A Slim Gym's Fat Success

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Heavin designed Curves' hydraulic-resistance machines to require minimal adjustment between users. (He has the machines made at a plant in Los Fresnos, Texas.) An exerciser spends only 30 seconds on a station, then keeps her heart rate up by walking or jogging in place before moving to the next one.

The workout is not without critics. Miriam Nelson, director of the Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Tufts University, says Curves' use of hydraulic resistance rather than actual weights allows users to exercise only when lifting, not when lowering. Heavin concurs but says the resulting reduction in muscle gain is, for Curves' mostly novice clientele, more than offset by greater safety, because most muscle injuries occur during the lowering phase of weight-bearing exercise. He gleaned this fact from Jack Wilmore, professor of physiology at Texas A&M.

The appeal of Curves, though, can be judged by how many similar formats are being pushed by competitors, including Slender Lady, started in 1997 in Lompoc, Calif., and Ladies Workout Express, launched last year in Atlanta. That trend, combined with the rising number of Curves locations, has some franchisees worried they will soon be fighting not only fat but one another. Karen Morey, 40, who opened her Burton, Mich., Curves last April and has more than 750 customers, says, "I wonder if we're going to saturate the market." Heavin says at current growth rates, the domestic Curves franchises will be sold out next year. There are 500 foreign franchises, in Mexico, Canada and several European countries, and he plans to step up expansion in those markets. (Heavin tweaks the formula to accommodate local preferences. Curves locations overseas, for instance, have showers, amenities not offered to American women because they tend to prefer the privacy of their own bathrooms.) Curves, a book of workout and diet advice co-authored by Heavin, is hitting stores now. The women keep coming, hoping for better bodies — without having to be surrounded by them.