When Curves first opened it doors in 1992, women flocked to the revolutionary 30-minute circuit workout held in a social, informal, women-only atmosphere. Since then, however, membership numbers have fallen and many Curves franchises have closed, due to several major complaints about the management of both Curves International and its individual franchises.
Inconvenient Hours
A big complaint about Curves is that many franchises are not open during lunch hours, and some are not open early in the morning or late in the evening, making working out inconvenient both for stay-at-home moms and women who work outside their homes.
Inadequate Workout
The 30-minute Curves workout has been criticized, both by members and non-members, for being too easy. In 2005 the American Council on Exercise (ACE) conducted its own test of the Curves workout and found that women who concentrated on their workout and put effort into it did indeed get a moderately intense workout. The ACE study also noted that if a woman didn't use the machines properly or was too involved in being social during her workout, her workout intensity suffered.
Lack of Innovation
In its heyday Curves provided an innovative workout and workout environment for all sorts of women but has failed to keep up with workout trends, including updating its equipment. Another complaint is that Curves has been too inflexible when it comes to adding group classes and other forms of exercise to the routine, making what its competitors have to offer more appealing.
Unknowledgeable Employees
Across the nation women have complained that Curves employees seem to know very little about the exercise machines used in the Curves circuit workout, and sometimes seem to know very little about exercise and fitness at all.
Ignoring Franchise Owners' Needs
An investigative article in the Wall Street Journal reports that Curves franchise owners are just as disgruntled as some Curves members when it comes to an unwillingness to stray from the original Curves model and offer more competitive exercise options to women. There have also been some complaints that franchise owners have been cheated out of profits, with some cases becoming public lawsuits.
Tags: that Curves, about exercise, circuit workout, Curves workout, franchise owners, know very
