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Living Defense Martial Art’s free self-defense for women classes Feb. 26 were all about empowering women.

“We’re not talking about someone coming up and hitting you,” said Steve Snyder, co-owner and an instructor at the center. “We’re talking about violent attacks. This program (is designed) to change your mindset.”

Snyder said a lot of people don’t give themselves permission to defend themselves in an assault.

“Some people think if they don’t fight back, it’ll be over quicker,” said Mariea Snyder, Steve’s wife and co-owner and instructor at the center.

“I’ve learned it is OK to fight back and it’s important to do that. It will increase your chance of survival,” participant Kristen Hague, 28, of High Point said.

With a 2-1/2-year-old son, learning these skills are invaluable, she said. “Like (Mariea) said, you have to survive for your kid to survive.”

Mariea Snyder, who taught two free classes Feb. 26, has 26 years of experience in kick boxing, Tae Kwon Do and Brazilian JiuJitsu and more than 20 years in teaching. Steve Snyder said his wife’s focus has shifted to helping women become stronger through martial arts or fitness.

During the noon class, Mariea Snyder encouraged the women to participate in some form of physical fitness program. “Being physically fit is a great tool. The confidence you get from ongoing training is invaluable,” she said. Being more fit also increases the odds that you’ll survive an attack.

“We wanted to raise awareness of simple things people could do (to protect themselves),” Mariea Snyder said. “We want to give them tools to defend themselves.”

Obviously, kicks and hits are part of that, but so is staying aware of your surroundings.

“(We point out) tools that they didn’t think they could use, like using a pen as a weapon or the purse itself,” she said.

Facing a wall of mirrors, the group practiced their kicks and hits before turning toward the back of the room and trying their new skills on men in the back of the room clad in safety pads.

“If the men aren’t moving, you’re not hitting them hard enough,” Mariea Snyder told the women.

Several of the noon participants take a self-defense or kick-boxing class with Mariea Snyder at High Point University.

“We don’t have guys in our class,” Laurel Sterling, 20, said. She’s in HPU’s self-defense class with Lauren Thame, 22.

“It’s nice to practice on people stronger than us,” Thame said.

Mariea Snyder told the women to remember three things: Distract, Undo and Neutralize.

She said the women can distract an attacker in many ways, such as hitting them in the eyes, throat, tossing water in their face ... anything to distract them from the intended attack.

“If they can’t breathe, it will be hard to attack you. Stun him so you can get away.”

If you have something the attacker wants, give it to him, Mariea Snyder said. “Give them whatever they want, but not yourself.”

After practicing a Distract, Undo and Neutralize routine, Christina Day, 30, of High Point and Katherine Fair, 26, of Greensboro said the steps are now second nature.

“Practicing it makes it reactive,” Fair said. “I will (be able to) automatically do it without thinking about it.”

Day agreed. “It’s in my mind now.”

“The more you do something ... the more it becomes a habit and instinctive,” Mariea Snyder said.

The response to the noon program was so large, the center opened up a second time slot for 3 p.m. More than 60 women participated in the noon program and 25 women came to the second session.

David Hassen of Greensboro, an instructor at the center and class volunteer, said everyone would benefit from a self-defense class.

It’s important for people to know “if you fight back, an attacker is more likely to give up and move on,” he said. “We’re not saying you’re going to win a fight, but it will give you a fighting chance (for survival) if you’re attacked.”

Living Defense Martial Arts is already planning for at least one more course later in the year, possibly tied to donations for a charity, such as breast cancer research.

Contact E.A. Seagraves at 883-4422, Ext. 241, or elizabeth.seagraves@news-record.com