Why does curves work

I am enjoying it so far and the support you get from the staff and other women working out is truly amazing. I checked out other places first and when I walked into curves I was welcomed with open arms and an overwhelming sense of belonging. Hoping I will see result soon.

Your comment makes me want to consider joining. I thought about Curves a few years ago when one opened up near my house. Like you, I love the fact that it is for women only. My main concern about Curves was from reading reviews that said it is repetitive and geared toward people who are horribly out of shape.

I hate the whole traditional gym environment, and Curves sounds like it avoids a great deal of that. Love love love Curves! The best part, of course, is that it worked. I had to quit because of a shoulder injury but hope to join again soon!

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Rating snapshot: 5 stars:. Lynda, Your comment makes me want to consider joining. Would Recommend to Friends? Yes No. I liked the resistance machines, which run on hydraulics that match your strength with resistance instead of actual weights. SO much easier than fiddling with those pins and clanging bits on traditional weights. So there we went, Sally and I, cardio to resistance to cardio to resistance, around the Curves circle of sisterly solidarity.

There was one other woman there, a something lady, and Sally would bounce between the two of us with small talk she loves Weeds , was disappointed with The C Word and words of encouragement.

Scanning my surroundings, I saw a lot of Curves-wear for sale at the front counter and some posters with cutesy slogans. Nope, it turns out. This is a gym where you are not allowed to work out longer than 30 minutes. After finishing the circuit, I had a nice long cool-down on the mats and Sally walked me through the membership application process. I passed.

The combination, however, may compromise the effects a person can achieve by doing these exercises independently, as explained by bodybuilder and personal trainer Tom Venuto.

Performing supersets--a combination of two exercises--is more effective than attempting to do so many different ones in 30 minutes, according to Venuto. Hydraulic machines provide resistance when pushing against or raising the weight concentric resistance , but no resistance involving pulling the weight back or lowering it eccentric resistance.

This makes hydraulic machines inferior to full-range strength training, as explained by Venuto. Eccentric exercise may improve strength and muscle gain even more than concentric resistance. Full-range resistance exercise is better once the individual becomes more fit. The Curves program also does not offer any progressive exercise options once the woman reaches a plateau stage. A workout loses effectiveness once the body adapts to a certain level of exercise, according to Venuto.

A better workout routine would involve a wide variety of free weights, weight stack machines and other equipment. Bryant, an American Council on Exercise physiologist, the resistance only increases so far if one has no way of adding weight to it. Therefore, after a certain period, the exercise will no longer present a challenge. It is required that you also change the exercise routine for each muscle regularly, but at Curves, your only option is to use the same machines repeatedly.

Since the program lacks isometric work and free weights, such as planks, you will have to miss out on significant core-stabilization. All in all, Curves can be an excellent way to jump-start your fitness plan, but if you want to maintain cardio and muscle health, you will eventually have to move to something more challenging.

According to Dr. The set-up of each gym allows for a simplified method for getting a complete workout. Couple this with a healthy meal plan, and you are on the right track to meeting your goals.

Curves International believes that the most efficient way to lose weight and to maintain it long term, is by using some different strategies simultaneously. These plans contain various lifestyle factors, and they include:. Each of the four lifestyle factors is incorporated in a Curves weight loss program and the various principles that branch from these elements.

Curves believe their training program is beneficial because it enables one to achieve maximum results in minimum time through targeting excess weight and body fat from different directions by use of a multi-directional approach. Curves claim to offer a plethora of benefits including:. Even though Curves for women gives its members, with tight schedules or exercise beginners, a chance to get a workout, it has several disadvantages.

Here are some of them:. The Curves fitness routine features a combination of strength-training and cardio exercise in a minute circuit-training workout. The equipment for exercising is arranged in a circle. Circuit training takes about 25 minutes and is followed by an additional 5 minutes of stretching.

According to ACE, losing weight at Curves gyms might take longer than you think. To lose one pound of weight, one is required to create a deficit of calories every day. This can either be done through exercise or cut down the number of calories in your diet. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin carried out a study on the assessment of Curves for Women; they deduced that during the minute workout session, participants burned a total of calories on average but only burned calories during the minute circuit.

The researchers also concluded that the Curves workout was equivalent to walking on a treadmill at 4 MPH for 30 minutes, according to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Therefore, if you burn calories at Curves, you will be required to cut down more calories from your daily diet. However, the more you weigh, the more calories you burn using the Curves workout program. Equipment used in Curve gyms offer participants the benefits of weight training together with a safe liquid movement, which provides an efficient workout while protecting the joints and bones.

Low-impact machines in Curve workout sessions are used by participants who want to work at least two muscle groups at one time or as many as four by pulling and pushing instead of lowering and lifting weights. The essence of the exercise is to move as quickly as possible on each machine through a full range of motion; thus after every 30 seconds, you are required to switch stations so that you can allow yourself little time to recover and work out different muscle groups.

Since Curves feature a repetitive workout routine, a member has the potential of suffering overuse injuries. According to Kyle Battis, a certified strength and conditioning stylist, who claims using the same equipment in the same routine monotonously might result in tendinitis and bursitis. Even though Curves nutritional products look appetizing, it is unknown what types of ingredients are used in their recipes.

Low amounts of calories are provided in the foods which may not be sufficient in satisfying demands. The Curves training program comprises of strenuous exercise; this can increase hunger making it harder to suppress appetite.

Such a demanding routine might require more and more calories thus sticking to such a low-calorie offering can be a bit cumbersome. In regards to the Curves circuit, Cedric X. Bryant warns that the sessions will increase your strength but provide you with a minimal cardiovascular benefit which is contrary to claims made by Curves.

Therefore it is recommended that you avoid straining as you stretch out the tubing. If you cannot perform a full range movement, you are advised to choose a color which indicates less resistance to avoid muscle injuries or strain. It is essential that you obtain clearance from your doctor before you start the circuit routine. Curves International has been faced with a plethora of challenges and controversies. According to the six plaintiffs, Heavin had cheated them out of their share of profits.

Apparently, Heavin together with Schmidt had pressured the six into signing a buyout contract which only left them with a fraction of what they were supposed to earn. Most of the plaintiffs worked as independent sales representatives after the company had already opened the franchises in numerous locations. Remember, you are looking for the safest and most effective means of reaching your goals. The Curves ladies gym allows women of all fitness levels and ages join the workout program, including pregnant women.

However, just as with any exercise routine done during pregnancy, some precautions and modifications should be followed. Since Curves is specially designed for women, their low-impact, hydraulic equipment uses pulling and pushing motions as opposed to lowering and lifting weights. This means that it is safe for women to use them even during pregnancy, says Sports Health. Pregnant women, new to Curves, are advised to start the routine slowly.

As with all fitness programs, they are required to get clearance from their physician before beginning a Curves routine.