PACE Circuit Training: Women's Clubs

WOMEN ONLY
CIRCUIT TRAINING CENTERS

I'm too intimidated to join a Health Club !

INTIMIDATION is the #1 reason that keeps women, especially overweight or senior ladies from joining fitness centers.

Women-only circuit training centers are one of the hottest trend in the fitness industry throughout the world. These clubs are non-intimidating, safe, fun, time efficient and create a sense of camaraderie- and get results (at least initially).

Curves Exercise Began with PACE

The very successful franchise, Curves for Women, traces its origins to PACE (the first Curves gym in Harlingen, TX had PACE equipment). However, when they started to manufacture their own equipment, they chose to use non-adjustable hydraulic cylinders which lead to one of their biggest problems- a high dropout rate when members hit the inevitable plateau and got bored and frustrated. Thousands of Curves clubs have closed in the last few years because of this and several other problems (see http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/curves-robert-lays-story/).

Does this mean the need for women only clubs no longer exists? We say NO!

One of our biggest areas of growth has been into markets where a Curves had recently closed. See excerpt, in sidebar, from article on FranBest, one of the Franchise Industry's most notable websites.

What type of business will best meet your needs for opening a women's club, PACE or the leading franchise?
You decide:

Comparison	PACE	Curves for Women
Franchise	NO	YES
Monthly franchise fee	NONE	$795.00/month maximum
Advertising fee	NONE	$395.00/month maximum
Circuit cost: 16 stations	$16,995.00	$24,900.00
Protected territories	YES, 3 mile radius	YES, 2 mile radius
Adjustable Equipment	YES	NO
Coed Capability	YES	NO

Not a Curves for Women Franchise

Remember, we are NOT affiliated with any Curves for Women franchise or a copy-this is the original hydraulic circuit training program! While Curves fitness has its benefits, our adjustable resistance equipment, turnkey marketing package and certified training program work with you to bring you the best in fitness. Ask yourself the following questions before choosing another center:

Why pay a monthly fee for years and years when we provide all the tools, training and support you need?
Why pay for a franchise and be told when to open, when to close and how much to charge when you do all the work? Why not add your own additional program or equipment for additional profit centers?
Why not keep your profits?

Curves Fitness Center for Women helps women obtain a smaller shape initially. With our adjustable PACE hydraulic circuit training equipment, we can help your members continue to enjoy results far after they have reached a plateau with nonadjustable equipment.

FranBest Article

PACE Fitness

"Independent clubs pay no franchise fees or royalties.
How could an independent club - with no established branding or name recognition - survive where a powerhouse like Curves could not?

The most obvious reason is cost. Independent clubs cost less to start, and less to operate. In some low-volume locations, that cost difference could be the difference between success and failure.

According to the Curves website, the cost of a Curves franchise is $24,900 (new equipment) or $19,900 (refurbished equipment) with delivery of the Curves equipment ranging from $3,000- $5,000. A PACE new equipment package starts well under $15,000.

According to Curves, "Curves charges a monthly franchise royalty and a monthly advertising royalty based on a percentage of gross revenues....The franchise royalty is 5% of gross revenues, with $795 being the maximum monthly payment by a franchisee and $195 being the minimum. The advertising royalty is 3% of gross revenues, with $395 being the maximum monthly payment by a franchisee and $95 being the minimum."

Independent clubs pay no franchise or advertising royalties, as opposed to yearly costs ranging from $3480 to $14,280 Curves owners must pay. Additionally, Curves owners have other costs, including mandatory purchases and program participation costs.

Independent clubs have freedom to experiment.
Franchises like Curves are based on conformity and compliance; they build their brand by enforcing consistent standards throughout their international network of clubs. Curves franchise owners do not have the freedom to, say, add a line of retail products on their own, or to promote their club as co-ed. In smaller, extra-competitive or nuanced markets, finding new and creative ways to add revenue or grow membership may require out-of-the-box initiatives that would not be approved by a national franchise.

In recent discussions on UnhappyFranchisee.com, some Curves owners have complained that they have trouble retaining members who plateau and/or get bored with the non-adjustable Curves hydraulic equipment, yet they are prohibited from going to weight-based machines or even the adjustable hydraulic machines offered by PACE.

Curves franchises face stiffer penalties for failure.
The penalties for failure also seem to be greater for Curves owners than independent operators. Many comments by Curves owners here (see the comments on Robert Lay's Story) cite the fact that they are pressured to pay closing or "failure" fees if they cannot remain open for the full term of their agreement, and that they are pursued for "future royalties" despite having done their best to keep their Curves clubs open.

Independents stake their claims.
There's no doubt that Curves pioneered the concept of circuit-based express fitness clubs. However, many, many franchise clubs are fighting for their survival in oversaturated or under populated markets. Where these clubs cannot survive, independent clubs - unburdened by franchise fees, royalties and corporate mandates - may be able to thrive. If they do, the independent owners and suppliers like PACE will have Curves to thank."