By Shana LiVIGNI

Curves’ 30-minute circuit training helps women work every major muscle group, strengthens their hearts and burns up to 500 calories with each workout. Founders Gary and Diane Heavin are considered the innovators of the express fitness phenomenon that has made exercise available to around four million women globally, many of whom are in the gym for the first time.
“I wish that people would have a better idea of what Curves is,” said Curves consultant Nathalie Gardner. “It’s for women of all ages. We have mothers and daughters come in to do the 30-minute program and spend that time talking and sharing their day with each other while taking care of themselves physically.”
CV resident and teacher Marina Adamian has been going to the La Crescenta Curves for the past two years, three days a week, and has been sticking to Curves’ specially designed 30-minute circuit training. She said she hasn’t lost a lot of actual weight, but she’s dropped 21 inches overall, feels more active and stronger and absolutely loves the friendliness of the place.
“I like their exercises, it’s not crazy busy like some of the gyms and it’s very homey. I know all the ladies that come here, I don’t have to put on a fancy exercise outfit and I always feel comfortable here,” she explained. “I feel that Curves targets the wiser group of women, more mature women and the exercises don’t put too much stress on your body. It’s low impact and it brings your energy level up so I really benefitted from it.”
Some people may feel intimidated by some of the huge fitness centers with large, high-tech machines that need to be adjusted to each member. There are no awkward machines at Curves. There are no weights that need to be adjusted and the 12 individual exercise machines, or ‘stations’, are simple and easy to use. They set up facing each other in a square so members can chat with each other. The taped music also instructs you when to move to the next station, so it’s easy to time your workout stages and move through the course.
With nearly 10,000 locations worldwide, Curves is the world’s largest fitness franchise. Curves of La Crescenta is located at 3812 Foothill Blvd. and participates in the Stronger + Together campaign. For more information, call (818) 957-5967 or go to www.curves.com.