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In both wrestling and jiu jitsu, success is built on a combination of physical and mental skills. While it’s tempting to focus on being the strongest or the most explosive, the real path to dominance on the mat comes down to three key elements: technique, cardio, and strength. These elements form a clear hierarchy, each one supporting the next, and together they determine your effectiveness as a grappler. Let’s break it down.

On September 28th, Pat Downey, known for his unfiltered personality and unmatched grappling prowess, took to Instagram to share an insightful reflection on the relationship between wrestling and jiu jitsu. His post addressed a topic that’s been brewing in the grappling community for years: the often adversarial mindset between wrestlers and jiu jitsu practitioners. Downey’s post read:  “As grapplers, we need a paradigm reset when it comes to this topic. I was just as guilty of this a few years ago before I met @vagnerrochabjj [Vagner Rocha], and he opened my 👀’s to how much technique had eluded me over the years. By being closed-minded, too much ego, & ultimately prideful; I missed out on a lot of knowledge. It’s not wrestling versus jiu jitsu. It’s wrestling AND jiu jitsu.”

At Forge Wrestling & Jiu Jitsu, our mission is to do more than just teach wrestling techniques—we’re dedicated to restoring Suffolk County, Section XI Wrestling, to its former glory as the most dominant section in New York State. Section XI has a rich legacy of excellence, marked by an impressive 15 state titles since the turn of the millennium. This includes a historic run of 10 consecutive state championships from 2009 to 2018, a feat that solidified our region’s reputation as a wrestling powerhouse. But we understand that maintaining greatness requires more than resting on past achievements. In recent years, Section IX—encompassing Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties—has risen to prominence, capturing three straight state titles and challenging the dominance once held by Section XI. This surge in success serves as a wake-up call, reminding us that to reclaim our place at the top, we must return to the fundamentals that made us unstoppable. At Forge Wrestling & Jiu Jitsu, we emphasize the core elements of wrestling: high-percentage shooting, hand fighting, and footwork. These principles are the bedrock of our program, guiding every athlete who steps onto our mats. However, we also recognize that dominance isn’t achieved in a single season. To truly rise above even our old rivals in Section VIII and Section V, we need a year-round commitment to the sport. Programs like Forge are essential, even if it means getting in just an extra two days of training each week outside of the traditional wrestling season. It’s this consistent dedication to improvement that will enable us to reclaim our former glory and once again establish Section XI as the premier wrestling region in New York State.