New year, new you, right? We make our New Year's resolutions with the best intentions and often start out strong, only to lose momentum as the year gains traction (often by February). When you're learning something new, it helps to keep it social. Having other people to practise with speeds up your learning, and the friendships formed will keep you coming back.

Take up padel, learn a handcraft, hone your cooking skills, explore interesting new hiking trails, or add another language to your repertoire – Joburg's got plenty to offer. We've rounded up our top picks for the new you. 

Learn a language

Parlez-vous français? Few skills are more valuable than learning a new language. Your travels will be enriched when you can interact with people in their mother tongue and you'll gain valuable insights into different cultures. It also improves your memory and problem-solving skills. Of course, there are few things more difficult to do. Duolingo's great, but truly learning a language requires practice – and people to practice with. These places in Joburg make it easier with courses tailored to your proficiency in the language.

Learn French and isiZulu at Alliance Française  in Parkwood while snacking on some croissants to keep you going. Order your pasta in fluent Italian by heading to Dante Alighieri Society  in Houghton and sprechen Deutsch with Goethe-Institut , also in Parkwood.  Wits Language School  in Braamfontein offers a range of languages that include isiZulu, Portuguese, and South African Sign Language, as well as several courses on translating and teaching English as a foreign language. With options to do the courses part time or online, you can arrange your learning to suit your schedule.

Put on your dancing shoes

Just hanging out at The Cirk. Photo: The Cirk.
If you think you have what it takes and want to try your hand – or rather, your feet – at breakdancing,  DS Dance Studios  in Northcliff offers open breakdance classes, with all ages welcome. DS Dance Studios has an impressive track record, training various world and South African dance champions. Different variations of pantsula, twerking, and gqom are the standout dance styles offered at Soweto's Finest Dance Studio  at Newtown Junction (yes, we said twerking). Then,  Five6Seven8's Randburg studio offers 27 dance styles, including Latin and ballroom.

Secret Sunrise is your go-to if you're after carefree movement, with events all around Johannesburg and Pretoria. And if you’ve always wanted to run away to the circus, well,  The Cirk's  classes at Cresta Shopping Centre are   just the thing for you: swing from the rafters as you learn aerial and acrobatic tricks. They even have kids' courses so your little ones can join in the fun. For more, check out our feature on where to learn to dance in Joburg . Or mix your own beats to groove to with House DJ Tomby , who offers private lessons for budding to more experienced DJs. 

Pick up a new sport 

Ride through the streets of Soweto with Lebo's Soweto Backpackers. Photo: Lebo’s Soweto Backpackers.

There’s nothing worse than taking the stairs at work only to find you need five minutes to catch your breath at the top so you don’t walk into the office huffing and puffing. With plenty of ways to get active in Joburg, you’ll soon be hitting the top feeling fresh and perky.

Dust off your bike and join Banditz Bicycle Club or Street Friends for one of their rides around Joburg. For more, check out our guide to cycling the city. If you prefer pounding the pavements, join the Braamfie Runners,  #Letthepeoplerun aka Run Tell That, Shelflife running club or regular Parkrun events, and see where you can start racking up the distance with our guide to running in Johannesburg. For those in the mood for something more social, the latest sports craze is up your alley – find out where to play padel in Joburg and Pretoria, and read our intro to padel here.

Combining movement with meditation, there's Yoga in the Park every Sunday at the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens , or daily classes at Parktown North's inclusive  The Nest Space and Parkview's long-standing  Sivananda Ashram , to name but a few. The  Dabulamanzi Canoe Club  next to Emmarentia Dam gives you a chance to get out onto the water in Joburg, and they offer introductory classes to get you started.

Adrenaline junkies should check out CityROCK  in Fontainebleau and  Friends and Allies  in Strijdom Park ,  two of Joburg's best indoor rock climbing and bouldering gyms. And once you're ready to flex your chops outdoors, here's our guide to climbing spots around the city . With rock climbing recently added to the Olympic Games, we've put together a list of other   unique Olympic sports in Joburg and where to learn them. For a more high-energy outlet, there are great boxing clubs around the city, including  MissFit , Fight Club , and  Alan Toweel Boxing Gym .

Explore the great outdoors

The Hamerkop Kloof in the majestic Magaliesberg mountains, one of the many outdoor wonders situated just outside of the city. Photo: MCSA Johannesburg Section.

While Cape Town gets praise for its natural splendour, Joburg and the surrounding Highveld and Bushveld regions aren't short on beauty. The magnificent Magaliesberg mountain range is one of the oldest on the planet, extending over 120km from Pretoria to Rustenburg. Join the Johannesburg chapter of the Mountain Club of South Africa (MCSA) for access to permit-holder-only hiking areas like Cedarberg Kloof and Mhlabatini, or strap on your boots and go mountaineering at these tried and tested trails in Gauteng.