When a Curves opened up in my area I wasn't surprised, they're becoming almost as ubiquitous as Starbucks. There had to be a reason why Curves was succeeding where Tai Kwon Do dojos and herbal wrap studios have failed, so I went with a friend to check out our local, newly minted Curves, with one part of me fascinated to see their success formula, but another looking for excuses why it wouldn't serve my particular needs. When you look for problems you'll find them, and I did. I did not like their hours; they closed at 7:30 pm Monday to Thursday and on Friday at 6 pm. Saturdays they were only open until 2:30 pm and on Sundays not at all!! This was outrageous, how did they expect a busy person such as myself to fit three 30 minute workouts into their circa 1950 hours?? They were open at 6 am most mornings but I chose not to let that alter my indignation. I just wasn't going to join the herd and modify my schedule and get on the Curves bandwagon.
So much for first impressions. There was something about their easy acceptance and lack of hype that I liked and the hours of availability were not the problem I chose to make them. On reflection I realized that the only restrictions were the ones I was putting on myself. I have now been a Curves member for 7 months and sing its praises far and wide and am now putting them down on paper.
Maybe it was dissatisfaction with my fitness and figure that led me to Curves in the first place, because after declining to join because of restrictive hours, I began my own weight loss and exercise program. I increased my daily walking to an average of 13,000 steps per day and significantly restricted my intake of calories. After three months I was 20 lbs lighter, walking up a storm and looking to improve the strength and mobility of my upper body. Now I was ready for Curves and the hours were not a problem if the strength work helped prevent osteoporosis and put a bit of Swank in my upper body. In retrospect, getting in shape to join Curves was rather like cleaning the house before the cleaning lady comes.
 Like many fitness programs the concept of Curves is not new, but the packaging is. Circuit training was developed in the 1950's as a way of combining cardiovascular conditioning with specific muscle strength and endurance training. The Curves set-up is a series of hydraulic machines in a circle with a "recovery" station between each one. The staff are great at helping you use the correct technique to get the most out of every machine. Once you have the technique down, they encourage you to increase the intensity and number of reps to maximize the benefits of your workout. It is easy to get complacent and go through the motions, so staff encouragement is a timely reminder. To this end, a brightly colored bracelet is available that you can put on when you arrive in order to "Curve It Up". This alerts the staff that you would like a more intense workout and they will work with you on each machine to help you keep on task—almost like having a personal trainer. Unlike free weights, hydraulics work in both directions exercising two different muscle groups concentrically (shortening) with each exercise. It is reported that this results in less post-exercise muscle soreness than doing comparable work with free weights. The machines are placed in such a way as to work upper and lower body muscles in rotation and no muscle group gets really exhausted as you switch from a machine to a recovery station every 30 seconds. After 3 times around the machines (or in some locations 2 or 2 1/2 times around depending on the number of stations) you have finished the workout part of the routine and do a 4 to 5 minute series of stretches. Voila! 30 minutes later you are out of the door and feeling great about what you have just done.
The single greatest appeal of Curves for busy women is that in 30 minutes they can complete a carefully choreographed series of exercises, which is a very good investment of time and money.
On my first visit, the staff gave me a tour and did a figure analysis, took my weight and measurements (this is a good time to wear a bulky sweater!) and discussed my fitness goals and any health issues. Then it was time to be introduced to the equipment. This was my first time to use any kind of weight equipment and it felt strange. I took to some machines right away while others took longer for me to feel comfortable.  A key tag lets you sign in quickly at the door and the computer screen flashes up the number of workouts you've done and any reminders, such as weigh-in day and happy birthday, which is an excellent use of technology in an exercise setting. The weigh-in and measurement day is once a month. The measurements are taken around the upper arm, fullest part of the bust, waist, hips, stomach and upper thigh. They are then compared to the previous month's measurements and the differences calculated. On my first weigh-in day, I had lost a few inches, which was great, but my weight had gone up! I was reminded that muscle weighed more than fat for a given volume and I felt better. In seven months, eating fairly healthy meals, but with only moderate caloric restriction, I've lost 11 1/2 inches and 5 pounds. During this time I have maintained my walking routine averaging over 10,000 steps per day.
At my local Curves, the staff are friendly and very helpful; there is lots of laughter and there are games/draws/giveaways for anyone who wants to join in. If you do 3 workouts in a week you are entitled to a "Curves Buck" and can buy Curves merchandise (socks, water bottles, t-shirts, etc.) when you have collected enough. A birthday workout rewards you with 5 "Curves Bucks".
My local Curves is a great supporter of causes and regularly gives to charities such as "Women In Need", "Island Breaststrokers" and Christmas toy drives and encourages all its members to join in. They enter teams of staff and members in charity runs such as the Times/Colonist 10k run for Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC and Yukon (which I will be running in this year for the first time) and the Run for the Cure.
Perhaps the biggest testament to the way in which Curves appeals to women is that they now have 8000 locations and over 3,000,000 members worldwide. These are numbers which would impress even McDonalds and if millions of people start spending 1/2 hour a day burning calories instead of shoveling in fast food we might start to see a leveling off of the statistics relating to obesity. I am amazed at the number of women I know who go to Curves. I often meet them and comment on how great they are looking and when they mention that they are Curves devotees we laugh and exchange exercise stories, almost like sorority sisters.
When I can get a great workout, have fun, laughter and encouragement, enter to win prizes, support local charities and feel great all within 1/2 hour—I'll keep on going straight to Curves for a long time.
:: author Beverley Mason is the self same Speakwell asset many of you may have already spoken to when you've contacted our offices in Victoria.
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