With Wagga's domestic violence referral figures sitting among the top five worst cities across the state in March, a self defence trainer said he had been inundated with calls for help.

"I have received numerous phone calls over the last three months just to have conversations, someone to talk to for these women and someone to help them understand that in order to manage a threat, you have to reach out, whether that be to the police, Wagga Women's Health Centre, myself, or friends and family," ARMD Riverina owner David Bardos said.

The benefits of learning self defence stretched beyond situations of domestic violence though, according to Mr Bardos, who said the skill was more about empowering women than teaching violence.

The Daily Advertiser took a trip to the ARMD Riverina studio for a Self Defence 101 lesson with Mr Bardos and Caitlin Langley, who has been taking the lessons for two years now.

Despite what people may think, Mr Bardos said self defence involves more than just physical protection.

"A lot of the time, it's about women empowerment," he said.

"It is very psychological, so it's not about fighting, it's not about ego or pride. At the end of the day, it's about stopping a person from hurting you via ethical, moral and legal means."

Mr Bardos said the psychology of self defence was vital to understand as the fight or flight mindset kicks in during confrontation.

"It's not necessarily about courage or confidence, because while that's innate to a human being and still important, sometimes one's surrounding causes those feelings to get lost," he said.

"It's important to learn to change the narrative that you must be the victim in every situation, we want women coming out of their shell and saying, 'I have value, I am important, and there's a lot of people that depend on me'.

"Once you understand that, and really believe it, it changes you."

Self defence trained Caitlin Langley said for her, it was about peace of mind.

"I think that understanding violence and how to manage such situations is really important, and I think everyone should learn that," she said.

"I started training in Jujitsu and wanted to challenge myself and see what I was capable of. You have to put yourself in those challenging simulations to be able to have that confidence in being able to deal with it in real life."

For women in situations of domestic violence, Ms Langley said the support from others training was invaluable.

"When you come together with other women who all have that intention of improving their safety, that's a really powerful thing, whether it be online or in person, it creates a support network," she said.

"I found through the classes that it creates a sense of belonging and strength.

"The only way you can feel more equipped to respond is by practicing."

Observing a threat before it comes to fruition is a key focus of Mr Bardos' self defence training.

"We look at identifying pre-threat indicators or pre-threat cues, understanding environments and having the ability to have situational awareness which goes beyond just knowing your surroundings," he said.

"At the heat of the moment though, when the adrenal dump kicks in, you won't be thinking of negotiation techniques or the steps to remove yourself from danger, so that's why we do teach those physical defence measures.

"You will freeze, and the only thing that will come out of your system is what's coming from your subconscious mind and those gross motor skills."

Mr Bardos outlined his three top points of note when it comes to self defence:

1. Trust intuition

"Have the understanding that women's intuition is very powerful. Sometimes, the signs are already there, but unfortunately the number one enemy of intuition is denial," Mr Bardos said.

"You might think he is an alright person, he's nice, he won't harm me, but at the back of your mind there's someone telling you to get out of that situation. Listen to that."

2. Don't fight fire with fire

"If you know you're in a situation of conflict, someone is challenging you, they're accusing you, threatening you or insulting you, your success in that situation will depend on how you're going to manage those approaches," he said.

"If you're going to respond with an accusation or challenge them back, fighting fire with fire, more often than not that lends to a bad outcome."

3. Understand pre-threat indicators

"Once a person has already said 'no', and this person is still persisting an intention, maybe because of charm or such factors, that's already an indicator that you need to act," Mr Bardos said.

"As human beings though, it is often hard because we don't like to deny people of their wants or privileges, so we become submissive to that situation and that's where the trouble starts. Remember your strength and your worth, and your right to protect yourself."

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to see social distancing regulations in place, ARMD Riverina is not currently operating classes.

"As soon as we get absolute clearance from health authorities that we can begin training again, given it is such an interactive and face to face style training, classes will resume almost immediately and we will definitely inform the community when that time comes," Mr Bardos said.

If you need help, call 1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732, or Lifeline: 13 11 14.