New Year, New You?

January is among us and now is the time everyone struggles to keep their new year resolutions in check. Personal resolutions are as different as the people who make them, whether it be the need to nurture personal relationships, get a grip on financial planning, or the ever-daunting challenge of staying on top of health and wellness, January is often a great time to start taking steps forward and not looking back. If the latter is what you find yourself focusing on, you’re in luck. Atlanta is bustling with new fitness facilities that take are taking a fresh new approach to the monotony of working out.

A new trend is emerging and is helping to re-vitalize otherwise mundane workouts. Rowing studios are popping up all over Atlanta including Total Row in Buckhead and Row House, soon to call West Midtown and Sandy Springs home. Offering full body aerobics classes designed to provide an excellent cardio workout incorporated with low-impact stretching, rowing studios have joined the latest fitness crazes like hot yoga and hip-hop spin classes. While many gyms offer rowing as an option, these specialty fitness centers focus on rowing for different levels of clientele to do together, no matter their shape or size. Some studios incorporate water tanks in order to make the resistance from rowing more realistic and rewarding.

Another popular workout trend on the horizon is aerial and silk art which mixes cardio, Pilates, restorative stretching and general core exercises. Don’t let the fear of the unknown  intimidate you, this artform is ideal for a number of different skill levels and allows you to move forward at your own pace. For those who have often dreamt of what it would be like to join the circus, this is about as close as you can get. Some area studios, such as Circus Arts Institute, incorporate therapy into their classes to alleviate emotional, mental, and physical burdens. Other gyms that stick to the more traditional exercise classes include Sky Barre, Sky Gym Aerial Dance & Fitness, Play Hard Gym, as well as new studios opening with the growth in popularity.

While these new studios are a great way to get in an alternative workout, they can come with a hefty price tag.  The introductory rate for founding members at Row House starts at $109/ month and Sky Gym Aerial Dance and Fitness has a new year special for $99/ month for unlimited classes. For these reasons it may be wise to take a look at some more traditional fitness centers. While you may not have the new age class offerings, you can still get in and get your resolutions off to a promising start. Planet Fitness has locations around Atlanta and offer memberships for as low as $10/month. The YMCA also has gyms conveniently located and offer an income based sliding scale in order to accommodate your 2020 budget.