At a Washington Ave. Studio, Teaching Self Defense is a Mission

For the instructors at Martial Arts U.S.A., teaching Ju Jitsu, Aikido and kickboxing is more than a sport or a way to make a living. It's also a way to save a life. In the past year, there have been at least six gun-point muggings and more than a dozen violent attacks in Prospect Heights and the western edge of Crown Heights.  And Grand Master Bill McCloud and his staff hope that by offering monthly self-defense classes, area residents will learn to protect themselves and be able to walk around the neighborhood after dark without fear.  "Crimes happen in all different neighborhoods and you can't really rely on a police presence to protect you," said Damian McCleod, a master instructor at the school.  "At the end of the day your own safety is too valuable to rely on someone else, whether it be police or husband or boyfriend or someone else," he added. The six-year-old school used to offer a women's self-defense class sporadically, but recently McCloud decided to offer them on a regular basis. McCloud said that every day he sees people walk around the neighborhood talking on their iPhones and completely unaware of their surroundings.  He hopes offering the class more frequently will change this.   For those wondering if much can be learned in a two-hour session, McCleod says this: "What we teach are very simple movements that are easy to remember. Techniques that people can take home the same day and use." The classes costs $15, but McCleod said the studio wants the class to be available to anyone who needs it. "We're certainly not going to turn anyone away because they can't afford it," he said. The next Women's Self-Defense Seminar will take place on Saturday, April 20 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Martial Arts USA, 759 Washington Ave. at Sterling Place.