I am wanting to join the Curves next to my job but wondered how everyone feels about the same workout after a year since you have to do a contract for a year with them

any feed back appreciated

I went there for about 6 months. After a while I wasn't making much progress and it was because I had plateaued and my body because accustomed to the same thing. Because it wasn't a traditional gym, I didn't have any other options to change up my workout. I ended up not going anymore and got a Gold Gym membership and a trainer.

My sister is addicted to the place! Seriously though, I'm not sure what all they do there, but she has been heavy her whole life, and for the first time she is in great shape! I couldn't believe it myself. She has a fit if she misses a day. For once she is smaller than me! But I have had enough of this mess anyway so i'm joing the gym at my work, something has to go!

Same here...

I had problems with two of the machines messing up my back too so I had to skip them and that meant I only had about 6 machines left -- so I was always catching up to the person in front of me and messing up the flow of the circuit. I started to jog twice as long on the platforms between but it didn't really help.

I really liked it in the beginning but the year contract was too much for me. Wish we had a Gold's Gym. I've heard a lot of good things about them.

I know another lady who's been going for a few years now. I guess it all depends on what you like. You can get some sort of free trial period through their website.

Also, any exercise is better than no exercise.

I went to curves last year, and it seemed like alot of older ladies...I went every day (they say you only need to go three days a week) and never broke a sweat. We (our family) joined a gym this year, and once I spent 20 minutes on the elliptical, I realized what a wimpy gym Curves is. I am almost 40. I think if you are older and have arthritis but still need light exercise, curves may be a good option, but you wont get a really good workout with a full blown sweat.
In the gym, I am up to 20 minutes on the elliptocal, two miles on the treadmill (I dont time myself on this), and about 15 minutes on the weight machines for toning...this gives me about an hours workout depending on how fast I do the treadmill. I have been going 5 to 6 days a week.

I found it EXTREMEMLY boring. A year was a very long contract. After 3 months, I was so sick of the same loud music and seeing the same ladies and doing the same thing, I was ready to scream.

I also thought it was a lot of money for what we got. The attendents weren't overall very personable. If I went at lunch time, one attendent would run down the street to McDonalds and come back and eat her lunch at the desk. The attendent I liked quit, and the others were blah and fakey.

I did lose a little bit while I was working out. As stated by others, it was not a real tough workout after the first couple of weeks for me.

__________________
Donna

If you have other work-out options, check them first before joining Curves. I think doing the same workout over and over with no other options would be quite boring. Also, around here Curves is pretty expensive.

I joined Gold's Gym, which is full serivce, for a lot less than Curves. There is so much to do there -- different classes, lots of equipment, free weights, etc.

Sarah.........mom to Jason & Devin

I too was a member but got extremely bored after a few months and ended up not going. Big waste of money.

I heard a thing on the radio today that Gold's Gym was offering a $10 a month, no contract special for new members. They also said they would rather have new members than "gym rats who don't know how to behave in public" and that if any of their members intimidated or harassed you they would be kicked out. I'm not sure if that was a regional thing or not, but it is a heck of a deal if you can get in on it.

I should have also said before....
its better than nothing, so if you will do it every day, join...if you have a choice of another gym (how about YMCA??) I would do that...also work hard on the machines for the three minutes you are on them...dont just "do the motions". reallly work it....HTH

I joined Jazzercize in October and it is pretty good. They change the songs frequently to keep your mind working and keep it from getting boring. They use old and current music.

Lisa

__________________
"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

I belong to Curves and was an athlete (swimmer) my whole life. Curves is meant to be a weight workout, not necessarily a cardio. You are supposed to work the machines very hard and then recover on the recovery boards, hence the name. If you have energy to jog on the recovery boards you are not working hard enough on the machines. The machines work on resistance, the harder and faster you go the harder they are, so I don't know how anyone could say the workout isn't hard, it is as hard as you are willing to work. I lost 10 lbs my first month by going three times a week and walking 3 miles once or twice a week. I like it because I am done in 30 minutes. When I went to the gym it would take me much longer to do the weights.

__________________
Raising my baby RIGHT!!!!!!

All the cool babies are wearing cloth!

I enjoy my Curves. We all get along and talk, have a good time. We tell our troubles and our funnies. As the last poster said you just move faster or harder if you aren't getting the owrkout you need. If you go overboard you are sore the next day.

Thanks for all the responses I joined yesterday so lets hope it works!!!!

Work work work those machines, and stay away from the chit chat. If you can chit chat while doing the machines you arent working hard enough!! Good luck to you!!
I am down 5 lbs since Jan 2 with a six day a week cardio routine, with a bit of weights, (I plan to add more once I get rid of some flab.
here is a BMI calculator so you can figure out how much you have to lose
Body Mass Index Calculator