curves

[neko]

has anyone here tried curves? you know, its the 30 minute, circuit workout on a variety of hydraulic machines. is anyone familar with this type of workout, using this type of machine? how do they rate in the world of workout equipment?

[rottunpunk]

and there was me thinking you were talking about womanly curves
...erm, no i havent tried it, sorry
i find gymn things boring. just do more kendo :D
:p

[neko]

i do plenty of kendo, but kendo does not cover all areas of the body equally. plus, i need to build more muscle. i am sick of the flab. :disapp:

[Neil Gendzwill]

Curves is a very light workout aimed at really out of shape people. If you're an active kendoka, you'd probably find it too easy.

If you want to build muscle, eat lots of protein and lift heavy. Here's a great place to start (http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php).

[joekc6nlx]

Curves is a very light workout aimed at really out of shape people. If you're an active kendoka, you'd probably find it too easy.

If you want to build muscle, eat lots of protein and lift heavy. Here's a great place to start (http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php).

Just try tossing Mike around the house a few times a day.....LOL!

[Lady_Kitsune]

and there was me thinking you were talking about womanly curves
...erm, no i havent tried it, sorry
i find gymn things boring. just do more kendo :D
:p

I just thought the same :D

And yeah the same answer, no not familiar with it, sorry

[nodachi]

+1 to Neil's comment.

It seems like a place where people with no clue how to exercise learn how. It serves a great purpose because that is a problem here, but I'd recommend going elsewhere.

[kiki67]

Neko,

If you are used to the intense pace of kendo, Curves will bore you. Do you have a membership to any gym? Most gyms have free (well, you pay your membership fee of course) spinning and lift classes that are much better than Curves. Also, you can do things at your pace, so if you feel like kicking butt, that's great, but if you feel a little lazy you can relax and just spend your hour or so at that 60% intensity level. I do spinning and it is the best cardio ever! fun, too.

also,

I would avoid hydraulic machines if I could. Its just my opinion (definitely far from an expert), but without them you get a better overall workout because you are using your core muscles with every workout. I don't even use weights; I just do pilates/yoga, and my core is way stronger than it used to be...so are my legs, butt, arms, etc. And since my core has gotten stronger, so has my kendo, so there's an extra benefit right there.

[Lady_Kitsune]

If you want something that compliments kendo training, try runing and bike, both are really good with resistence and stamina. I f you want to train parts of your body that you don't think kendo are training, try sit-ups and push ups, those are great fr it.

[JCM]

A few female friends and colleagues have joined curves over the years. I am afraid I have never seen any dramatic results from them doing it (opposed to weight watchers). In fact I think most got bored out of it.

I think it works better for middle aged/senior or people who had absolutely no physical activity for a number of years. Is a good introduction to exercise if you fit the type, but is not going to get you an aerobics instructor type of body.

I say join the gym and get a program made (including a diet) to suit your goals, this is working out great for me. To quote someone (can't remeber who) from a another thread your nutrition will make a major difference, if you don't eat right you will loose muscle mass, instead of flab alone. You will loose weight but still look somewaht flabby.

[neko]

thanks everyone for all of the replies. i was looking into curves because it is so close to my house, but didn't really know much about it. you have seemed to confirm what i was already suspecting. :) thanks again. now that narrows it down to the Y/gym or yoga. what do you guys think of yoga?

[nodachi]

Yoga is awesome!!! I don't do it because I have other things I prefer, but my wife has done quite a bit. There is the relaxing stretching type. Then she's done this muscle building version of yoga where you still hold certain poses and it doesn't look like much, but it was designed to really exercise the body. She loved it. Sorry, I forget the name, but the point is that yoga can be tailored to train in many different ways and even though it looks easy, it can be one of the hardest workouts you can get if you find the right type and a good teacher. I would also say that yoga is the type of exercise that will help to sustain you into old age, unlike other exercise and sports that ruin the body and you can't continue as you get older.

[kiki67]

yoga is great! It definitely has made me stronger and better balanced. I have a lot more control of muscles I was hardly aware of two years ago. And it does a nice job of sculpting and stretching your muscles, too. There is a lot of focus on breathing, and that can help with kendo.

