Defense Training Institute Est. 1998
Eddie Perez Martial Arts
2116 W. Galena Blvd. Aurora, Il. 60506
The Defense Training Institute was established in 1998 in Aurora, Illinois. After a few years, it was relocated to the city of Batavia, where it remained for seventeen years. In 2017, the institute returned to its original home in Aurora, where it continues to operate today.
Our facility is dedicated to the development of self-defense tactics, mindset, and training. We offer a comprehensive approach to personal protection, teaching a wide range of counter-reactive techniques, including joint locks, striking, grappling, and weapon-based skills.
Students are trained to respond effectively in real-world situations. If a confrontation moves to the ground, the focus shifts to gaining positional control and, if possible, returning to a standing position to allow for escape or re-engagement. Unrestricted by traditional styles or sport-based rules, our approach is rooted in practical combatives, real-world survivability, and self-defense.
Edgardo "Eddie" Perez
Professor/Coach
Born and raised in Aurora, Illinois, Edgardo Pérez is married to Liz Miranda Pérez and has two children, Veronica and Enrique. He is a military veteran (USAF Security Police), a retired police officer, and a dedicated family man.
With over 30 years of law enforcement experience, Edgardo has served in numerous specialized roles, including undercover narcotics officer with the FBI’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, Inspector with the Illinois State Police North Central Narcotics Task Force, and DEA undercover operative and consultant. He retired as a police commander in 2016.
In 2019, Pérez joined the Kane County Sheriff's Office Tactical Operations Division, where he currently serves as the Defensive Tactics Coordinator.
Edgardo began formal martial arts training in 1979 in Aurora, Illinois. He continued his studies in South Korea under Grandmaster Yu Chong Su, specializing in Hapkido and Japanese Jujutsu. In 1998, he opened The Defense Training Institute, a martial arts school located on the west side of Aurora. He holds an 8th-degree black belt in Hapkido and a 3rd-degree black belt in Daito Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu. He is also a full instructor in Filipino Kali (Largo Mano style) and a dedicated student of Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
Drawing on his martial arts experience, Pérez created the Martial Arts Gang Intervention Club (MAGIC), a scholarship-based program that offers “at-risk” youth the opportunity to receive martial arts training they might otherwise not afford—helping keep them on the mats and off the streets. In 2015, he founded Kicking for Heroes, later renamed Kicking for Kids. This kickathon began as a way to teach children the value of generosity and evolved into a powerful fundraiser supporting children in need. Through the grace of God, this initiative has raised over $46,300 for various charities, imparting to young hearts the lesson that true strength lies in service, compassion, and community.
Edgardo Pérez is the author of Martial Thoughts—a book exploring the true value of martial arts and the deeper meaning of walking the warrior’s path. Beyond combat, martial arts serve as a powerful platform for personal growth, character development, and the pursuit of becoming a better human being.
"My hope is that Martial Thoughts will inspire the reader to discover the warrior that lies deep within us all."
— Eddie Pérez
An excerpt from Martial Thoughts
"On the day you depart from this world, will others say that it is a better place now than when you arrived? What do you think? I pose this question to my students and I ask you the same. Utilize the martial arts or any specialty that you're passionate about as a platform for doing good and helping others. Everyone is looking for a hero, this could be your opportunity.
I have spent my life training others to defend themselves, but life is more than just about fighting, we must also train to live the best lives that we can. I can train you to survive, but I would rather train you to win. To survive is not the same as winning and losing without learning is the only true loss. Life is the great challenge, compete and win as if you were in the dojo every day".
For your convenience, the book can be purchased by clicking the book retailers listed below.
DEFEND THE BLUE
