I'm very interested in joining a fitness center before winter. I'm curious to hear any good or bad experiences with Curves. I have had a Bally's membership before but it was intimidating to me and seemed like a meat market-type gym. A YMCA membership sounds appealing, but too costly for our budget. Curves seems to be the best match for what I'm looking for, but would like to hear some first-hand experiences.
Thanks!
Casey
Out of the three choices, I would choose indifferent. But, that is only because I love free weights after training with a trainer for a few months at Lifetime. If you want guidance, Curves is a good way to go. What I do not like about it is that there is no childcare and my husband refuses to commit to being around so I can go and I won't go sporadically, so I don't go at all. I have five kids so a sitter wouldn't be in my budget. My favorite gym was Lifetime Fitness is Roseville, which was women's only. No men, free & stimulating childcare on site, showers, it was my thing just for me. I just cannot afford the start up fee at this time, that's how I ended up at Curves. I've heard nice things about this new one called Butterfly Life, I think it's called, and it's women only also. Good luck!
My mom joined Curves a few months ago and really likes it! She's already down quite a few pounds (can't remember the amount), but is really glad she joined!!
I wouldn't mind joining, but...I think I'd rather join something my hubby could use too.
Hi Casey-
I am a 29 year old mom and just gave up my Curves membership. Not because I wanted too but because family complications at this time... and plan to join again next year.
I loved going to curves!! I also use to be apart of a larger gym and felt the same way (meat market) and Y was WAY out of budget for us. Curves offered me something the others couldn't... woman/mom time. I loved that I could get a great workout in 30 minutes. I did not liek that they did not offer daycare, so I had to really work around my husband's schedule.
One thing that I did notice was the times and people. At the Curves here, the "old biddies" (that is why they called themselves) would go at 8 am. The younger women would be there around 7p or after 5p so going at a certain time made a difference to me. I did not have things in common with the people telling me about their grandchildren having cell phones. But I could relate to a mom of 4 who's husband works long hours. I have made some great friends from Curves. So ask when they seem to have people your age come in. It pushes your workout too.
Have you tried their one week free? Call and ask them about that so you can see for yourself.
One other thing I liked was they kept me on goals. So I knew I was making progress.
Sorry, I am rambling... good luck with your decision.
Roberta
Hi I joined Curves for a bit last year but ended up cancelling. The reassons are:
1. No childcare and it was hard to find someone to watch my daughter.
2. I never really clicked with the other members. At the centers I went to the people talked to you while you were working out and that is not my thing. I just want to go and zone out.
3. The hours were really short on the weekends when childcare was more available.
My advice for anyone looking to join would be to check the hours of the center, and make sure the staff and environment work for you. Some people really love it. These were just my thoughts. I ended up at the YMCA so my daughter could take swimming and my husband could also workout. We get a discount if we go 8 times a month through our insurance. That helped to make it more affordable. Good luck on your search.
Curves is a great starting point, but the problem is after you plateau in your workout and weight loss there is no way to increase either. You workout on these machines at the same level always. Yes, the Y can seem expensive, but when you factor in FREE childcare it becomes more reasonable. An individual membership is $55 a month and you would spend more than that just paying someone to watch your kids. They have sooo many options as well. I don't particularly like to work out by myself on weights or treadmills, so their group classes really fit my style, not to mention BODYPUMP is one of the best ways to lose fat and tone up. I have seen more ladies in class who started out right after having babies and you would not believe how great they look.
I've never done curves because of the lack of daycare. If you are around Woodbury, I'd recommend Halsa fitness. It has free daycare, and it's 30-40$ per month depending on where your husband works- some businesses have a corporate discount. Great classes, and there's a "body pump" class with weights, so it's kind of like curves. Good Luck!
my mom loved it, my friend hated it. i think it is about where your fitness level is to begin with whether or not you will see results.
i'm not sure where you are located, but i just joined a fitness club and love it. i love the variety of classes and equipment. they have an open house through the end of the week. i would get bored doing the same circuit over and over. ~~Wendy (brookfield, wi)
Hi, I used to go to Curves, but I found it to be not as user friendly as it should have been. Mine, had weird hours, and I couldnt work out when I wanted to. Yours is probably more structured than ours was. I didnt find the women any more friendly than any other place. (not like the commercial.) I would suggest going for a trial. I personally go to the Golds Gym and have found that to be very good.
