COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Elizabeth Smart Foundation and Malouf Foundation™ are bringing Smart Defense self-defense training to Colorado Springs.
Beginning in March, Smart Defense classes will be held at the Iron Roots Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym and will be led by Professor Erin Johnson and her husband, Professor Dan Ries.
Smart Defense is a self-defense training program created by Smart Defense program director and martial arts expert, Miyo Strong, along with members of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation team. It was designed specifically for women and girls ages 10 and up.
After revealing an incident where she said was sexually assaulted on an airplane in the summer of 2019, kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart decided to help women and girls learn how to defend themselves.
The Smart Defense curriculum was designed by hand-picking self-defense techniques and skills from a number of martial arts styles including Krav Maga, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai. Each technique was selected with the objective of giving participants the skills to potentially stop an attack and to feel in control of their bodies and boundaries.
Program director Miyo Strong assisted in creating the Smart Defense training program. Strong is an award-winning Jiu-Jitsu World Master Champion. Prior to joining the ESF team, she taught self-defense for Temple MMA and Empower Self-Defense.
What is Smart Defense?
“Smart Defense is where education, empowerment and physical self-defense come together,” Strong said. “There has been a gap in traditional self-defense programs, and we’re proud to be the bridge of change. We emphasize the education surrounding sexual violence prevention, not just the martial arts techniques used for defense and escape.”
Traditional Smart Defense classes take place in a physical facility, usually a local martial arts gym, with at least two trauma-informed instructors. Erin Johnson, co-owner of Iron Roots Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, will lead the Colorado Springs classes with three other instructors including her husband, Dan Ries. Johnson and Ries have been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for 33 combined years and are both certified black belts.
Smart Defense classes are currently available in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Salt Lake City, Utah; Riverton, Utah; St. George, Utah; Pocatello, Idaho; and Kansas City, Kansas. Minors participating in the program are encouraged to bring a parent or guardian with them. To learn more or to register, visit elizabethsmartfoundation.org.
Class Information
$300 per 8 or 4 Week CourseClass Size: up to 12 participantsClass length: 1 hour- 4 hours2-8 classes per courseBeginner and intermediate class curriculum
Learn more at elizabethsmartfoundation.org/smart-defense and ironrootsbjj.com.
If you or a loved one has been affected by sexual violence, the National Sexual Assault Hotline, operated by RAINN, is available at 800.656.HOPE or via live chat at https://www.rainn.org/. Communication is available 24/7, confidential and free of charge.
About Elizabeth Smart Foundation and Malouf Foundation™
In January 2022, the Elizabeth Smart Foundation officially became a part of the Malouf Foundation™ to confront sexual assault and exploitation. Each foundation fulfills their mission by providing education through OnWatch™ and Smart Defense; promoting healing through the Juniper Scholarship™, Rooms Restored™, and restorative care centers; and advocating for survivors through Heroes Landing™ and the “We Believe You” campaign. Supported by the network of Malouf Companies™, the Malouf Foundation™ and the Elizabeth Smart Foundation give 100 percent of their resources on behalf of the people they serve. For more information, visit elizabethsmartfoundation.org and malouffoundation.org.
