Don’t be a hero.­ That was the first lesson of the self-defense workshop Wednesday at the Student Recreation Center, conducted by mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship title winner Bas Rutten.

If someone wants your wallet or your car, give it to them, Rutten said.­ It’s not worth your life. ­ However, if the situation escalates, and you need to defend yourself, Rutten provided his students’ basic instructions.

The workshop was developed through the collaboration of Neil O’Brien, Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) senator of parking and safety on campus, and Melissa Ellis, the ASI community affairs coordinator, as part of Crime Prevention Week.

The goal was to encourage students to be proactive in their safety.

“The purpose of self-defense is to turn your predator into the victim,” O’Brien said. “We want to hear success stories, students being able to use this out in the real world.­ We don’t want students to be victims of crime.”

Junior Danielle Erdman, a social work major, said she wanted to be prepared for the possible risks of her profession.

“I work in a lot of at-risk neighborhoods and working in those kinds of environments you know you’re around crime and violence,” Erdman said. “I want to learn how to protect myself.”

For others, the workshop provided an opportunity to learn or appease the concern of family.

“I have never been in fear of being attacked, but my mom has always encouraged me to attend a self-defense class, and I thought it would be a good idea,” said senior Christina Briones.

Rutten used the limited time available ”” there were three separate one-hour sessions people could attend ”” to help students understand basic techniques.

“A lot of people ”” their footwork is wrong,” Rutten said.­ “They don’t understand where the power comes from, that it comes from the back foot with straight punches and with hooks and uppercuts.­ All that stuff comes from rotating the upper body and making your arm one with your whole body.”

Rutten’s favored wide-open style departs from the typical instructions of turning your body to “blade” yourself, presenting a smaller target.­ That tactic limits punching options, Rutten said, while the wide-open style evenly distributes power to the right and left side.

Rutten’s logic was that if his style can work for professionals, then it should work against an attacker on the street.

“The guys on the street are not the brainiacs,” Rutten said. “If they were really good, they would fight for a living.”

However, with only an hour to 90 minutes for each group, Rutten said he was careful not to give students false confidence that they can handle any situation after one session. ­ He encouraged attendees to find self-defense courses to continue their education.

Ellis said student reaction to the experience has been encouraging.

“The students who took the last session had a lot of fun and they got a lot out of the workshop,” Ellis said. “Everyone’s been telling us it’s a really good idea and hope to continue for years to come.”