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Contact: John Broom

Learn self-defense from a second-degree black belt during a six-week Self Defense Workshop Series at Premiere Fitness starting February 3. The class is taught by local resident Esther Smith, who trains at the Koroshi School of Defense. She started martial arts training when she was 12.

Over the six weeks, men and women who attend the class will learn various techniques to help them:

• be aware of your surroundings and stop attacks before they start
• react if you are grabbed or attacked
• escape from attackers
• gain leverage over an attacker
• escape if knocked down

“A six-week class is not going to turn you into Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris. You’re not going to be at a place where you can fight at that level after this series. But you will be able to react and get away. That’s how you stay safe and that is what we will learn,” Smith said.

Ohio ranks fifth nationally for human trafficking. There are also increased cases of road rage or other situations where an angry person could try to attack someone. Smith said it is important to have basic knowledge to get out of a dangerous situation.

“It is like having a home security system – good to have and you hope you never have to use it,” Smith said. “The point of basic self-defense is to be able to remove yourself from a dangerous situation. You don’t want to stay and fight. React quickly and get away as fast as possible.”

She said 10 to 15 seconds can mean the difference between escaping and calling for help or being overpowered by an attacker.

Classes will be for one hour. Each class focuses on a different aspect or technique of self-defense and will include opportunities to put what was learned that day into practice. The six-week series costs $150 per person. For more information visit www.premierefitness.com or call 440-998-3488. To register online visit www.acmchealth.org/calendar and click on the Self-Defense Series event.