Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Martial Arts for DeBary, Deltona & Orange City

Search "jiu-jitsu Deltona," "BJJ DeBary," or "martial arts Orange City" and the honest answer is the same for all three: Gracie Barra Seminole isn't located in any of them. The academy sits on West State Road 434 in Longwood, Seminole County — a drive up I-4 or US 17-92, across the St. Johns River into Volusia County. DeBary, Deltona, and Orange City sit close enough together, and close enough to that same corridor, that one Longwood academy already covers the whole West Volusia cluster: a full martial arts school running kids and childrens martial arts, adult classes, women's self-defense instruction, No-Gi, and a daily Open Mat, all built on the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu curriculum taught across the Gracie Barra organization.

The West Volusia Cluster — DeBary, Deltona & Orange City

DeBary, Deltona, and Orange City sit just across the St. Johns River from Sanford, linked to Longwood by the same I-4 and US 17-92 corridor that already carries students from throughout Seminole County to our mat. It isn't a hypothetical connection either — DeBary, Deltona, and Orange City are already among the communities gbseminole.com welcomes students from, alongside Sanford and the rest of Central Florida. Deltona is the largest of the three, a sprawling residential city with plenty of families looking for kids and childrens martial arts worth the drive; DeBary sits nearest the river crossing, the shortest first leg of the trip down 17-92; and Orange City, tucked between the two along the same highway, rounds out the cluster. Whichever of the three you're coming from, the destination is the same: one Longwood academy, one schedule, one team of instructors.

A Martial Arts School for the Whole Family

Whether you're after kids and childrens martial arts or adult classes for yourself, the program lineup covers every age on the same Longwood mat:

• Little Champions (ages 4–6, Gi) — Tuesday & Thursday, 5:00–6:00 PM. Kids build confidence, focus, and belt progression through the Gracie Barra Kids curriculum.
• Juniors (ages 7–13, Gi) — Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 5:00–6:00 PM.
• GB1 Fundamentals (adult, Gi) — the entry point for adult classes: core positions, techniques, and concepts, built for complete beginners.
• GB2 Advanced (adult, Gi) — live training and competition prep for students ready to push further.
• No-Gi BJJ — GB1 & GB2 No-Gi classes run through the week, no kimono required.
• Open Mat — Monday–Saturday, 1:00–2:00 PM, plus Sunday, 12:00–2:00 PM, open to members and non-members alike — a low-pressure way to see the academy before the drive from West Volusia becomes a habit.
• Private Classes — one-on-one or small-group (up to four people) sessions, Monday–Saturday. Not included in standard membership.

See the full programs lineup or the weekly class schedule for exact days and times.

Worth the Drive — Meet Professor John Montaldo

For West Volusia families and adults weighing whether the trip is worth it, it helps to know the depth of experience waiting on the mat. Professor John Montaldo started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1995, training under Professor Marcio Simas and later Professor Rodrigo Costa. He competed extensively in jiu jitsu from 1996 to 2010 and earned his black belt in 2021, and brings a competitive background in Wrestling and Judo as well — including a Judo black belt awarded by USJI in 1991. That range, grappling arts beyond just BJJ, shapes classes with more depth than a typical martial arts school — the kind of depth that makes the extra miles worth it for DeBary, Deltona, and Orange City students. Meet John and the rest of the team on the instructors page.

Getting Here From DeBary, Deltona & Orange City

From any of the three cities, the most direct route south is I-4 to the SR 434 exit in Longwood, or US 17-92 south through Sanford and Lake Mary before turning onto SR 434 — either way ending at 1060 W State Road 434, Suite #100. Depending on which city you're starting from and traffic on the day, the drive typically runs somewhere in the 25–35 minute range door-to-door: DeBary is usually the shortest of the three, given its position closest to the river crossing, with Deltona and Orange City a few minutes further south and west.

Get Directions →

Visit the Academy

Gracie Barra Seminole is at 1060 W State Road 434, Suite #100, Longwood, FL 32750 — on West SR 434 between I-4 and US 17-92, a straightforward run south of the West Volusia line.

Hours: Mon 7:30 AM–7:00 PM · Tue–Thu 6:30 AM–7:00 PM · Fri 7:30 AM–7:00 PM · Sat 7:30 AM–5:00 PM · Sun 12:00–2:00 PM (Open Mat)

Why West Volusia Trains at Gracie Barra Seminole

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — often still called Gracie Jiu-Jitsu after the family that developed and spread it — is a leverage-based grappling art that works as genuine self-defense for kids and adults regardless of size or strength, which is a big part of why it's worth traveling for. Families who want that combination of self-defense classes, women's self-defense instruction, and adult classes under one roof, closer to home in DeBary, Deltona, or Orange City than the alternative of driving even further, end up at a real martial arts school in Longwood instead. Gracie Barra Seminole is part of the Gracie Barra family, the world's largest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu organization, and this is the academy where West Volusia's students already train: jiu jitsu for kids, BJJ and No-Gi for adults, and a women's self-defense thread led by Coach Heidi Cogburn, a brown belt and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission defensive-tactics instructor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Gracie Barra academy in DeBary, Deltona, or Orange City?

No — Gracie Barra Seminole has one location: 1060 W State Road 434, Suite #100, Longwood, FL 32750. DeBary, Deltona, and Orange City students all train at that one Longwood address, on the same mat and the same schedule as everyone else.

How far is the drive from Deltona, DeBary, or Orange City?

Typically somewhere in the 25–35 minute range door-to-door, depending on traffic and exactly where in West Volusia you're starting. DeBary is usually the shortest leg given its position nearest the Sanford side of the St. Johns River, with Deltona and Orange City a few minutes further along I-4 or US 17-92.

Do you offer women's self-defense classes?

Yes. Coach Heidi Cogburn, a brown belt and defensive-tactics instructor for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, has taught women's self-defense and ground-combatives courses for FWC and the Altamonte Springs Police Department, and that instruction shapes our self-defense curriculum for adults and kids alike.

What ages are the kids classes?

Little Champions (ages 4–6) trains Tuesday and Thursday, 5:00–6:00 PM, and Juniors (ages 7–13) trains Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 5:00–6:00 PM — both built for complete beginners.

Can I visit before making the drive from West Volusia a regular thing?

Yes — Sunday Open Mat (12:00–2:00 PM) is open to members and non-members alike, a low-pressure way to see the academy first. Or book a free trial class.

Also serving nearby: Sanford · Lake Mary & Heathrow · Seminole County · All Areas We Serve