E-Mail This Article to a Friend The shape of things to come Classes that will have you fit come summer BY GENEVIEVE RAJEWSKI

With another New Year’s Eve come and gone, it’s probably safe to assume that "lose weight" or "get in shape" once again made your list of resolutions. But — looking ahead to summer days at the beach — what are you really doing to get yourself swimsuit-ready?

Many of us start every year with good intentions, visiting the gym several times a week. But by February, the regime has often gone sour. That’s because sticking with a routine that’s grown tired or boring is likely to cause you to just drop it entirely. Fortunately, it’s easy to mix things up this year — thanks to a host of classes designed to keep you motivated and interested in meeting your fitness goals.

Take Crunch ($38–$69/month), for example. The downtown health club offers a number of classes that sound almost too fun to be good for you. Crunch’s cardio-striptease class combines striptease moves with aerobic elements to create a fun, energizing workout that your partner will surely be thankful for. In the cycle-karaoke class, participants pick their favorite tunes from Crunch’s CD library and sing them during the ride. Bosu Bootcamp features integrated balance training on what looks like a stability ball with a flat bottom. And you can sweat while learning choreography from the top Broadway shows in Crunch’s Broadway Dance Series.

At Healthworks ($62 or $73/month), women can jump-start their cardiovascular workouts by trying Urban Rebounding and Rebound Express, aerobic-conditioning classes performed on mini trampolines. This fun style of aerobics is a great choice for those who want to minimize stress on their muscles and joints. Healthworks also offers Cardio Caliente, an aerobics class that heats things up with freestyle Latin dance steps, rhythm changes, and music.

Meanwhile, several instructors at the Sports Club/LA ($145/month) are taking their land-based classes to the pool. The change of scenery and added resistance provided by the water are sure to refresh your workout routine. Splash Core increases core stability and strength by combining cardiovascular drills with range-of-motion exercises and buoyant stretching positions. The more advanced Splash Athlete maximizes strength and stamina through cardiovascular- and muscular-conditioning exercises utilizing aqua dumbbells and hydrotone and hydrofit equipment.

Given that dance steps frequently provide the basis for popular fitness classes, you may want to consider a class that focuses on dance itself. The Boston Center for Adult Education has a new five-week West African dance class ($103; $93 for members). Participants will develop strength and flexibility as they learn traditional dances from Senegal, Mali, and Guinea, to the beat of recorded music and live drumming. The BCAE also offers Hip-Hop: The Basics ($81; $73 for members), a six-week class that teaches highly effective techniques for building strength, toning, and developing coordination. And the BCAE’s eight-week course in belly dancing ($103; $93 for members) provides aerobic training, improved body tone, and exercises focusing on body-part isolation and coordination.

Where to find it:

• Boston Center for Adult Education, (617) 267-4430; www.bcae.org.

• Crunch, 17 Winter Street, Boston, (617) 338-9001; www.crunch.com.

• Healthworks, various locations; www.healthworksfitness.com.

• Sports Club/LA, 2 Avery Street, Boston, (617) 375-8200; www.thesportsclubla.com.