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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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  • The Predators You Don’t See: Understanding Manipulators, Sociopaths, and Early Warning Signs

    The Predators You Don’t See: Understanding Manipulators, Sociopaths, and Early Warning Signs A real-world self-defense article for families, parents, and adults in Murrieta When most people hear the word “predator,” they picture someone lurking in a dark alley or waiting behind a car. But the most dangerous predators often don’t look frightening at all. They look: ✨ charming ✨ confident ✨ helpful ✨ trustworthy Because the truth is: Some of the most harmful people in our world don’t use fists or weapons—they use manipulation, charm, and emotional control. And while martial arts and Krav Maga teach you how to protect yourself physically, real ....

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  • How to Talk So Kids Will Listen — and Listen So Kids Will Talk

    How to Talk So Kids Will Listen — and Listen So Kids Will Talk A C.D.A. guide to stronger communication, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution for families. If you’ve ever tried to ask your child how their day went and got a one-word answer… Or attempted to correct a behavior and immediately hit a wall of tears… Or watched a simple instruction turn into a meltdown… You’re not alone. Kids don’t come with communication manuals — but every parent wishes they did. And here’s the truth that every parent at California Defense Academy eventually learns: ✨ Kids don’t shut down because they don’t care. They ....

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  • How Situational Awareness Keeps You Safe Before Violence Ever Starts

    Left of Danger: How Situational Awareness Keeps You Safe Before Violence Ever Starts Understanding the patterns that predict danger—and how to stay ahead of them. Most people think self-defense starts when someone grabs you, threatens you, or steps too close. But real safety begins long before that moment. The safest people in the world—Marines, protectors, covert operators—aren’t safe because they can fight. They’re safe because they can see danger forming before it reaches them. This type of early detection is called situational awareness, and it’s one of the most important skills we teach at California Defense Academy. It’s the skill ....

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  • Protecting the Gift: The Most Important Safety Lessons Every Parent Should Know

    Protecting the Gift: The Most Important Safety Lessons Every Parent Should Know A C.D.A. guide to raising confident, aware, safe kids — without fear. There’s a moment every parent knows well. Your child runs ahead in a parking lot. A new adult approaches them at a store. Someone offers “help” that doesn’t quite feel right. Your heart spikes. Your body stiffens. Your instincts flare. And here’s the truth: That instinct is the greatest parenting gift you will ever receive. In fact, one of the most powerful lessons we teach at California Defense Academy — and one of the core ideas behind the best child-safety research — is this: ✨ ....

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  • Understanding Violence: The Mindset That Saves Lives

    Understanding Violence: The Mindset That Saves Lives A C.D.A. guide to how real danger works—and how everyday people can stay safe. Most people imagine self-defense as punches, kicks, and complicated techniques. But anyone who has ever faced real violence knows the truth: physical skill is only half of survival. The other half—the part that determines whether you freeze, fight, or escape—is mindset. Not a movie mindset. Not a “tough guy” mindset. But a real, grounded understanding of how violence actually works in the real world. At California Defense Academy in Murrieta, we don’t just teach people how to defend themselves. We teach people ....

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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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