How self-defense classes teach women to protect themselves with physical, mental preparation
ROCK HILL, S.C. (InvestigateTV) — Some women in South Carolina say they feel safer and more confident after taking self-defense classes that teach both physical techniques and mental preparation.
Lexi Arnold, a women’s self-defense trainer, focuses on helping participants overcome the freeze response during dangerous situations.
Arnold developed her approach after experiencing two assaults as a teenager, including one at age 16 by a friend who forced himself on her.
“My goal with my self-defense classes is literally to be able to fight instead of freeze because it’s a mindset thing,” Arnold said.
Arnold said she froze during her first assault but fought back during a second attack by a boyfriend. She gave him a black eye and escaped the situation.
“I teach kind of like what I did,” Arnold said, emphasizing that education about recognizing threats is as important as learning physical defense moves.
The Rock Hill Police Department began offering self-defense courses to the public three years ago after receiving numerous requests from community members interested in women’s self-defense training.
“We started receiving a lot of interest requests from the community about just being interested in women’s self-defense,” said Detective Rebecca Carlo of the Rock Hill Police Department.
The classes teach techniques, including knee strikes and defensive moves against attackers who grab the shoulders or waist areas.
“We want to have women understand is that they can defend themselves. They can say no in any situation if they don’t feel comfortable,” said Taylor Hawkins of the Rock Hill Police Department.
Watch more of what is taught in these self-defense classes by clicking here.
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