Private BJJ Lessons in Gastonia: Accelerate Your Training

Group classes are the backbone of jiu-jitsu training. They give you partners, structure, and the shared experience that makes BJJ what it is. But there are times when one-on-one instruction is the fastest way to level up. Private BJJ lessons in Gastonia at Solecki BJJ give you direct, personalized coaching tailored to exactly where you are and where you want to go.

I've been coaching since 2012 and competing at the highest level in the UFC. When you book a private lesson with me, you're getting the same attention to detail and technical knowledge that carried me through a professional fighting career—focused entirely on your development.

Why Private Lessons Accelerate Your Progress

In a group class, I teach to the room. I pick techniques that benefit the most people, I give corrections as I circulate, and I manage the flow of the session for everyone. That's effective—it's how most people learn BJJ and it works.

But private lessons flip that model. Here's what changes:

Personalized Curriculum

Instead of following the group syllabus, we work on what you need. If your guard retention is weak, we spend the entire session on guard retention. If you have a competition coming up and need to develop your top game, that's what we do. There's no one-size-fits-all approach—every minute is customized.

Immediate, Detailed Feedback

In a group class with 15 or 20 students, I can give you a correction here and there. In a private lesson, I'm watching every rep. I see the small details—your hand placement, your weight distribution, your timing—and I address them in real time. This kind of granular feedback is what separates good technique from great technique.

Your Pace, Your Questions

Some people learn quickly and want to cover a lot of material. Others prefer to drill one technique until it's perfect. In a private lesson, we move at your speed. If you need me to show something five more times or explain the reasoning behind a movement, there's no pressure to keep pace with a class.

Addressing Weaknesses Honestly

It's easy to avoid your weak areas in group class. You naturally gravitate toward positions and techniques you're comfortable with. In a private lesson, we identify where you're struggling and face it directly. That's where the real growth happens.

Who Benefits Most from Private Lessons

Private lessons aren't just for competitors or advanced students. Here's who I see get the most value from one-on-one training:

Complete Beginners

If you're brand new to BJJ and feel overwhelmed in group class, a few private lessons can accelerate your learning curve dramatically. We can cover the fundamental positions, basic movements, and core concepts at a pace that makes sense for you—so when you go back to group class, everything clicks faster.

For a preview of what group training looks like, read our post on what to expect at your first BJJ class.

Competitors Preparing for a Tournament

If you have a competition on the calendar, private lessons are where we build your game plan. We study your strengths, identify your opponent's likely strategies, and develop specific sequences for common scenarios. This is tactical preparation that group class can't provide.

Experienced Students on a Plateau

Every student hits plateaus—periods where nothing seems to improve. Private lessons help break through by identifying the specific technical gaps holding you back. Sometimes it's a small detail that changes everything, and it takes focused one-on-one attention to find it.

Students with Physical Limitations

If you have a pre-existing injury, limited mobility, or any physical consideration that affects how you train, private lessons let us adapt techniques to work for your body. We can develop a game that plays to your strengths and avoids positions that aggravate your limitations.

Busy Professionals

If your schedule makes it hard to attend regular group classes consistently, private lessons let you maximize the time you do have. One focused private session can cover as much ground as two or three group classes when it comes to your individual development.

What a Private Lesson Looks Like

A typical private session at Solecki BJJ runs 30 to 60 minutes and follows a simple structure:

Assessment. We start by discussing what you want to work on. If you're not sure, I'll watch you move through some basic positions and identify areas of opportunity.
Instruction. I teach the techniques or concepts relevant to your goals. This includes detailed demonstration, explanation of the underlying principles, and common mistakes to avoid.
Drilling. You practice the techniques with me as your training partner. I provide real-time corrections and adjustments to refine your execution.
Application. Depending on your experience level, we may do positional sparring to test the techniques in a live context. This bridges the gap between knowing a technique and being able to use it.

Training with a UFC Veteran

I don't say this to brag—I say it because it matters for your development. When you take a private lesson at Solecki BJJ, you're working with someone who has applied jiu-jitsu in the most high-pressure environment on the planet.

My path to the UFC started at age six on the mat and led through years of competition, earning my black belt under John Hassett in 2017, winning a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series, and competing 19 times in the octagon. That experience gives me a perspective on what works under pressure and what falls apart—knowledge that directly benefits your training.

You can read more about my journey on the about page or in our blog post about my path from BJJ to the UFC.

How Privates Complement Group Classes

Private lessons aren't meant to replace group training—they're meant to enhance it. Think of it this way:

Group class gives you training partners, live rolling, and exposure to a variety of body types and skill levels. It builds your ability to adapt and apply techniques against different people.
Private lessons give you focused technical development, personalized game planning, and detailed feedback that accelerates your progress in group class.

The best results come from combining both. A student who attends group class three times a week and adds one or two private lessons per month will progress faster than someone doing either one alone.

Students from Gastonia, Charlotte, Belmont, and the surrounding area regularly book privates to supplement their regular training. Whether you're a member of our academy or training somewhere else and looking for specialized instruction, we're happy to work with you.

Book Your Private Lesson

If you're serious about your development—whether you're just starting out, preparing to compete, or trying to break through a plateau—private lessons are the most efficient investment you can make in your jiu-jitsu.

Check out our programs page for group class options, and contact us directly to schedule a private session. Let's build a plan that gets you where you want to go.