RE: Curves (Lack of Exercise Explains Depression-Heart Link)

[Guest guest]

Here's an article that a co-trainer showed me, It's 3 years old. At the time I

read it I was training a few ex Curves members including my sister. All of them

were frustrated having not shown any results with Curves.

 

http://www.acefitness.org/media/media_display.aspx?itemid=219

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Mar. 08, 2005 – With more than four million female members

and over 8,500 locations worldwide, Curves® for Women is the fastest growing

franchise in U.S. history. In an exclusive study, the American Council on

Exercise (ACE), America’s nonprofit fitness advocate, commissioned researchers

from the Exercise Physiology Department at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse

to determine the exercise intensity and number of calories burned in a typical

Curves for Women workout.

Lead researchers A. Greany; P. Porcari, FACSM; and Carl ,

FACSM, tested 15 healthy women from two Curves locations in the greater La

Crosse area (average age of 42). The heart rate and oxygen consumption of each

participant was monitored as they participated in two complete Curves workouts.

The study found that the 30-minute Curves workout, including five minutes of

stretching and cool-down, burns an average of 184 calories making it a good

“moderate-intensity” workout for those who are not very active. The aerobic

benefit of exercising at this intensity is equivalent to walking at a speed of

four miles per hour on a level treadmill.

“At first glance, the results of the study suggest that the Curves workout

offers modest training benefits because of the limited calories burned,” said

Dr. Cedric X. , chief exercise physiologist for ACE. “However, this

specifically-designed circuit workout does provide participants an effective

aerobic training stimulus plus the added benefit of a total-body resistance

training workout.”

Researchers did express some concerns about the Curves workout. The hydraulic

resistance machines used in the circuit workout are not adjustable. Therefore,

the machines may not perfectly fit some individuals causing them to sacrifice

proper form. Women should also avoid the temptation to turn their Curves

workouts into a social hour. Researchers noted some of the women in the study

were more focused on chatting during their workouts than exercising.

Finally, not all Curves franchises are staffed with skilled fitness

professionals and researchers feel Curves members may benefit from having their

workouts supervised by more highly-trained individuals. Curves does offer basic

fitness training for its franchise owners, however, that fitness knowledge may

not effectively trickle down to individual franchise employees.

Complete study results appear in the March/April edition of ACE Fitness Matters

magazine or on our Web site at http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/curves.cfm .

 

Olson

Tacoma, Wa US

Subject: RE: Lack of Exercise Explains Depression-Heart Link

To: Supertraining

Date: Thursday, November 27, 2008, 2:01 PM

,

I am told that Curves gyms are equiped with iso-kinetic exercise equipment that

offers concentric-concentr ic resistance and that the resistance is based on how

hard the trainee pushes or pulls?  Is that correct?

How would you compare the results vs. concentric-eccentri c training?  Is there

any concern about trainees not pushing or pulling their hardest?  Can they still

get results if they don't do it their hardest?  What kind of feedback do the

machines provide the trainees?

Thanks,

Ed White

Sandwich, MA USA

============ ========= ========= ===