The only caveat is that while yoga certainly has its benefits, it is not a cardiovascular exercise. If you want to lose the flab, you have to re-adjust eating habits and do at least 30 min of cardio 4-5 times per week (well, that is what I have been told by people, again I am not an expert in any way! ;) BTW kendo counts! ). But you can do this by biking or running; there is no need to join a fancy class...however, sometimes the support of a class with an instructor helps. I bike pretty hard on my own now, but I don't know if I would have been so motivated had I not joined a spinning class about two years ago. I should mention though, you don't need to go very hard unless you are trying to improve your stamina or speed or something. A good hour of 60% cardio helps to lose fat. Some people even say that is better than going hard because then you aren't just burning up pure carbs.

[JCM]

I have never done any yoga myself, but I have a relative that does it regularly, he has always been fairly slim and wiry, (he also does a fair ammount of exercise like cycling). He is always singing its praises for physical conditioning and relaxation. I am sure that you can ask your local yoga teacher about that. But I would agree with the fact that a bit of cardio on the side will probably help a lot

[Neil Gendzwill]

I haven't tried yoga myself, but a lot of people like it. However, if your primary goal is to build muscle, eat more and lift heavy.

[JCM]

Actually, Kiki raised a good alternative, I know a few people who have done or are doing spinning. Is a hard workout but the results can be impressive.

[futabachan]

has anyone here tried curves?

You do know that they (as a corporation) donate money to anti-feminist causes, right?

[futabachan]

If you want to build muscle, eat lots of protein and lift heavy. Here's a great place to start (http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php).

How does that compare with, say, doing lots of haya suburi (or regular suburi) with a suburi weight or suburito? I've been doing that as a supplement to my kendo/naginata practice, and it seems to be helping me with form, stamina, and upper body strength all at once. (I'm an early enough beginner that it feels like I need lots of suburi practice....)

[Neil Gendzwill]

Suburito isn't lifting heavy. But all this training stuff isn't black and white. Weighted suburi is going to help, it's just not the fastest way to building muscle.

[futabachan]

Suburito isn't lifting heavy. But all this training stuff isn't black and white. Weighted suburi is going to help, it's just not the fastest way to building muscle.

What sort of balance between fast-twitch and slow-twitch am I trying to strike? I can see an obvious need for lots of fast-twitch development, but matches and keiko sessions seem like they keep going for long enough that I'm going to want to develop a good level of stamina....

[Kenzan]

You do know that they (as a corporation) donate money to anti-feminist causes, right?

They are also practice blatantly sexist policies. Google it if you doubt this.
In other words, they do not allow men to join, and are quite vehement about that fact.
They also have a fairly powerful lobby that has pressured State Senates to pass legislation exempting them and ONLY them, from falling under discriminatory status.

I have nothing against there being a place where women want to get together, but Curve's actions in the name of creating a niche business monopoly has set bad legal precedent, and works in a way to set back the battle against discrimination and equality rather than advance it.

Also, my wife tried 4 locations (They are like Starbucks in Los Angeles) and according to her, all of the workout environments basically boiled down to pear-shaped soccer mommy members never moving along in the circle as they are supposed to, but instead sitting on the machines drinking coffee and gossiping. When my wife complained, in each instance she was basically brushed off and placated. Since my wife did not receive what she was paying for, she tried to cancel, but they fought us tooth and nail, and where very rude about it. It took threats of legal action to get them to refund her startup fee.

You are better off going to a co-ed style Gym, or working out at home, which is cheaper.

Good luck to you!

:)

P.s. Circuit training is AWESOME BTW. I used do it three times a week for 30 minutes at a Gym, but now I do it at home. Most Gyms have Circuit training, but it's really easy to create one at home using a home made MP3 and about ten "stations" that you create.

[Neil Gendzwill]

What sort of balance between fast-twitch and slow-twitch am I trying to strike? I can see an obvious need for lots of fast-twitch development, but matches and keiko sessions seem like they keep going for long enough that I'm going to want to develop a good level of stamina....I think you want to be training for speed/explosive power from the weights side, and to me that means keeping your endurance training to shorter sessions. I personally (when I'm active at this, been a slug lately) run 2 or 3 times/week for 30-45 minutes and spend a similar amount of time in the weight room. I think if you train for endurance (like marathon-type training) that it's going to be counter-productive to the kind of speed you need to generate.

Having said all that, I think beginners need not be too concerned. Any kind of cross-training you can do to increase your cardio is good for your kendo and I'd focus on that ahead of weights.

[stephanie dee]

I don't need to try any Curves workout. I've got all the curves I need..... ;)

[Manuka]

Wherever you find women with curves,
You will find men with angles