Petitti and his Cannon Ridge Training Center offer training in disarming a knife, fighting back against a gun-wielding attacker and staying calm during a choke-hold.  The Krav Maga Class and martial arts may not stop a bullet but it has attributes that make it useful to handle dangerous situations or cope after the tragedy occurs. Krav Maga is a martial arts developed for the Israeli Military, and is known for its ability to make beginners prepared quickly.

A 13-year veteran in private security, Petitti has protected celebrities and corporate executives. He decided to give back to his community by teaching self-defense classes for free to Newtown teachers. Speaking about how the Sandy Hook massacre affected his class, "I can't say we are getting a huge number of students based on what happened here in town. But a lot of it has to do with the shootings. People just want to feel like they can do something."

Petitti and other martial arts instructors of Newtown exemplify how hand to hand self-defense can still be used in an age with guns. Furthermore, martial arts can offer adult residents comfort and stress relief, while it offers children leadership skills.

One such Newtown martial arts teacher, Robert Barghus, said he did not see an enrollment increase at his American Tiger Martial Arts center, but agrees that self-defense training is important in our modern society.

"It's more important now than any point in history," he said. "I would rather be faced with a semi-automatic rifle than a knife. Because a gun has only one point, the size of a dime, that can hurt you."

Barghus concedes that the risks are much greater when countering guns, but stresses that if the weapon is close enough you can counter it. Barghus supports Petitti's point on distracting an attacker. "We tell our female students to toss any valuables or money at the attacker and run," he said.

Though his self-defense classes have not seen any enrollment increase, his fitness classes that are geared towards people who need stress relief have fared better.

"The adults are interested in the fitness program, which is more related to stress relief. These parents have gone through an awful lot," Barghus said. "These parents are looking for an outlet. Rather than lift weights. They can punch something."

Lisbeth Kurjiaka, Krav Maga student and an elementary school teacher in the Newtown area has joined Petitti's class and says how she is comforted by it.

"I feel that we will never forget what happened, in that each day we wake up and think that anything can happen," she said. "If there is something you can do that can make you better prepared than before. That is the direction you want to take."

She said that although she is not ready to counter an armed attacker, she has already added to her toolkit of moves to help her in more unexpected scenarios. 

One of Barghus' students is a friend of the Sandy Hook boy who was heard declaring, “I know karate. So it’s okay. I’ll lead the way out,” as he lead his teacher and classmates to safety during the school shooting.  He is amused at how the boy thought martial arts could defend himself against the gunman.

Yet Michael Matsuda, of the Museum of Martial Arts in Los Angeles is not surprised with the way the boy conducted himself.

"By taking martial arts, by learning leadership skills in his martial arts school, he was able to lead class more out of harm's way," he said. "Martial arts does a lot for our youth, even if it can't stop a bullet. It helps you get self discipline to focus more on the situation, rather than running around and not knowing what to do."

Nevertheless, Barghus is proud of his students, one of whom was able to defend himself in a mugging.

"This guy was mugged once," he said. "He took my class for two months and got mugged again. But unlike the first time he wasn't severely injured because he could deflect most of the blows."

Barghus explains self-defense is not limited to physical defense.

"We always talk about the stages of violence," he said. "There is always a sequence that leads to mugging. It's about recognizing body language, when people are anxious or nervous."

Bargus gave a nod to the teacher in Taft, California who talked a gunman out of committing a school shooting on Jan. 11, as evidence that non-violent self-defense has results.

Lisbeth says that she has seen an increase in enrollment in her community. She adds that while not interested in martial arts before the shootings, she would have joined the classes free or not.

"When something like that (Newtown massacre) happens," he said. "Your just so full of questions and everyone is wondering what you can do and what options are out there."

Lisbeth points out that people joined Krav Maga classes as it gave them comfort knowing they were doing something positive. Indeed, she is organizing a women's self defense class with Christopher and her non-teaching friends. She is confident if she is ever faced with an attacker she will know what is effective to protect herself.

Reach Reporter Byron Tseng here