I'm a PA working in the exercise field. I have an Hons 1st Degree in Sports Science, but my boss is one of the highest qualified Exercise and Nutritional Consultants/ Personal Trainers in the UK and Europe.
He's in Oslo assessing personal trainers at the moment.
Last December, he was hired to look into the classes at Curves on behalf of a company in Oxford, who were thinking of sending their female employees there.
Just so you'll be aware of his professional level.....
He assesses personal trainers and health and fitness personnel in the UK, Europe and Scandinavia and has been retained to do this on a regular basis over the last 10 years. Consequently he knows precisely what he's talking about professionally, especially with his multiple degree qualifications and 40 years in Exercise, Injury and Nutrition.
He looked at 6 separate Curves franchises in two counties for a balanced view, and they all had exactly the same elements present. Consequently, one is pretty much reflective of another in quality control, exercise realities and staff expertise levels.
The conclusions he passed on in his report to the company was that, it can be a pleasant, reasonably effective setting for ladies, especially being less intimidating for the more self conscious individuals, so there are some good aspects.
The machine designs are not female biomechanically specific in any realistic technical sense of the word though I'm afraid, and the level of the staff expertise is certainly adequate for dealing with group exercise, but very average in exercise biomechanics knowledge.
In actual fact, there are no specific female biomechanics training courses in existence, so the level of 'speciality' is in truth, very limited and the class structure designs could just as easily be for men or women, so the claims/implicated phrasing of being guided by finely tuned female exercise biomechanics personnel are more than just a little whisker exaggerated!
It's an all female environment which is enjoyable for those who are, very understandably, not at ease around the often heavy 'stench' of testosterone in health clubs.
You will get some beneficial exercise there, but the implied specialist female capabilities are not borne out in the machine designs, the exercise prescription used or the level of staff qualifications.
Those are the succinct clinical realities.
However, if you take it as you find it, go carefully and steadily in the classes,remember that if something hurts...just don't do it; you should get benefits from attending, enjoy yourself and improve your fitness levels.
Hope that helps.