He Gave His Son His Old Belt...and His New Gym.

Luis Costa just opened Octa's seventh location, this one run by his son and longtime competitor, Michael. Luis and Michael talk about building a multi-location school on one shared curriculum, tracked in Gymdesk across every site, so students can train at any Octa and pick up right where they left off.

Michael also gets into life as a Type 1 diabetic competitor, cutting nearly 30 pounds for a fight while managing insulin on his own, and the moment his dad untied his own decades-old brown belt and wrapped it around Michael's waist.

What is Gymdesk Originals?

Real gym owners, real stories. Hosted by Gymdesk CEO Alex Cuevas—a Taekwondo black belt and lifelong martial artist—each episode takes you inside the gyms of BJJ, MMA, Muay Thai, TKD, judo, and karate school owners who built something worth showing up for. You'll hear how they got their start, what almost broke them, and the business decisions that keep the lights on and the mats full. Whether you're opening your first school or you've been running one for decades, each episode will show you a perspective on gym ownership you've never heard before.