Carl Wilson/ The Post Ohio University sophomore Casey Hardman practices her punches with a classmate. Hardman is a student in a 10-week series of women's self-defense kick boxing classes taught by Kevin Martin. The classes are Mondays and Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the United Campus Ministries basement.

"If it bleeds on your knuckles or your elbows, it's OK," Kevin Martin, kick boxing instructor said. "If you don't sweat and you aren't sore then you are not training right."

Kevin Martin is the instructor of the Athens Boxing and Martial Arts Multi Weapons Specialty. He is a second level Bando Black Belt and trains students for national championships. In addition to this demanding schedule, he is shaping four women in his self-defense class.

Casey Hardman started Martin's class Monday.

"(Martin) inspired me to see this more than a self-defense class but as a sport," Hardman said. "I'm not just training to beat up some guy on the street but to get good at it. I'd like to get to the point where I can fight in the championships."

But before the championship, where Martin plans to get his students and former students to box and kick box for charity, the girls must train.

"It's extremely important to train in the right way," Martin said. "A realistic way."

The hour-long self-defense classes are Mondays and Tuesdays in the basement of United Campus Ministry, 18 N. College St. Martin plans to start the girls with stances, basic punches and kicks before they go into full contact fighting.

"You can't learn to defend yourself unless you get hit," Martin said. "Once you get hit you can cross the line and really defend yourself."

This method of full contact boxing and kick boxing is not common to area programs, but it does not seem to be a problem for his students.

Senior Amber Adams has studied Bando with Martin for two years. Bando is a martial arts system from Burma and was brought to Athens by Maung Gyi, Ph.D., a retired Ohio University Interpersonal Communications professor. Bando includes stick fighting, boxing, kick boxing, grappling, gun fighting, knife fighting and sword fighting.

Adams has studied boxing, kick boxing, knife fighting and stick fighting.

"I first got into it for self-defense purposes," she said. "But then I fell in love with it and started competing."

Adams has been to several competitions and won the national kick boxing championship in Columbus last year.

"(Full contact kick boxing) is just something you do. At the championships I fought a friend. You can get in there and beat the crap out of each other and then step out of the ring and give each other a hug."

But Hardman said it is not that easy.

"It's kind of intimidating," she said. "It's really weird to think about putting all your aggression into somebody."

Spaces are still open in Martin's class and cost is $40, but half price if two people come together. For more information about Athens Boxing and Martial Arts Multi Weapons Specialty, call Martin at 592-6205.