Cultivate Power Fighting Arts — Local services in Oroville

Both of my sons trained at Cultivate Power for over two years. My eldest was the highest-ranked student, a junior coach, and the academy's top performer in tournaments, contributing more than half of the overall points.

We ultimately decided to leave because we could no longer tolerate the risk of serious injury. To be clear, we never raised concerns about minor injuries like weekly bloody noses or black eyes, as we understand those are part of training in BJJ. However, even after a student suffered a broken back in class and my son narrowly avoided a severe neck injury from another student, the school's response was dismissive. They stated that managing safety was not their responsibility and suggested that it was up to us, the parents, to directly address these issues with other students. Essentially, they expected me to discipline other people's children myself.

It's worth noting that it wasn't until we informed the owner of our decision to leave that they suddenly mentioned having received complaints about my son. If these complaints were genuine, they were never once communicated to us, and we were not given any opportunity to address them. To verify this, we spoke with eight different parents from the class. Every one of them stated they had no issues with my son; in fact, they all praised him for being incredibly safe and for helping teach the younger students how to use techniques safely. The only issues these parents mentioned were with the coaching staff, and many of them are considering leaving the academy as well.

We consistently emphasized the importance of safety with our children, regularly checked with other parents to ensure my son was not being too aggressive, and were never advised by the coaches that any changes were needed. Our priority has always been safety and proper technique, both in and out of class.

Given the academy’s lack of responsibility for student safety and their reluctance to address serious concerns, I cannot recommend this gym.

*Edited for clarity We have never been dismissed from a gym, period. I don't know what you are talking about. We did Judo, where we discontinued. Contact Harry Burleson, the Judo Sensei, for confirmation Or look at the screen cap below. Yet more lies and...

Update for clarity since they responded: Sideline coaching was never brought up until we said we were leaving. The reason my husband constantly kept communication from sidelines was because the coaches supervision was lacking. And to provide a timeline, we pulled our kids out due to YET ANOTHER incident, and then the coaches claimed via text that they had just discussed the issue that day before class. To be clear, the incidents to which we are referring include knee barring and stacking your opponent on their neck, with a disregard for safety and clumsy movements. Whatever discussion they had didnt help and didnt result in increased supervision and they continue to allow the same behaviors. To the comment these things take time-- it's not that deep. Simple coaching would have helped. Bottom line, it's not that difficult or that deep to coach up the kids on safety in the moment, but you seem incapable and fully ready to blame the children. And in a response elsewhere in these reviews, you stated that the child with the back injury is still training with you but I know people still training with CPFA who said she is NOT back.

We are referring to unaddressed safety concerns that we discussed with coaches numerous times. When we finally decided not to renew, the coaches flipped the script and said they'd been getting complaints about MY kids all along, something we never heard of until we were gone. So be prepared for that. Just glad...

I have been taking one-on-one sessions with Coach Jennifer for over a year and half, and it has been one of the most rewarding commitments I’ve ever made.

I originally started for self-defense purposes, but I’ve gained so much more during my time here. Thanks to Jennifer’s guidance, I’ve grown more confident in my ability to protect myself and others, and I’ve strengthened my mind-body connection. The sport has done more for me mentally than anything else I’ve tried. I feel more grounded and level-headed in everyday life.

What I really love about Cultivate Power Fighting Arts is the family feel. It is run by Coaches Darrell and Jennifer, as well as their daughter, Amory. You can tell they all care deeply about their students. They offer group classes as well as one-on-one training, but for me, starting one-on-one was the best way to get comfortable and build a foundation. The option to work with a female coach was a huge factor in me joining CPFA.

Jennifer tailors my training to focus on the areas I’m most interested in while also adding complementary skills. For example, we’ve incorporated powerlifting at the start of my sessions, and I love the boost of confidence that brings me.

I highly recommend CPFA to anyone looking to gain physical strength, confidence, and inner resilience. Jennifer’s coaching has helped me grow so much, and I especially recommend her for anyone hesitant about trying martial arts...