Curves has added another differentiator to its list with its CurvesSmart solution, a unique in-house computer-based personal coaching system for its members.
A 17-year old global fitness and weight-loss franchise with the unofficial motto of, “no makeup, no men and no mirrors,” Curves worked with Mytrak Health Systems Inc. to develop the system.
Reed Hanoun, president and CEO of the Mississauga, Ont.-based solution provider of customized health solutions, said the CurvesSmart-branded solution is a personal coaching system that was built for Curves using the Microsoft Windows platform. The solution, which is now used in over 4,000 Curves’ locations, monitors and tracks an individual’s exercise progress and provides relevant fitness feedback via a computer and RFID tag.
With over 10,000 locations in over 60 countries, including some 6000 in North America, Curves was looking for an intelligent solution that would help keep it competitive in the market said Curves founder Gary Heavin.
The implementation of the CurvesSmart solution began in 2006, taking 18 months, with training completed through various CD-ROM-based programs in addition to webinars, with the help and guidance of Mytrak.
“Members go to a (Curves) facility that has the technology installed and they fill out their personal information,” Hanoun said. “The system will then calculate things like muscle groups and will develop an exercise prescription for the individual to help them get to where they should be (health-wise). The member will carry an RFID tag with them and they scan it on a (fitness) machine that has the Mytrak computer attached to it.”
The CurvesSmart solution is completely customizable for the user, said Hanoun, as exercise feedback is determined based on how much the user exercises and according to what their desired fitness goals are.
“When the user is finished exercising, they scan their tag on the main computer at the club to see an analysis of their workout,” said Hanoun. “All information is encrypted on the main computer and the RFID tags each have their own serial number. Users can calculate their energy and heart rate in real-time and the system will give them feedback based on their workout.”
Members who use CurvesSmart are also able to track their fitness progress at home by logging onto Mytrak’s Web portal via a username and password.
Heavin said CurvesSmart has the ability to monitor heart rate, workout intensity, range of motion, muscle strength and can also calculate the number of calories burned.
The solution is incorporated into Curves’ 30-minute circuit workout and continuously challenges the individual during this time. Being able to monitor and track one’s own progress in real-time encourages users to work harder to achieve their fitness goals, said Heavin. As a result, he said Curves members who use CurvesSmart are now working about 20 per cent harder than they would otherwise workout without it. What that means, he continues, is that people are losing 20 per cent more weight when they exercise.
“We’re seeing great results physiology, psychologically and from a business standpoint,” Heavin said. “This solution has allowed us to move forward as a business within a brand while it also works to improve the overall user experience for our members. In fact, we’re also rolling out CurvesSmart in our European locations now.”