I worked at a Curves for about a year and a half...I got the job after being a member for a few months. Maybe I'm biased, maybe that particular Curves was unique-who knows but I LOVED it. It's so nice to talk to the other women working out, and if you go around the same time of the day, you can get very familiar with the groups of women that come then. Also, I was very toned when I was going there and lost a few needed pounds. If you're looking to lose a lot of weight, that program with a good diet will do wonders-I've seen it happen. One of "my ladies" there lost over a hundred pounds! (Obviously that doesn't happen to everyone though.) Another one of the women there is 70 yrs old, I was 20 when I was working there. We still send cards back and forth! If you're looking for exercise and a break from the kids with other grown ups-no meat market and good prices, I strongly recommend it. Call ahead and ask what kind of promotions they have right now, sometimes in October they have a breast cancer awareness program if you bring in proof of mamogram(if you're too young they should accept proof of yearly exam) you can get your sign up fee for FREE! Good Luck!
I use to go to curves for a while but didn't feel like I got a good work out. It was too easy and I didn't feel that there were any improvments in my body strength. It is great for older ladies that want to keep moving, but for us young ones, it is not enough resistance to do much. More of a social outing. I also don't want to put all the money into a gym and like you, I don't like the meat market. I actually wouldn't mind getting together with some other women to do yoga or something at someone's home or mine.
I've never been interested in going to a gym like Lifetime or Northwest because those places aren't designed for people who are overweight. They are designed for people who look nice in spandex.
The reason that Curves doesn't have daycare is because part of the point of it is for you to get a break. It's YOU time. Where you don't have to worry about anything but yourself.
I'm lucky. My husband works nights so he is at home during the day. My 2 year old goes down for his nap at 11 and I go to Curves and wherever else I need to go and I come home and he's getting up.
I don't know if all the hours are the same, but my curves in Otsego is open until 8pm M-Th and 6pm on Fridays. I will agree that they could be open later on Saturdays because they close at 11am and sometimes I can't make it until then but that is more of a "not enough members to make it pay" thing.
You don't have to chat while you work out if you don't want to. Just don't say anything. Most people are there to work out anyway.
I went to curves for a while, it was about 1 month. I liked it but had to stop due to coming back to school. I really liked it. The one in Anoka off of 5th by the school there is wonderful. The attendant Terry is always loving and supportive. They do give out free trials for a week or two also.
girlsand8
Hi,
I used to have a curves membership before I had my baby (I am only 22) and didn't really like it too much. I would recommend it for someone who is fairly out of shape and doesn't know how to use gym equiptment well. I however found that if I didn't work really hard on the individual stations at curves that I wouldn't see results at all. And as far as the price difference, I am paying almost the same price at the Y now as I did at Curves when I had my membership. Curves does have the benefits of working out only around women which I did enjoy because it's more comfortable but if you know how to use the machines at the gym and are fairly in shape than I would just would suggest the Y.
Love it!!! The only drawbacks are the lack of childcare, and the hours are sometimes difficult to work with. But it's such a small amount of time, and the cost is right. Good luck with your decision!
The YMCA has financial assistance availabled. For me and my four kids its only $14.50 a month. They pay 75%. It all depends on your income.
I have heard some good things about curves... I know p[eople who have acually lost weight and gotten in shape going there..
Good luck
~Wilma
I refuse to use Curves for personal reasons; I've heard that the owner of the company donates to pro-life organizations, and as I'm vehemently pro-choice, I don't want to contribute to such things, however indirectly.
Hey I am a 28 yr old stay at home mom of two boys as well 2,4 and a boy on the way;-)I belong to gold's gym and have been in the fitness industry since 18 yrs of age. I personally like the gyms with more to offer than curves simply because they offer alot of different class and have more options, most gyms are some what of a meat market but honestly at the golds gym in bliane i totally feel comfortable becuase seriously thier are all shapes and sizes even some of the trianers you would'nt know they were trainers,I dont say that being rude or mean not what so ever! but I think trianer I think total hard body right. What happens at curves well from what I have seen is they have a circiut training Example:they have machines in a big circle and you move from each one several times. this will work for so long then your body will become acustome to this routine and will stop improving or should I say will go into catabolic state.I pay 29.00 a month plus 12.00 for child care I know I like the price of that for sure so i can see where you come from also if you have the option to go with out having to take the kids that works to. You know it all depends on what your goals are and what makes sense financially,and of you are comfortable ;-)If curves is what can work for you right now then go for it something is always better than nothing sister.Well good luck God bless and have fun! Mel
It depends on what you want. If you want to exercise casually and not seriously. curves is good. But if you want a challenge and be serious about exercising. curves is boring. I found curves boring. You couldn't increase the intensity of the weights, you could just do them over and over. It is good for endurance I suppose if you have all day to exercise.