Get On The Defensive. "You'll learn how to protect yourself while getting a great workout," says Mike Diamond of classes at his self-defense studio St. Louis Self Defense & Fitness, LLC in Brentwood, where he teaches techniques and movements used by the Israeli military to train you to stay calm, protect yourself and fight back if necessary during an attack. In this high-powered, hands-on class, men and women with different skill levels ranging from average Janes to FBI agents-in-training gather to learn defense techniques while getting an intense, pulse-pounding workout. Because you never stop moving and use all major muscle groups while improving coordination and strength, this hardcore class is a calorie-burning inferno. With jabs and kicks designed to help you sculpt, tone and shed pounds quickly, Commando Krav Maga will turn you into a lean fighting machine -- think Jennifer Lopez in the movie Enough, where her character trained for the final fight scene against her abusive ex-husband using Commando Krav Maga techniques.

Survival Skills. The one-hour class begins with a short 15-minute warm-up of calisthenics including jumping jacks, push-ups and squat, followed by a 20-minute series of drills such as hammer-fist strikes or front kicks. Once the instructor demonstrates the moves, the class repeatedly performs them in unison as the instructor calls them out. But the real work beging in the last half of the class -- your new skills are put to the test as you partner up to practice defending yourself in an attack. As your partner puts you in a headlock, you'll learn how to use your legs to prevent being thrown onto the ground and how to use your fingers to attack the sensitive area under the nose in order to knock down your attacker. "Not only do you get a killer total-body workout, but you learn some valuable skills as well."