Cortez Martial Arts Academy has a new home.

Formerly located in the Orchard Supply Hardware shopping center in Manteca, the Cortez dojo has moved to 17800 Murphy Parkway in Lathrop.

“This is double the size of our other place,” Lillie Cortez said.

Her husband, Jason Cortez, is the head instructor of the martial arts school that began in 2001 in the Raley’s school center as the Cortez Dojo of Mitose’s Kosho-Ryu Karate Kenpo Academy.

He’s a third-degree black belt in Kosho Kenpo and a black belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Cortez has been a student of Kosho-Ryu since the age of 10, training directly under Soke Thomas Barro Mitose.

The Cortez Martial Arts Academy became an official Charles Gracie Affiliate School — Master Gracie helped bring Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the area.

With the new Lathrop place, which covers about 4,500 square feet, the Cortez dojo is adding the Fighter Fit program. 

“This is a full-body workout that includes bag and fight training without actual fighting,” Lillie Cortez said.

A ribbon-cutting by the Lathrop Chamber of Commerce is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday.

This special occasion will also include a grand re-opening of Corte Martial Arts Academy with free giveaways and special deals, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

New signups will receive a free sling bag and water bottle.

For more information, call 209.823.2662 or log on to www.cortezmartialarts.com.