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 a black 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? No Secrets. No Guesswork. Just Good Jiu-Jitsu.
You know that gym. The one where the instructor won't tell you what it takes to get a belt, won't explain why one person got promoted and another didn't, and can't be asked a question without making you feel like you interrupted something important.
Twenty minutes of warmups. A technique of the day that has nothing to do with yesterday's technique or tomorrow's. The kind of curriculum that feels like it was planned in the parking lot ten minutes before class, because it was.
Yeah. We're not that.
At Pirate BJJ, the belt requirements are posted on the wall. Not hidden, not mysterious, not subject to change based on whoever's in a good mood that week. You can review them, ask about them, argue with me about them, please do! Figuring out what to work on next and why is literally my job as your coach. If you're not asking questions. I'm not doing mine.
We pick a subject and we spend weeks on it. The whole gym works on the same areas together, builds on what came before, and actually gets better at something before moving on. That's it. That's the whole philosophy.
If you're in Huntsville or Madison and you've been burned by a gym that felt more like a business than a team, come see what structured, honest BJJ coaching looks like.
How We Actually Teach
Beginning of class
you're looking for 20 minutes of shrimping until your legs give out before anyone touches a technique, this isn't your gym. We warm up by doing jiu-jitsu. sometimes that means specific movements that connect directly to what we're working on that day but you're never just running laps to run laps.
Gamification
This part is still evolving, as jiu jitsu should be, and I'll be honest about that. But the goal is to teach concepts, not just moves. The difference matters. A move is something you memorize. A concept is something you actually understand and you can apply it when nothing goes according to plan. We learn through games and constrained situations that feel as close to real rolling as possible. Not drilling for drilling's sake. Actually learning.
Asking questions and open mat
You can pick up knowledge from YouTube, Instagram, watching class, reading a book. That part is easy. What turns knowledge into understanding is doing it against another human who is also trying not to lose. That's what open mat is for. Everyone has the opportunity to roll. We don't force you too but we do recommend it so you can get real reps. Open mat isn't bonus content for a lot of our students it's the most important part of training.
Our Jiu-Jitsu Classes
Providing Jiu-Jitsu Classes to Madison and Huntsville for all ages and skill levels
Adult Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Classes
The gi slows everything down and that's the point.
Training in the gi forces you to be technical. You can't muscle your way out of a bad position when your opponent has four grip options on your collar alone. It builds patience, precision, and a level of detail in your game that carries over into everything else you do on the mat.
Our adult gi classes in Madison are open to anyone. complete beginners included. If you've never tied a belt in your life, that's fine. If you've been training for years and want better training partners and more structured instruction, that's fine too. Seth teaches every class personally and adjusts to whoever's in the room.
Huntsville and Madison adults who train here regularly will tell you the same thing: they came for the jiu jitsu and to get in shape but stayed for everything else.
Adult No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Classes
No gi means no collars, no sleeves, no grips to bail you out. Everything gets faster and a little more slippery which means your technique either works or it doesn't.
No-gi training is where a lot of people find out what their game actually looks like under pressure. The grips are gone, so you're working with body position, weight distribution, and timing instead. It's a different puzzle than the gi, and training both makes you significantly harder to deal with.
These classes are open to all levels. Whether you've never grappled before or you're coming in with a wrestling or judo background looking to add submissions to your game. There's a spot for you. Seth teaches every session with a concept driven approach just like the gi classes, just without the pajamas.
If you're in Huntsville or Madison and curious about no-gi grappling, come try a class.
Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Classes
Most kids who start jiu-jitsu are a little nervous on day one. By week three, you can't get them off the mat.
We run kids classes for ages 6 to 12, split by age group so younger kids aren't getting steamrolled by older ones. Seth teaches the kids program personally, same guy, same mat, same attention to actual learning that runs through every class at Pirate BJJ.
What parents notice first is usually the physical stuff . Ttheir kid is more active, sleeping better, actually tired at the end of the day. What they notice a few months in is everything else. The way their kid handles frustration differently. Stays calmer when something doesn't go their way. Figures out problems instead of shutting down.
That's not a coincidence. Jiu-jitsu puts kids in uncomfortable positions and teaches them to think their way out instead of panic. It's one of the better things you can put a kid through, and it doesn't feel like a lesson while it's happening.
Safe, structured, genuinely fun. Huntsville and Madison families have been bringing their kids to Pirate BJJ because the results show up everywhere , not just on the mat.
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