Season 3 Premiere · Oct 6
Two Companies. One Mat.
"You train, and you try to kill each other. You become friends." (placeholder attribution: Smoothcomp co-founder; the quote is confirmed against the final cut before it ships)
Start small. A few short clips will tell you if this is your kind of thing.
Then pick a full episode when one grabs you.
Latest episodes
.webp)
This Martial Arts School Signed 300+ Members Before Opening… Here’s How
Inside Renzo Gracie Upper East Side: a Gymdesk Originals look at elite jiu-jitsu, coaching excellence, and academy culture.
The Business Model Behind a Thriving MMA Gym
In this powerful episode of Gymdesk Originals, we sit down with Mario, co-founder and head coach at Cornerstone Mixed Martial Arts in Deerfield, Illinois.
The Truth About Building a Jiu-Jitsu Academy No One Talks About
In this episode of Gymdesk Originals, we sit down with the founder of Square One Jiu Jitsu to hear the raw, unfiltered story of how martial arts shaped his life.
The Business of Judo: What It Really Takes to Build a Dojo
Discover how Sasaki Judo preserves classic technique while developing strong athletes and a tight-knit dojo culture.
.webp)
From World Champion to Gym Owner: The Story Behind Fit and Fight Gym
Two-time Muay Thai world champion Artur Gasanov’s journey from Dagestan to Chicago is a powerful gym success story.
The Secret to Building a Successful Jiu-Jitsu School
Inside Unlimited BJJ: a Gymdesk Originals feature on training depth, community growth, and building a gym with no limits.
.webp)
Building a Community-Driven Martial Arts Studio
Inside Forte Jiu Jitsu: a Gymdesk Originals feature on disciplined training, leadership values, and building a strong, competitive academy culture.
She's cognitively perfectly fine, physically perfectly fine. What? She can't do it because you don't know how to teach her.
Alex Cuevas
Your host
Someone who’s actually on the mat.
Alex started teaching Taekwondo as a teenager. He’s a black belt in it now, and still trains Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
“We’re stepping out from behind the website to hear your stories and learn what makes a gym thrive.”
Find a gym near you.
56
episodes across
40
cities and 7 countries. Hover a pin for the gyms there, or open an episode straight from the map.
Your gym could be the next one.
Every episode is a real gym and the person who built it, filmed where they teach. If that’s you, tell us how you got here. Alex reads these himself.