Kick fat to the curb

Didn't get the same buzz from watching The Karate Kid as your bro? Neither did Alice Ellis, WH's sub-editor. That is, until we sent her to three very different self-defence classes. She discovered they can give you supercharged strength and a solid cardio workout that beats a treadmill session hands down. You can punch and kick away about 2500kJ an hour, and according to a University of Washington study, self-defence classes boost women's self-esteem. Bring it on.

Class 1: krav maga
Alice says: Hebrew for "close combat", krav maga's a self-defence system used by the Israeli army. The first thing I'm told in the "Fight Like a Girl" class is that the difference between krav maga and other martial arts is krav maga fighters "go for the soft bit". Kevin, the tall, muscly instructor - playing "worst-case-scenario attacker" - dons a groin guard so we can go to town on him. The class focuses on easy-to-learn moves that are also simple to do if you're under attack. Kevin demonstrates various attacks and shows us the defence strategy to counter each one. This normally involves a strike to the balls - works every time - plus eyes and throat. Great for building confidence and protection yourself, but not that much of a sweaty workout.
Best bit: You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with, and you have a lot of laughs.
Fitness factor: 7/10
Where to go: Fight Like a Girl, Darlington, NSW (also in Brunswick, Vic); fightlikeagirl.com.au. Check out kravmaga.com.au for more schools.

Class 2: kung-fu (Wing Chun style)
Alice says: Kung fu is a true art form - there are rituals and etiquette involved, for example, at the start and end of class, you must bow to Sifu (teacher). And you can't just walk out after a couple of classes ready to take on Jet Li: it takes years of dedicated practice to master kung-fu. But that doesn't mean you won't get something out of it straight away - the class gives me a super-sweaty workout that combines cardio and strength training, plus stretching. I learn how to punch properly so I could (but don't!) actually hurt my opponent rather than my own knuckles, how to kick without falling over and how to hurt someone who grabs my wrist. Hi-yaaa!
Best bit: The class was a mix of varying levels, so the helpful advanced people assisted the newbies, like me.
Fitness factor: 10/10
Where to go: International Wing Chun Academy, Sydney (also in Surfers Paradise, Qld, Adelaide, SA). For affiliated clubs in other states, log on to wingchun.com.au.

Class 3: Brazilian jujitsu (aka BJJ)
Alice says: BJJ was born when Brazilian dudes put their slant on Japanese judo (sometimes called jujitsu). It's a combat sport that can be used to temporarily disable an attacker or force them to submit. In my first class, I learn to choke someone till they pass out, to get and keep them on the ground and to snap their toes and wrists. Nice! And I'm told I could do it to a man four times my size if I do it right. BJJ is like wrestling because the fighting's done mostly on the ground, except you don't need to be strong. The idea is to get close to your opponent - like cheek-on-nipple close - because it's hard to hurt someone who's gripping to you like a koala. Most class time is spent wrestling, so it's a strenuous workout.
Best bit: The aim isn't to badly injure an opponent, so you can actually do BJJ with a partner. You're not confined to whacking a punching bag or padded instructor.
Fitness factor: 8/10
Where to go: Lange's Martial Arts, North Manly, NSW; northsidemartialarts.bigpondhosting.com. Look for more schools at bjj.com.au.