From Takedowns to Transitions: Why Raptor is the Perfect Post-Wrestling Next Step

May 7
2 min read

Pennsylvania has long been a powerhouse in the world of wrestling. From youth tournaments to high school dynasties to dominant college programs like Penn State, the mat is in our blood. Across gyms and basements, garages and gymnasiums, generations have grown up battling for position, learning grit, and earning every point the hard way.

At Raptor Academy, we honor that legacy.

If you grew up wrestling—or just wrapped up your final season—we know the mat never truly leaves you. But where do you go when the whistle stops blowing and the season ends? The answer for many is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ)—and at Raptor, we’re built for exactly that transition.

Why Wrestlers Thrive in Jiu Jitsu

Wrestlers walk into a BJJ class with tools already forged through years of hard training:

Body awareness and balance
Explosive takedowns and top control
Mental toughness and conditioning
Experience in live, full-resistance training

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu rewards all of these attributes—while introducing a new dimension: submissions, guard work, and fluid positional chains. Instead of pinning, you’re passing. Instead of three periods, you have rounds. It’s familiar—but fresh. Challenging—but just as addicting.

Many of our top students at Raptor come from wrestling backgrounds. And they don’t have to unlearn their skills—they build on them.

The Raptor Difference

At Raptor Academy in State College, we run our mats with the same seriousness and respect you’d expect from a high-level wrestling room:

Structured, systems-based instruction that values positional awareness and timing
Live training (rolling) in every class, allowing wrestlers to immediately apply their strengths
No-Gi and Gi options, with a special emphasis on transitions that make sense to grapplers with a wrestling base
A culture of accountability, humility, and hard work

We’re proud to have coaches and students who’ve wrestled at all levels—from local high school programs to college mats—and who now bring that mindset into the world of submission grappling.

Still Hungry for the Mat? Step Onto Ours.

If you’re a current or former wrestler in State College looking for that next challenge, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is calling. It’s physical, strategic, humbling, and addicting in all the right ways. Whether you’re chasing competition, fitness, or just that feeling of flow you’ve missed, Raptor offers a path forward.

🟢 Try a free class and see how your wrestling background gives you a head start.

🟢 Train with experienced coaches who understand where you’re coming from—and where you can go.

🟢 Join a team that values mat culture, discipline, and lifelong learning.