For Self-defense

Moves of the Month

- By Maria Leone

I BEGAN MY CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL DANCER. Since I couldn’t sing and was too short for Broadway, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue work. As I transitioned from dancer to Pilates instructor, there was an interim when I was doing both. I remember being at my studio, Bodyline, teaching clients in the early morning before going to dance rehearsals for the Oscars. As Bodyline grew, I started studying tae kwon do to keep my body in dancer shape. It provided the flexibility and cardio training that I needed, plus there was a dojo five minutes away. I have held a blackbelt now for more than 20 years and learned some profound lessons along the way. Martial arts has influenced not only what I teach, but more importantly, how I teach. It has also given me the confidence to kick and punch, which are crucial to self-defense.

There is no better training for self-defense than sparring; it’s the part of martial arts that I am the worst at. I still feel my heart quicken every time I square off with an opponent. Sparring puts you into fight-or-flight mode. Moment to moment, you’re choosing whether to strike or step out of the way. Joseph Pilates was a boxer and a pioneer in teaching self-defense. There are many exercises, from punching on the Trap Table to Sword on the Reformer, that reflect his martial arts background.

Moving from your powerhouse is integral to self-defense. Any time you punch or kick, the power must come from the center of your body—not just your limbs. Martial arts focuses on breath (