![For Self-defense](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/1264/518539/5f61d9e08771f/Self-defense-Pilates-exercises.jpg)
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.
Denne historien er fra September - October 2020-utgaven av Pilates Style.
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Denne historien er fra September - October 2020-utgaven av Pilates Style.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Finding New Momentum
Overcoming obstacles caused by the pandemic, the virtual version of this popular festival still achieved its goals.
![Carola Trier's Extraordinary Journey](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1264/518539/5f61b182ced15/crp_Carola-Trier-Reiner-Grootenhuis-Pilates-Biking-Nerve-damage-spinal-surgery-oxycodone-OxyContin-Physical-therapist.jpg)
Carola Trier's Extraordinary Journey
In his authoritative biography of the first woman to open a studio, Reiner Grootenhuis delved into her personal papers to tell the harrowing story of her time in a prison camp during World War II.
![Racism in the Pilates Industry](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1264/518539/5f61b7cf9cfc4/crp_Black-Lives-Matter-Systemic-Racism-Pilates.jpg)
Racism in the Pilates Industry
Incidents of police brutality and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests have shed a bright light on systemic racism in the U.S., including in the Pilates industry. Here, Black instructors share their experiences.
![For Self-defense](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1264/518539/5f61d9e08771f/crp_Self-defense-Pilates-exercises.jpg)
For Self-defense
Moves of the Month
![Comfort Food Made Healthy](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1264/518539/5f61ddb3215fe/crp_Kristin-Cavallari-Comfort-Food-Cookbook.jpg)
Comfort Food Made Healthy
This fall, cozy up to tantalizing comfort food that’s also healthy. A new cookbook from Kristin Cavallari shows you how.
![Pilates Postcard](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1264/518539/5f61e0342717e/crp_Pilates-Postcard.jpg)
Pilates Postcard
A Pilates teacher shares how the method is making waves abroad.
![The Ultimate Gift](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1264/518539/5f61a48f17031/crp_The-Ultimate-Gift.jpg)
The Ultimate Gift
One year ago, Kahley Schiller’s life was completely upended by an extreme health crisis. But thanks to her 20-year Pilates practice, the 40-year-old was able to recover quickly.
![Revelations](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1264/518539/5f61d50883884/crp_Revelations.jpg)
Revelations
For Sarita Allen, a star of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and a protégée of Kathleen Stanford Grant, Pilates was key to her decades-long career.
Meaning WITHIN THE Movement
The Five Elements of Chinese Medicine help you go deeper into your practice, promising plenty of play along the way.
![PILATES IN THE HOOD](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1264/518539/5f619faa4573c/crp_PILATES-IN-THE-HOOD.jpg)
PILATES IN THE HOOD
Though she’s trained many top stars, Kim Carruthers says she’s most proud of her work as the founder and director of a nonprofit bringing the method to underserved communities.