The Price of Curves???

My niece was just here and she was expressing a desire to go to Curves.  I'm just so excited because it's been a long time since she's even given any exercise a try.  

I know that all Curves are owned by different people and prices may vary in different locations, but does anybody know how much it cost to join and what the fees are?  She may be getting this as an early birthday present!    Thanks,

Mary

I can't remember what the price was exactly, although like you said, I'm sure it differs in different states.  I do remember though that it was a LOT cheaper than the regular gym.  Plus I know here every month or so they have specials for joining.  Like one month if you were a teacher you got a discount, things like that.  So if I were you I would call them up and ask them if they have any specials going on, or if they know of what next month special will be.  Not sure if they do that in your part of the woods or not, but it's worth a shot.

Well, she has three more months left of nursing school, so she's gonna have to wait a while til they get to the nurse's discount!

I've never seen an ad for Curves here...kinda strange, huh?  I'll have to give them a call Monday and see what they have to say for themselves.  Thanks,

Mary

Here in San Diego it's outrageous - $150 to join and $50 per month and a year contract.  And they have banker's hours.  It's not a good gym to join IMO.  I belong to LA Fitness and there's no membership cost and only $29.99 per month with no contract and they're almost always open.  You can get a 24 Hour Fitness membership through Costco for $300 for 24 months - that's incredible - and they're always open.

You have to have a year contract?   I'm not that familiar with Curves so what makes you think it's not a good gym, other than Viv could do it in her flip flops! 

Here in Yazoo...that's what Russ calls the small town I live in, we only have one gym, but it's open when she would need to be there and there is no membership fee.  I believe the cost is $25 dollars a month, so that might be a better choice for her.  The only reservation I think that she has about going is that she weighs close to three hundred pounds, I didn't just say that, and she may feel self conscious about working out in front of alla the men.  I know I was at that weight!   I'll have to discuss that with her and see how she feels about it.

Man, if we had a 24 Hour Fitness...I might even join the gym!

Mary    

To me it seems like Curves is the type of place that you either love it or hate it.  I think (here anyways) you can go the first time for free to see if you like it.  

I personally have only been there once and I'm just fine in a normal gym.  Tell your niece it's really not that bad going co-ed at a regular gym.  It's  only as bad as YOU make it.  No one there cares, if anything, they respect you for going there to do your body good!  When I went I hardly got stares, nothing.   When I was in my twenties I was so embarrassed walking into one.  Past ten years or so I've realized that is what it is there for and realize everyone there is in the same boat, whether they are skinny or fat....they are trying to get healthy and stronger!  She could probably go to the regular gym for the first time for free also to see if she likes it.  I know they offer that here at all the gyms.

Everything you say makes perfect sense Oh Wise Woman of the Gym.  I guess I never thought of it that way and I know for a fact that my niece doesn't.  I'm going to find out about the first visit being free, I may even go with her just to get her there!  Thanks for the sage advice,

Mary

The curves here run ads for no sign up fee and $40 a month on occasion.

The gals i know who do it love it! it's just for wimmins, which is important to some ladies.

DH and I just joined the Y - they trim the fee for whatever your income is. DH being retired - 2 of us at $40 a month is right on!

yes, there's a buttload of kids at certain times. But one you figure out when they are not there, wow...great classes, too!

I kind of prefer being around families of all incomes as compared to irritated elders like in my other gym - always *****ing ******g and moaning. I also joined a more yuppified gym once - gads, they were just...snotty....playing tennis and racketball in designer workout uniforms. Looked at me like I was **** on their shoes.

Gyms have their own "cultures", so I like what Holly said about trying it out first!

curves is a great place to start out if you haven't done much exercise in the past (or if you have any physical limitations that would make regular gym exercises hard). i'm over the 300lb mark myself and have been doing curves since nov. when i started, i was having issues with my knees and could barely walk without crying. after a couple months, my knees were no longer hurting and actually feel stronger.

however, it is very easy to cheat at curves and not really work out as hard. plus, as you get used to it, you have to push yourself. curves tells you to go around the circuit 2 times. i did that for about the first couple weeks and then i added another time around. i always felt like the first time around was just warm up! it took that long before my heart rate really moved up good.

i haven't done this myself yet, but, i think you'd also want to start adding walking etc in addition to curves. at some point your body just doesn't respond to always doing the same thing. of course, when you get to that point, you may be ready to move up into a real gym with weight machines etc.

I havn't tried Curves, but I've tried a local gym that was the same sort of set-up. I really liked it. It was a really relaxed atmospher, smaller than other gyms, so you get to know those who are working out at the same time you do, and you can make the workout as easy or challenging as you need it. Definantly a great back-to-the-gym-I-havn't-worked-out-in-forever gym!!