Seth has been a fan of the UFC since the mid 2000's, but got his first exposure to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in August of 2017. He took BJJ as a physical education requirement at UAH, while getting his mechanical engineering degree. He fell in love with it then and just kept training after that semester. Seth is currently a brown belt and can be found at the gym any time the doors are open. He enjoys teaching the adult and kid classes, organizing the bonus open mat times, and running Pirate BJJ.
Lineage: you can find Seth Spratlin on Beltchecker
Seth currently trains with black belt Justin Cavender
What's Pirate BJJ all about?
Are you tired of the traditional martial arts gym? Where you can't ask the instructor questions, and he won't explain what it takes to get a belt or why someone got promoted and someone else didn't. You know the kind, 20 minutes of warmups followed by some demonstrations for the "technique of the day." Except the technique of the day today has nothing to do with yesterday's technique, or the one that will be shown tomorrow. And there's as much thought put into it as scrolling through Instagram in the parking lot 15 minutes before class starts.
Yeah. Me too. So we don't do that. Expectations to get promoted to a certain belt level are posted on the wall in the office. I'm always happy to talk about them and explain my position and thought process. Please! Ask me how to get better and what to work on next. That's literally my job as the coach. I want to help guide other jiujiteros on their journey, and help everyone get as good as possible as fast as possible. We stick to a subject for several weeks and work on getting better at areas of the game as a whole gym.
What classes look like
Beginning of class
If you want to run around the mats and endlessly shrimp and generally just get really tired before doing any jiu jitsu, this isn't the place for you. If you need to stretch or warm up prior, that's fine. But I try to make the first things we do be the actual warm up. And sometimes we work on specific movements that will be helpful later in class.
Gamification
I'm not perfect at this, and still developing it, but as often as possible I don't want to teach techniques, I try to teach concepts. Concepts that are learned through playing simple games. I don't want to "drill" I want students to learn, and as much as possible I want learning to be very similar to actually rolling.
Asking questions and open mat
Classes are meant to convey knowledge. But open mat is all about converting knowledge into understanding. You can get knowledge from watching moves on YouTube, Instagram, reading books, following along in class. But until you do it against another struggling human you don't really understand it yet. So everybody rolls at open mat, where it's just as, if not more important than class itself.
Our Jiu-Jitsu Classes
Providing Jiu-Jitsu Classes to Madison and Huntsville for all ages and skill levels
Adult Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Classes
Pirate BJJ offers expert-led adult Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes in Madison, Alabama, designed for all skill levels from beginner to advanced. Training with the traditional gi helps students develop precise techniques, grips, and submissions while building strength, endurance, and confidence. Our supportive community and experienced instructors create the perfect environment to learn effective self-defense while getting in great shape!
Adult No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Classes
Our adult No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes at Pirate BJJ in Madison focus on grappling without the traditional gi, emphasizing different techniques. No-Gi classes are ideal for practitioners who want to improve their submission skills and adaptability for self defense or sport grappling. Suitable for all levels, these sessions build real-world skills in a dynamic, inclusive training atmosphere.
Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Classes
Pirate BJJ’s kids Jiu-Jitsu program in Madison, AL, serves children ages 6 to 12, with classes tailored for younger and older age groups. Our classes focus on teaching discipline, confidence, focus, and basic self-defense in a fun, safe, and encouraging environment. Children develop important life skills while building physical fitness and social connections within our family-friendly academy.
Stephanie
We love Pirate BJJ! Coach Seth is awesome with kids! My son loves going to class. Coach does a great job incorporating discipline and fun and learning into every class! We're so thankful to have found this gym!
Alexander
Coach Seth is an awesome BJJ instructor! I’ve been training with him for a while now, and he’s really good at what he does.
Seth teaches BJJ in a way that’s easy to understand. He breaks down complicated moves into simple steps, so anyone can learn. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, he helps you get better.
What’s cool about Coach Seth is he cares about his students. He’s patient and friendly, always ready to help you improve. Plus, the gym is like a friendly place where everyone gets along. It feels like a second home.
I totally recommend Coach Seth. If you want a great BJJ teacher who makes learning fun and helps you get better, he’s the one. Thanks, Coach Seth, for being awesome!
Maxwell
Best BJJ Gym for college students due to location and pricing. Besides the formalities, Seth is hands down the best instructor I have ever had and he is great to learn under, he actually cares about you learning and has a distinct path/vision in mind for your progress. Highly Recommend.
Commonly Asked Questions
“WE ARE WHAT WE REPEATEDLY DO. EXCELLENCE THEN IS NOT AN ACT BUT A HABIT.”
— Aristotle