Curves for Woman Franchise - The franchise from Curves International

There are 10,038 Curves Franchises in the world, about 7,800 in the United States, and while it took McDonald's 25 years and Subway 26 years to hit 6,000 franchises. Curves did it in seven. There are million women working out at these centers in all 50 states and in 46 countries. Curves reports their closure rate at 1 percent to 3 percent, but keep in mind that most clubs are re-sold.

Curves for women sells franchises directly from the corporation if there is a territory available, or through a reseller network. Fitness franchises such as Curves Fitness Franchise operate with protected territories. The availability of Curves Franchise Locations will vary widely by geographic location. In the US, Curves Franchise has a thriving reseller community, with high prices for clubs with existing membership.

The availability of these two opportunities varies considerably by country. For example, there are some areas of the U.S. and Canada where new Curves franchise territories are not available, but there are opportunities to purchase an existing Curves Franchise

Curves for Women Franchises claim to offer dietary and nutrition information to their members. It's unclear if members use that service in most cases. The turnover rate of Curves members is not known.

Curves for Women is listed with the Small Business Association which provides entrepreneurs expedited SBA loan approval process. This can drastically improve the chances of buying the desired fitness center when the opportunity presents itself, as there is often multiple buyers waiting. Only Contours Express offers a similar listing benefit.

Curves Franchise Named No. 1 Fastest Growing Franchise (with 1,982 clubs opened) in the January 2005 edition of Entrepreneur magazine’s 26th Annual Franchise 500. Curves also ranked as the No. 1 Fitness Franchise and the No. 1 Low-Cost Franchise. Curves also retained its ranking as the No. 2 franchise overall. This means that Curves ranked second or better in every category in which it was eligible to be judged.

“We know how successful Curves is based on the numbers of women that our franchisees have helped—more than four million worldwide—as well as helping themselves and their families,” said founder and CEO Gary Heavin. “But it’s nice to be publicly acknowledged as the best of the best by Entrepreneur magazine.” Franchise rankings are based on numerous factors, including financial strength and stability, growth rate, number of years in business and length of time franchising, and startup costs. An independent CPA firm audits financial data, and the franchises with the highest scores become the Franchise 500.

Curves Named No. 1 Fitness Franchise About Curves Curves offers a 30-minute workout that combines strength training and sustained cardiovascular activity through safe and effective hydraulic resistance. Curves also offers a weight management program featuring a breakthrough, scientifically proven method to raise metabolic rate and end the need for perpetual dieting. Gary Heavin, Curves’ Founder and CEO, is the author of several books, including The New York Times Best-Sellers “Curves: Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting” and “Curves On the Go.” Curves franchises are 100-percent independently owned and operated. With more than 8500 locations and 4 million members worldwide, Curves is the world's largest fitness center franchise.

Comments from American Council on Exercise about Curves equipment during their study of Curves

"Researchers found that the total 30-minute Curves workout burns an average of 184 calories, while the 25-minute circuit alone burns 163 calories. "Intensity-wise it's similar to walking four miles an hour [for 30 minutes] on a flat treadmill," says Greany. "So it's a moderate-intensity workout."

"Though the vast majority of their findings were positive, the researchers noted a few issues with the Curves workout that could be improved.

The hydraulic resistance-training machines in the Curves circuit are not adjustable—aside from a few pads designed to help smaller exercisers fit better. But the experts say it's more of a comfort issue than an exercise safety concern. However, because the resistance is dependent on speed, there is a limit to how fast you can go without sacrificing proper form. "

Review Study Here

Franchise 500® rank:
#3 (2006); #2 (2005); #2 (2004); #2 (2003); #3 (2002);

Ranked #1 in category in:
2006; 2005; 2004; 2003; 2002;

Fastest-Growing Franchises:
#5 (2006); #1 (2005); #2 (2004); #1 (2003); #3 (2002);

Low-Cost Franchises:
#1 (2006); #1 (2005); #1 (2004); #1 (2003);

America's Top Global Franchises:
#3 (2006); #2 (2005); #2 (2004);

Curves for Women History - Interesting Stuff.

Curves for Women Franchise Opportunity

Curves Franchise Summary