Is Anybody Here a Curves Franchisee?

[dandjdad]

Or a franchisee in general? If so, I'm just wondering your thoughts on your profession. Apologies if this is in the wrong forum.

[Lady C]

I personally don't think there are many fitness franchises that are worthwhile. Too hard to make standardinzed for everyone to make progress (we all are different and have different results).

Curves is not very taxing because the developers assumed that their clients (middle aged overweight self concious women) would never be strong. It might work for the first month or so then the body adapts and the progress slows to a snails pace. Same with many other franchises that target the same clients. It is also very safe for the franchisee because no one can drop weights on themselves or others.

It is not my profession but my lifestyle. I am an engineer by profession so analysis is a given. I have critiqued them all.

The only systems that work well, long term for most folks, is Weight Watchers and good old fashioned hard work.

[cursor]

Note that there are many Curves franchises that are for sale. The market for that style of canned fitness is severely saturated. Also note that many of start-up Curves franchisees drop the Curves name/sponsorship after the minimal amount of time (to avoid the franchise monthly fee), then continue business under a different name (i.e. Jolene's Fitness). The problem is that they still use the same silly 30-minute circuit system.

[dandjdad]

Curves markets itself predominantly towards women who have never done any exercise in the past, but want to get in shape and feel as though a more mainstream gym (Bally’s, Gold’s Gym) might not be their cup of tea. If that’s what it takes for thousands of sedentary women to begin exercising, losing weight and getting in shape, I don’t see what’s so wrong with it—after all, there are thousands upon thousands of women who fit the above profile that love the Curves experience and have been a member for several years.

In the market research I’ve done, I’ve yet to find any claims alluding to the fact that Curves is anything more than a beginner’s exercise studio. Given this, many members, as they progress in Curves, do/will become bored with the same old routine; at this point, their choices are to (1) quit exercising altogether, (2) incorporate additional fitness routines (jogging, biking et al) to their Curves routine, or (3) join a different, more “mainstream” gym, since they’ve developed a new confidence towards working out. I don’t have exact figures, but I’d be willing to bet that the majority of the aforementioned bored members would resort to choices 2 and 3 rather than 1. And isn’t this, after all, the ultimate goal—to get sedentary people exercising?

Having said that, what I was hoping to get out of this thread was the experiences of anybody who has actually franchised a Curves. I would guess there are no Curves franchisees on this board, but was hopeful someone might be a friend of a Curves franchisee.

In addition to what I originally wanted to get out of this post, I would like to do a bit of informal market research on this board and get people’s opinions on Curves. I would appreciate any market data, like the kind cursor provided—hopefully with source links/notes. Also, I would also like to get people’s opinions of the Curves experience; my only criteria for commenting on the Curves workout is that you have to have actually set foot in a Curves studio and gone through at least a workout or two there.

Thanks to everybody in advance for their participation in my little research project. I look forward to reading all responses.

[cursor]

I looked at a number of franchise-structured beginner gyms, including (but not limited to):

• Curves (women only)
• Contours Express (women only)
• 1-2-3 Fit (men & women)
• Cuts for Men (men only)

You can find franchise data on any of them at this link.

Whether a beginner or not, clients interested in spending time and money to improve their personal fitness are after recognizable results. Those results optimally stem from 1) smart exercise programs (superior to 30-minute circuit training, using hydraulic resistance machines), combined with 2) responsible nutritional support. The truth is that none of the above franchise options offer such a combination. Why not?

[Lady C]

Yes, I've gone to a couple sessions. Too much for social chatting than actually breaking a sweat. My sister attends a Curves - yes, overweight but not self-concious - ONLY for conveinence. She admits it is not very taxing. She also admits it is the only exercise she will get. Has she made progress - not much. So if you want those kind of clients then kudos.

Personally, I would want clients that want to learn, develop and push the limits of the program.

Side Note: Almost every Curves that is within a 20 mile radius of my house is NO longer associated with the Franchise. They are now just neighborhood gyms. I forget the cost but there is a large fee that must be paid to carry the Curves name.

I have an ex-co-worker that opened a Club 50 franchise. Is he successful? Depends - he makes less than his old Project Manager job and works longer hours.

[dandjdad]

cursor, Lady C, thanks for the responses.

cursor, I'm sure you know the answer to both your questions, but in response to #1, the answer as to why nothing superior has been developed is because Curves is looking to keep costs low. From what I've heard, the hydraulic machines used there are relatively low maintenence. Combine that with the fact that they're much less intimidating than free weights, and there you go--built in client base. In regards to #2, most of the best nutritional advice is free. No gym's nutritional shakes are though. So naturally any Curves or Gold's or Bally's is going to steer you towards their nutritional products as applicable.

Lady C, do you mind me asking in which state you live? The Curves demographic varies widely state by state, and I'd be curious to investigate your state's changeover from Franchise to Independent.

