Make your resolutions stick this year

Keeping a New Year’s resolution is one of those daunting challenges many of us face. For those serious about getting into shape and shedding holiday fruitcake pounds, it takes more than good intentions. Planning is essential. On Page I4 are a few exercise options, the services and equipment needed to help see them through and what it will cost you.

Try something new in ‘09

Fitness kickboxing

COST: The KnuckleUp Fitness location in Sandy Springs, which specializes in combat sports training, says its most sought-after class is fitness kickboxing. It’s an alternative workout program that lasts approximately one hour per session.

Rows of 200-pound bags line a room. Students claim a bag and listen as instructors take them through the paces. Each interval of the training program lasts two minutes, and participants have that amount of time to perform as many specific Muay Thai-style kick-punch combinations as possible. And teachers typically wrap each session with 10 minutes of abdominal exercises. There is no physical contact between students. It’s appropriate for ages 15 and older.

Program plans range from $39-$69 per month, which include two to six classes per week.

Equipment is basic and includes 120-inch elastic hand wraps ($9.99 each) and a pair of 12-ounce boxing gloves ($36 each). KnuckleUp sells both, which are manufactured by Rev Gear.

BENEFITS: All that kicking and punching helps say goodbye to extra body fat and promotes lean muscle mass, a healthy cardiovascular system and flexibility.

CONTACT INFO: KnuckleUp Fitness. 5956 Roswell Road, Atlanta. 404-339-5425, www.knuckleupfitness.com.

Running

COST: The staff at Fleet Feet Sports in Johns Creek runs their customers through a careful process to find the right shoe for each individual. They look at length, width, shape, volume and stability of the feet and direct runners to the appropriate pair. Its most popular shoe for both sexes is the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 9 ($105). Brooks claims it has enhanced breathability and an improved sock liner for cushioning.

Next come the socks. The store carries Balega running socks ($9.95 per pair), which boast a high thread count and no internal seams.

Both Nike and Brooks produce some of the more popular winter running apparel. Tops range from $50-$150, and pants run $50-$120. Both are made of a polyester weave, which helps pull moisture from the skin.

BENEFITS: After the initial investment, running is an exercise in affordability. It can be done on the fly, helps promote a strong ticker and is a time-honored calorie burner.

CONTACT INFO: Fleet Feet Sports, 9700 Medlock Bridge Road, Suite 124, Johns Creek. 678-475-1555, www.fleetfeetjohnscreek.com.

Yoga

COST: Various fitness centers and yoga studios offer in-the-flesh instruction. Atlanta Yoga in midtown has classes for both newbies and long-time flexibles. Instructors teach in the Ashtanga and Anusara traditions. Single classes cost $16 each. Cards can be purchased for multiple classes in four-, eight- and 16-class denominations. Snag private instruction at $75 per hour.

Equipment for yoga is minimal. Yoga mats can be found at sporting goods stores and online at sites like Barefoot Yoga Co. (www.barefootyoga.com). It carries the Original Eco Yoga Mat ($72) made of jute fiber and all-natural rubber. Lululemon Athletica in Morningside sells its own brand of mats for $54. It carries the Manduka mat, too, a heavier-duty option for $108.

The folks at Shapes Dance & Aerobic Wear in Dunwoody say bottoms and support tops, all good for yoga, each average in the $30 range for women, but vary depending on brand and material. Similar items can be found at big-box retailers for around $20 each. Lululemon Athletica carries higher-end yoga apparel. Women’s pants are $96 per pair, and men’s are $84 each. Tops for both range from $48-$70.

BENEFITS: Different yoga traditions can offer mind and body harmony. But like all exercises, it takes discipline and patience. Do it right with proper instruction, and you can experience benefits like flexibility, strength, weight loss and stress reduction.

CONTACT INFO: Atlanta Yoga, 660 9th St., Studio B, Atlanta. 404-892-7797, www.atlantayoga.com.

Circus arts fitness

COST: Ever dream of running away with the circus? Well, it’s more than silly clowns and fancy costumes. Many acts require performers be in tip-top shape. And in these classes, circus-savvy Carrie Heller is uniting big-top skills with fitness. Students brave the low trapeze, gymnastic-style rings and the Spanish web. The latter finds students performing climbing tricks on a cloth-covered rope. Balancing boards, juggling, hula hooping and more inject additional color.

The classes take place at a warehouse studio near Candler Park. Upcoming sessions are 7:15-8:45 p.m. Wednesday evenings, Jan. 7-Feb. 10; and 9-10:30 a.m. Friday mornings, Jan. 9-Feb. 10. Rates are $33 for one trial class and $180 for the six-week session. A 10 percent discount applies to those who purchase the two sessions in tandem. Private and semi-private lessons range from $45-$70 per person.

Students aren’t required to invest in equipment. They perform the stunts barefoot, and yoga-friendly apparel or leggings make appropriate school uniforms.

BENEFITS: The stunts help pump up upper body strength and the body’s core, including the abs. Flexibility and balance also are enhanced.

CONTACT: Circus Arts Institute. 404-549-3000, www.circusartsinstitute.com.

Boot camp

COST: The intensive training of boot camps continues to be a fitness craze. Oodles are offered in the metro area, including North Atlanta Boot Camp. This four-week program has nine camps throughout town in areas including Cumming, Alpharetta and Suwanee. All but an Alpharetta camp are for women only.

Sessions take place on select mornings and evenings at 5:15 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. Programs last one month, and campers can choose between three sessions per week ($199), four sessions per week ($239) or five sessions per week ($299). These one-hour sessions include cardio interval and strength training for various muscle groups. This means a camper might be hitting the jump rope one minute, curling dumbbells the next, then moving on to jumping jacks and other exercises.

All camps are outdoors, and they’re usually located at parks or school yards. Staffers recommend good running shoes. Other required materials include a workout mat and dumbbells. Sports Authority carries the Aeromat Smooth Surface Mat ($19.99 each). Sports Authority’s dumbbells for specified weights typically range from $6.99-$29.99 each.

BENEFITS: The hodgepodge of exercises, which bring heart rates up and back down again, speed up metabolism. Participants are losing weight and strengthening muscles to boot.

CONTACT: North Atlanta Boot Camp. 404-978-5362, www.northatlantabootcamp.com.