Audra Hunsberger jabbed a plastic knife at her assailant Sunday night at IM Sports-West, but self-defense instructor Sally Belloli batted the weapon away, avoiding a potential poke to the rib cage.

The pair took part in "Combating an Armed Attack," a self-defense program that taught participants how to protect themselves from assailants wielding knives, clubs or guns. Kinesiology professor and martial artist Dan Smith led the seminar, which also covered how to use a small club typically attached to keychains.

Smith, who teaches a course in general self-defense, said it's important to train people to fight armed attackers specifically.

"It's a lot different because when someone pulls out a weapon - a knife or a gun - it changes the whole situation," he said.

Hunsberger, an education junior, said she attended Sunday's seminar to learn moves she could use in real life.

"Martial arts is more about philosophy, so I thought this will be more of learning what to do in specific situations," she said.

In fact, Smith said people without martial arts experience often find it easier to learn self-defense. He has taught armed defense to police officers at his studio, but said he keeps the techniques basic so anyone can learn.

In addition to the armed attack seminar, Smith taught a defensive ground-fighting workshop last month. Participants learned how to escape rape attempts where the victim is pinned by the attacker.

Belloli, who administers Self-Defense for Women, a program that offers free workshops to campus groups, said ground fighting is important for women on campus.

"The two biggest questions we get is, 'What do I do if I get pinned on the ground?' and 'What do I do if there's a weapon?'" she said. "That's why we did these programs."

Still, Smith said the best defense against any attack is what he calls "track and field."

"Even the best knife fighters will say the best thing to do is run away," he said.