His Dojo Burned Down…but Now His Mats are Packed

Back in 2015, the spark that would eventually become 10th Planet Long Beach was ignited not in a formal gym, but in the back room of a friend’s automotive shop.

“[My buddy had an automotive shop right down the street, and there was a bunch of us competing at the time…Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, I would teach at my buddy Felix’s shop. We matted up one of the rooms in there, and there was a bunch of us.]”

They weren’t running a business—they were more like a band of determined martial artists forging their craft together.

Some of the now-familiar names in the 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu scene were regulars in these early morning gatherings. They were a tight-knit, competitive group—so much so that when new people came to try jiu jitsu, they got “a crash course in professional training.” This made retention difficult, but no one was thinking about business yet. It was about passion.

Taking the Leap: Opening the First Gym

When the automotive shop closed, the dream didn’t die. Instead, it transformed. “And then I figured, why not just open a gym?” In 2016, 10th Planet Long Beach opened its doors for the first time on Seventh and Pine, about two miles from its current location. Business, however, was slow to start.

It was a gym for experienced competitors, and turnover was high. “[Anybody that would come in to try to learn jiu jitsu would basically get a crash course in professional training. So… student retention wasn’t very good at the time.]” For two years, the gym eked out an existence, sometimes with as few as six students beside the staff.

A critical moment came when Casey Halstead, owner of 10th Planet Las Vegas, advised, “Why don’t you start a beginner’s class?” Numbers climbed quickly after that—by the third year, membership jumped from 40 to 90.

Devastation and Loss: The Riots and the Fire

But just as momentum was building, disaster struck. “In 2000 and beginning of or end of 2019, maybe it was 2020, they had the BLM riots, and then the gym got burnt down.” The loss was physical, financial, and deeply personal.

Chai recounted the night in harrowing detail—standing outside his gym with friends and neighbors to protect it, then watching helplessly as, “[within two minutes, I would say there was five businesses in that building. The building was pretty much blazing at that point.]” In less than ten minutes, everything was lost. “I honestly went into my house and probably didn’t come out for a month. People were coming by, trying to bring me groceries, and I just didn’t want to talk to nobody. I grew up on the streets and finally did something legitimate. And then to have that happen was just—man, it was tough, to say the least.”

Rebuilding: Community and Second Chances

For two years, Chai stepped away from teaching and gym ownership, bartending and picking up other odd jobs. It was only after doing a seminar, and upon reflection on how much he missed helping people, that he decided to rebuild. Community was a vital lifeline: “I probably wouldn’t have reopened had I not had the support. Rose Gracie… got the community together and they started a GoFundMe for me and got a huge amount of support from the jiu jitsu community.”

He subleased a space from a church, slowly growing back to about 40 students. This time, though, he did things differently: hunting for a permanent location, setting up a proper payment system, and focusing not just on competition, but on structure and inclusivity.

The New Home: 10th Planet Long Beach Rises Again

It took nine months of red tape and hard work, but a new location opened its doors. “[The location before was probably, I would say a third of this mat… Now I have a full bag rack, workout area. We got showers here. It’s quite a bit better than it was.]” The energy in the new space is different, built on hard-won lessons and community resilience. A new fundamental class draws in beginners, and while competition is still a focus, “The community… we have a really strong community with the members that we have. We’re all friends… I think we all want to be better.”

The journey is still ongoing—membership is growing, processes are improving, and the aim is to one day reach 100+ students again. But the phoenix has truly risen from the ashes. “There’s a silver lining to it.”

Conclusion: Advice from the Mat

When asked what advice he’d give to someone starting their own martial arts gym, Chai’s answer is firm: “[Hit your marketing really tough in the beginning. Offer a real competitive price just to get numbers in. And once you get your set number that you’re aiming for, start raising your prices.]” But the heart behind the journey—helping people, building community, and staying true to a passion for martial arts—remains the strongest lesson, forged through fires both literal and figurative.

“Come try it out and see if this is the right fit for you… The people that are here are really true to this gym and that’s the culture that I want.”