David Valentine
Head Instructor
David Valentine is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and the Head Instructor of Gustavo Machado BJJ Venice. He teaches the main adult Gi and No-Gi classes and both kids programs.
His classes focus on building strong fundamentals for beginners while sharpening championship-level technique for advanced students, with an emphasis on discipline, safety and personal growth.
David trained under Delman Carvalho, who promoted him to black belt. Delman was a 3rd Degree Black Belt and a beloved member of our Jiu-Jitsu community. He started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at a very early age and learned from many coaches, including Cesar Guimaraes, Jorge Pereira, Amaury Bitteti, Sean Wilson and Gustavo Machado, who awarded him his black belt in 2012.
Delman believed everyone should train. In his words: “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teaches you to persevere when you face challenges, and to stay committed to your goals even when you feel discouraged. There have been so many times in my life that I wanted to quit, and without BJJ I would have. The truth is that BJJ has made me stronger both physically and mentally. It teaches you a safe, simple, and REALISTIC way to defend yourself from a would-be attacker. It helps you gain confidence, focus, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and discipline. This is why I think that EVERYONE should train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.”
David carries Delman's lessons into every class he teaches in Venice.
