Apex Jiu Jitsu & MMA teaches wrestling at both Loudoun County academies, with four tracks at Ashburn running from age 4 through adults and Youth Wrestling for ages 5 to 13 at Sterling. The first class is free, and no gear or experience is needed.
What it is
Wrestling is the sport of taking an opponent down and controlling them on the mat. Wrestlers at Apex learn seven core skills: takedowns (singles, doubles, and trips), pins and control, escapes and reversals, scrambles, mat awareness, hand fighting (tie-ups, wrist control, and setup sequences), and conditioning for strength, speed, and endurance.
The program is built on three pillars, taught with one coaching standard at both academies and two schedules for families to choose between.
- Foundation. Takedowns and mat control from day one: shots, sprawls, and the positional awareness that sets wrestlers apart on the mat. Technique is drilled before intensity, so beginners build real skills instead of just surviving.
- Competition. Wrestlers are prepared to compete when they are ready and not before. That means match simulation, tournament strategy, weight management education, the mental game, and team travel to regional events. Competition is optional, never forced.
- Crossover. Wrestling is the base for every combat sport. Takedown offense and defense carry into jiu-jitsu, MMA, and self-defense, so the time a young wrestler spends on the mat pays off in whatever they train next.
Dan Gable, the Olympic gold medalist and Iowa coach, put it simply: "Once you've wrestled, everything else in life is easy." The grit a wrestler builds on the mat shows up in school, in other sports, and in everyday life.
Plenty of wrestlers train purely for fitness, discipline, and self-defense. For those who want to compete, there is a structured competition team with regular tournament opportunities.
Who it is for
Wrestling at Apex starts at age 4. The bands come straight from each academy's class calendar.
At Ashburn, four tracks:
- Beginner Wrestling (ages 4–13). The starting point for new wrestlers. Newer athletes focus on movement, coordination, and basic positions before technique and live wrestling are introduced progressively.
- Advanced Wrestling (ages 4–13). For kids with a season or more on the mat: longer sessions, live goes, and competition prep. Wrestlers usually move up from the beginner room by coach invitation.
- High School Wrestling (14 and up). The competitive track for high school athletes.
- Adult Wrestling (18+). Weekend sessions for adults, with beginners welcome.
The Ashburn tracks cover folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman.
At Sterling, one program:
- Youth Wrestling (ages 5–13). One program grouped by size and experience, open to all skill levels, with a competition team available. Wrestlers 14 and up continue in High School Wrestling at the Ashburn academy.
Together the tracks make a full path. A wrestler who starts at 4 in Beginner Wrestling can move into Advanced Wrestling when the coach invites them, step into High School Wrestling at 14, and keep going in Adult Wrestling at 18. Sterling's Youth Wrestling carries a wrestler from 5 through 13, and High School Wrestling picks up from there.
Your child does not need an athletic background. Many wrestlers here started with none, and the sport builds coordination, strength, and confidence from scratch. Beginners work separately from more advanced kids, so nobody gets overwhelmed.
What a first class looks like
Book online and you will get a text confirmation. Aim to arrive about 10 minutes early so there is time for the waiver and a hello with the coach.
Dress your wrestler in athletic clothes, shorts and a t-shirt, and send a water bottle. No gear is needed and no shoes either, because wrestling is trained barefoot on the mat. Shoes come off at the mat's edge.
Every session follows the same four parts: a warm-up, technique drilling, live situational rounds, and a cool-down. Beginners are never put into live matches. The coach teaches the technique first, keeps the room supervised throughout, and matches partners by size and experience.
Each session is structured for learning, and the goal is simple: your wrestler leaves every class a little better than they walked in.
If your child has an injury, a condition, or a learning difference, tell the coach before class, and the drills will be adapted.
Coaches
At Apex Jiu Jitsu & MMA Ashburn
11 classes a week
- Beginner Wrestling · Mon, Wed, Fri 5:00 PM
- Advanced Wrestling · Mon, Wed, Fri 6:30 PM
- High School Wrestling · Mon 8:00 PM; Tue, Thu 7:30 PM
- Adult Wrestling · Sat 10:00 AM; Sun 12:00 PM
Age bands: Adults 18+, Ages 4-13, Ages 14+
At Apex Jiu Jitsu & MMA Sterling
4 classes a week
- Youth Wrestling · Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu 5:00 PM
Age bands: Youth 5-13
Questions about Wrestling Classes
What is the youngest age for wrestling at Apex?
Structured wrestling starts at age 4 in Beginner Wrestling at the Ashburn academy, which runs through age 13. At Sterling, Youth Wrestling takes wrestlers from age 5 through 13 in one program grouped by size and experience. A child who has never played an organized sport is welcome in both, since wrestling builds coordination, strength, and confidence rather than requiring them up front.
What are folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling?
Folkstyle is the style American schools wrestle, from middle school through college, with points for control and escapes. Freestyle and Greco-Roman are the two Olympic styles; Greco-Roman allows no attacks below the waist, so it rewards upper-body throws and clinch work. At the Ashburn academy, wrestlers get folkstyle for the school season and freestyle and Greco-Roman in the off-season, all under one roof.
Does my child need wrestling shoes or headgear?
Not to start. For the first class, athletic clothes such as shorts and a t-shirt plus a water bottle are all your child needs, and wrestling is trained barefoot on the mat. If your child keeps going, the coaches will recommend wrestling shoes and headgear for more advanced training, and they will tell you when it is time.
How does a young wrestler move up to Advanced Wrestling?
Advanced Wrestling at Ashburn is for kids ages 4 to 13 who already have a season or more on the mat. Sessions are longer, with live goes and competition prep. Most wrestlers join by coach invitation from the beginner room. If you are not sure which fits, pick Beginner Wrestling; the coach moves wrestlers up when they are ready.
Is there wrestling for adults?
Yes. Adult Wrestling runs on weekends at the Ashburn academy, with a Saturday morning session and a longer Sunday session, for adults 18 and up. Beginners are welcome at any age, so no wrestling background is needed to start. The first adult class is free, just like the youth tracks, and the same technique-first approach applies.
Will my child wrestle live matches in the first class?
No. Apex does not put beginners into live matches. Classes are supervised, technique is taught before any live wrestling, and kids are matched by size and experience level. Newer athletes work on movement, coordination, and basic positions first, and live wrestling is introduced step by step as their skills grow. Wrestling is a contact sport, and controlled training is how the coaches keep it safe.
Does wrestling help with jiu-jitsu and MMA?
Directly. Takedown offense and defense carry into every grappling and combat sport, and a wrestler's top control and scrambling translate straight into jiu-jitsu and MMA. Wrestling and BJJ complement each other, and plenty of Apex grapplers cross-train in both. Ask the coach after your first class how the two programs fit together on your academy's schedule.
Train at either Apex academy
Choose Ashburn or Sterling, and find the schedule that fits your week.