one of the bigger, co-ed, gyms that is great for you! but some ladies are not comfortable with that type of exercise program...and yes, i have tried it, and i would have been okay w/ it, except for the price!

i get a work out every day, almost. ( i do work there, so i may be busy some days). its a 30 minute work out, but you are always welcome to do more cardio.
we recommend that you do not do more of the machines because of over working your muscles. and yes, that is a possibility at curves, a lady at the curves i work at, was in the hospital because she was soooo over worked! we try to watch out for that, but we can not stop people from over working!

to avoid over working muscles we take our heart rates every 8 minutes. this is to insure that women will not over work and either look like a football player, or cause strength training to actually progress slower.

i personally love curves, my mom and grandmother do too.

curves is for the working or the to busy to spend an hour in the gym ladies.

the machines at curves are hydrolic wieght machines, so you push and pull--contracting your muscles, the harder you work, the more resistance you build up.

also, another thing to consider about curves, is the atmosphere. all curves are different. so travel around to the different ones in your area. also, some curves offer different specials, the curves i work for, does not charge sales tax..YET! so watch for that as well...most do charge sales tax though.

also, once you are a member, you can travel around the world and still work out at curves. how great is that?

the curves website is www. curves. com !