WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (KDVR) — Local martial arts gym 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Denver, in Wheat Ridge, is offering free jiujitsu classes to women in the community to empower them to defend themselves should they ever find themselves in an attack situation.

According to the head coaches, jiujitsu is especially effective for self-defense situations because it makes you strong on your back.

“Using leverage, the smaller player is able to manipulate and control a much larger player,” said Conor Heun, the gym’s founder. “So it basically it gives women a fighting chance, like any of my blue belts would be able to handle any untrained attacker on the street.”

Heun and Heather Jo Clark, founder and co-founder of the gym, said they wanted to offer this class for free to women because they didn’t want finances to be a barrier to learn these skills.

“Especially in the times we were in right now and inflation and everything, I just never want it to be a reason why a woman can’t come train,” Clark said.

The classes are offered three times a week. Heun said the goal is to give women the opportunity to train in a community focused on self-defense.

“Because we all need it. We just all do. Men or women. But I think women especially, just because obviously women tend to be more victimized than men,” Clark said.