In regards to the type of clients and the type of club I'd want to open, just know that I spent the better part of 20 years in the "meat head" gyms--I'm sure just about everybody here knows what I'm talking about. Well into my twenties I loved it, and, truth be told, I guess I was kind of part of the "meat head culture"--although never a full fledged "meat head". When I reached my thirties, I realized I no longer needed that "meat headedness" in my life. So a couple of years ago, I quit the meat head gym, built myself a pretty decent home gym, and have transformed myself into the best shape of my life.

Now, I'm looking for a career change, and am seriously investigating opening a fitness franchise. Would I ever open a Gold's or a Bally's? Probably not. Why? Well, for one, the costs are astronomical. But even more importantly, I don't want to return to that "meat head" culture. It's likely that none of those who are members there would want to listen to me anyway, since I'm not all 'roided up.

So I thought, where could my knowledge and expertise do the most good and who would I like to help the most? That's where Curves (or similar establishments) come in. While I probably wouldn't get much satisfaction training a bodybuilder for Mr. Universe, I can tell you this with the utmost certainty--I would get tremendous satisfaction helping a forty-something-year old overweight stay-at-home mom lose the thirty extra pounds she's been carrying around for the last ten years. That, in my opinion, is kind of what fitness is all about.

[tim_mcf]

You could always become a Crossfit affiliate:

Welcome to CrossFit: Forging Elite Fitness

[dandjdad]

Although I would love to do it, there can't be much money in being a crossfit affiliate.

[cursor]

Personally, I think that the intimidation factor attributed to free weights is exagerated. I'm 54 years old (only started lifting a couple of years ago), and haven't ever felt at all intimidated by the [once unfamiliar] feel of free weights. Anything new requires some familiarization (including the Curves-like machines). By the way, for the light-weight hydraulic units a franchisee will pay nearly $2K a pop -- and a different machine is required for each exercise.

Curves 30-minute circuit workout
Curves-like 3rd party equipment

[Lady C]

Originally Posted by dandjdad

I would get tremendous satisfaction helping a forty-something-year old overweight stay-at-home mom lose the thirty extra pounds she's been carrying around for the last ten years. That, in my opinion, is kind of what fitness is all about.

I can do that with diet changes and just walking. No franchise fees involved.

I've spoken to some of the franchisee people. Some have not broken even in 12 months of operation. That means they are still paying for the equipment, the rent and the franchise fees without a salary.

I live in Southern Cal, my sister lives in Utah.

[dandjdad]

Originally Posted by dandjdad
I would get tremendous satisfaction helping a forty-something-year old overweight stay-at-home mom lose the thirty extra pounds she's been carrying around for the last ten years. That, in my opinion, is kind of what fitness is all about.

Originally Posted by Lady C

I can do that with diet changes and just walking. No franchise fees involved.

I live in Southern Cal, my sister lives in Utah.

I'm confused...I'm not sure how you can make a living by making personal diet changes and walking. Am I missing something? Do you walk to the bank to stick it up while eating a MetRx bar? If so, at least you don't have to pay franchise fees, so yeah, that's something.

Also, I was going to guess you lived in either Florida or California--two states with a glut of gyms. I'm in Massachusetts which, although not exactly lacking in fitness locales, is not nearly as saturated as FL & So. CA.

[dandjdad]

Originally Posted by cursor

Personally, I think that the intimidation factor attributed to free weights is exagerated. I'm 54 years old (only started lifting a couple of years ago), and haven't ever felt at all intimidated by the [once unfamiliar] feel of free weights. Anything new requires some familiarization (including the Curves-like machines).

I think you'd be surprised...first of all cursor, you're a man, so naturally you're going to think the intimidatio factor is exaggerated. I was an assistant strength coach for a Division I basketball school for three years and a personal trainer at a gym for another two; I can't recall any male with limited workout experience ever walking into my gym with even 5% of the anxieties that most women with limited workout experience did. And secondly...I've seen your progress pics, cursor. It looks like you made gains pretty rapidly, and I would venture to guess that you probably took to weight training pretty quickly.

What we all have to remember is that everyone is different. Lady C, most of the women who attend Curves will probably never be in your league physically. So what? At least Curves gives them something positive to do. The whole point of its convenience and its atmosphere is so that members will be more apt to go. We have to keep that target demographic in mind when discussing the merits or lack thereof of a Curves.

[Lady C]

Originally Posted by dandjdad

I'm confused...I'm not sure how you can make a living by making personal diet changes and walking..

Yeah . . that's right. So why spend 25-50k for a franchise.

You have already made up your mind to do this so I will step aside. . .

[dandjdad]

Originally Posted by Lady C

Yeah . . that's right. So why spend 25-50k for a franchise.

You have already made up your mind to do this so I will step aside. . .

What in the world are you talking about? Have you read what I've written? I think you should step aside not because I've already made up my mind, but because your posts make minimal sense . I haven't made up my mind--that's why I posted here initially. But in the same sense, I don't expect to have this thread hijacked by someone who can't present any empirical evidence. I get it...you hate Curves. Let's move on. Are there any other opinions, stories or facts out there--either pro or con? This would be a big investment, so I couldn't base this decision striclty on one person's opinion.

I've heard of people who talk only because they like the sound of their own voice; it's like you post only because you like to read what you've written .