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  • Why “Freezing” Happens — and How to Train Past It

    Why “Freezing” Happens — and How to Train Past It Most adults imagine danger and picture what they would do — yell, fight back, run, resist. But real-world violence rarely matches our imagination. When adrenaline hits, many people don’t explode into action. They don’t run. They don’t scream. They freeze. And it’s far more common than most people realize. Freezing is not weakness. It’s biology. It’s the brain doing exactly what it was designed to do when overwhelmed. Understanding why it happens — and how to train past it — is one of the most important parts of self-defense. Freezing Is a Survival Reflex — ....

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  • Why Krav Maga Is a Principle-Based System, Not a Technique Collection

    Why Krav Maga Is a Principle-Based System, Not a Technique Collection Many people search for self-defense thinking they’ll learn a long list of cool moves — memorized combinations, choreographed patterns, and perfectly rehearsed sequences they can pull out if they ever need them. That’s the problem. Real life does not give you time to think through steps. Violence is messy. It’s fast, unpredictable, and emotional. And when stress hits, the brain does not access long-term memory easily — which means lists of techniques often disappear the moment adrenaline spikes. That is why Krav Maga is different. It is not built on memorization. It is built on ....

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  • Why Your Intuition Is Faster Than Your Logic

    Why Your Intuition Is Faster Than Your Logic Most of the time, when adults think about danger, they imagine responding with reason — calmly assessing a situation, deciding what to do, and then acting. But in reality, danger rarely gives you that kind of time. Real-world threats don’t arrive with warning signs and reflection periods. They show up in parking lots, elevators, stairwells, gas stations, running trails, or while you're unlocking your front door. In those moments, your body reacts long before your brain has the chance to form a sentence. That reaction — that quick internal signal — is intuition. And it is faster than logic for a reason. Intuition ....

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  • What Sets Krav Maga Apart From Other Martial Arts

    What Sets Krav Maga Apart From Other Martial Arts When most adults think of martial arts, they picture patterns, uniforms, traditions, and years of memorizing techniques before anything feels practical. There’s discipline and beauty in that approach — but it’s not what everyone is looking for. Some people want something different. They want to know how to protect themselves today — not years from now. They want the kind of self-defense that applies to parking lots, grocery store trips, evening runs, dating, traveling, or simply unlocking their front door late at night. They want something that fits into real life. That is where Krav Maga stands apart. At ....

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  • Why Awareness Is the First Layer of Self-Defense

    Why Awareness Is the First Layer of Self-Defense There’s a moment many adults know well: walking through a dim parking lot, keys in hand, replaying the day, half-lost in your thoughts. Your mind wanders. You’re planning tomorrow. You unlock your car on autopilot. And without realizing it, you’ve missed everything happening around you. Most people think self-defense begins when danger arrives. The truth is, real self-defense starts long before anything physical ever occurs. It begins with awareness. At California Defense Academy in Murrieta, where we teach Krav Maga and practical self-defense for real-life situations, awareness is the foundation everything else rests ....

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  • Raising Warrior Kids: The Lessons Every Child Needs to Grow Strong, Confident, and Resilient

    Raising Warrior Kids: The Lessons Every Child Needs to Grow Strong, Confident, and Resilient A California Defense Academy guide to discipline, courage, responsibility, and character. Every parent wants their child to grow into someone who is strong — not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and morally. Someone who does the right thing even when no one is watching. Someone who gets back up after setbacks. Someone who speaks with confidence, stands up for themselves, and shows kindness, discipline, and courage in daily life. That’s why we love recommending The Warrior Kid Series to families at California Defense Academy. It wraps powerful life lessons into a fun, ....

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  • When the Body Remembers: Understanding Trauma, Stress & How Movement Helps Us Heal

    When the Body Remembers: Understanding Trauma, Stress & How Movement Helps Us Heal A real-world guide for parents, adults, and students training in Krav Maga and martial arts in Murrieta. In a perfect world, our bodies would react only to what’s happening right now. But for many people—kids, teens, and adults—stress from the past doesn’t just disappear. It shows up in the body as tension, overwhelm, anxiety, shutdown, or emotional reactivity. This isn’t weakness. It’s biology. Your body keeps score. Your nervous system remembers. And sometimes, the effects of stress, fear, or past experiences show up long before someone steps on the mat. At ....

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  • Raising Bold, Brave, Unstoppable Girls: The Confidence Code Every Parent Should Know

    Raising Bold, Brave, Unstoppable Girls: The Confidence Code Every Parent Should Know A California Defense Academy guide to helping girls build courage, character, and real-world confidence. If there is one thing every parent wants for their daughter, it’s confidence — not the “smile and look strong” kind, but the real kind: ✨ the kind that helps her speak up ✨ the kind that helps her stand tall ✨ the kind that helps her take risks ✨ the kind that helps her trust her voice ✨ the kind that keeps her safe But here’s the challenge: Girls today face pressures from school, social media, friendships, and perfectionism at levels no generation before them has ....

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  • Winning Without Fighting: The Power of Verbal Self-Defense

    Winning Without Fighting: The Power of Verbal Self-Defense How learning to use your words can protect you long before a punch is ever thrown. Most people think self-defense begins when someone raises a fist or steps too close. But the truth is, especially here at California Defense Academy in Murrieta, real self-defense often starts long before anything becomes physical. In fact, one of the most powerful tools you can learn—whether you’re a teen, adult, parent, or professional—is the ability to defuse conflict with your words. This concept is often called verbal self-defense , and it’s a cornerstone of our Krav Maga and martial arts training approach at ....

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  • Smart Parenting for Safer Kids: Teaching Modern Safety Without Fear

    Smart Parenting for Safer Kids: Teaching Modern Safety Without Fear A California Defense Academy guide for raising confident, aware, empowered kids. Every parent wants the same thing: to protect their child without scaring them, to teach awareness without creating anxiety, and to raise kids who can navigate the world with confidence and clarity. The challenge? The world our kids are growing up in looks very different from the one we grew up in. Old-school safety rules like “stranger danger” don’t hold up anymore. Threats look different. Red flags are different. The ways predators operate are different. And kids need skills that match the world they actually live ....

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Character Development & Self-Defense for All Ages

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California Defense Academy Google five star review - Jeric Sorrell

Jeric Sorrell

I believe that California Defense Academy has some of the top talent in the self defense world. Ericka is a world class instructor who is sharp, aggressive, articulate, and highly educated in the field of self defense.

CDA is great for the experienced and inexperienced alike. They craft each instruction to match the skill level of their students and it's probably the most fun you can have burning calories and building muscle.

My problem with many martial arts is that they simply are not practical on the streets. CDA is highly practical. They give real world scenarios that you COULD find yourself in. This training is made to keep you and your family safe.

California Defense Academy Google five star review - ThisIs Me

ThisIs Me

Ms Erika is a quality instructor, life coach, and a true inspiration in life, family, and friendship. My husband, our two daughters and me, all trained with Ms. Erika for many years. Love her drive, her honesty, her character; she was, and still is, an excellent role model for our daughters growing up. She has helped shaped the young women they have developed into. I thank her for coming into our lives; it has been a blessing in so many ways.

California Defense Academy Google five star review - Chelle Chambliss

Chelle Chambliss

I enrolled my son in classes at California Defense Academy and I can not speak highly enough of this school. They offer a welcoming environment and knowledgeable instructors with a combination of martial arts backgrounds. They use real life situations and circumstances to teach practical self-defense while also actively working on character building. Ms Ericka and all the staff are engaging and make every student feel involved and my son is excited for every class!

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