Who is this Martha character?
Our first RMNU headquarters ladies' black belt instructor, Rachel Nelson, introduced Martha, the mascot that symbolizes unity and strength, or as we like to call her, the "Jiu-Jitsu Jedi Master." Seriously, I think she’d give Yoda a run for his money!
When Rachel started teaching the ladies' RMNU class, her mission was to turn us into a dream team—think superheroines, but with more Gi and lots of Spandex.
We are uniquely beautiful and slightly dangerous, like a stealthy ninja cat with without fabulous nails, because you can't have nails and practice jiu jitsu...gotta keep them clean and trimmed!
Rumor has it that Martha has her residence in the ceiling, probably because she only comes down to witness our epic moves and our questionable warm-ups. Every class, we gather in a circle to mimic Martha’s call, which we like to think sounds like a combination of a crow and a very enthusiastic seal. Sure, we felt pretty ridiculous at first, but hey, who doesn’t love a good team bonding exercise that doubles as an awkward karaoke session? Now we own it like it’s a part of our jiu-jitsu black belt training!
Changes to the ladies class
And then boom... change happened. Rachel moved to California, probably to escape our strange Martha calls! Suddenly, I found myself as the next instructor, and there was no way I was letting Martha's legacy vanish. Nope! I held onto her call like it’s my secret weapon, and we kept it alive after each class. We are still squawking like a bunch of waterfowl after every class.
Bringing Martha to life
With a little help from Robson Moura and my teammates, we decided Martha needed to be the ambassador of camaraderie, spreading her joy to ladies across RMNU affiliate and nonaffiliate classes. Because let’s face it, ladies juggling jiu-jitsu are a rare breed—think of unicorns that can effectively perform an armbar! My goal? To unite even more women who are ready to roll—literally—and show them how fun, empowering, (and sometimes absurd) jiu-jitsu can be!
So, here’s the game plan! Martha has already kicked off her adventure in Tampa, Florida. She’s basically the Beyoncé of the jiu-jitsu world now, making appearances on social media during tournaments, open mats, and gym events all over the country. The plan? Once Martha becomes the life of the party at one gym, she’s off to the next! Just imagine the Instagram stories: "Martha in the wild," complete with captions like “Yoga with a twist—literally!”
If Martha swings by your gym, snap some pics of her escapades and send them my way at survivingjiujitsu.com. After which, pick another jiu jitsu gym with at least one lady (because let's be honest, that is how it is sometimes) and pass her on! Let’s see what trouble she can get into next! Who knows, maybe she’ll even start a dance-off with the next batch of lady fighters. Just remember—keep your guards up and your takedowns loud and if you hear a strange call from the ceiling, it is probably just Martha warming up her war chant.
If Martha makes it to your gym and you don't know where to send her next, please email me at survivingjiujitsu.com and I can help you out!
About Me.
Hello! I am Brianna. I am a mom of 3 who started my jiu jitsu passion in my 40's. Who would have thought that I would end up finding jiu jitsu to be so addictive and therapeutic! I am in love with the sport, the comradery and the strategy. I am not a naturally competitive person, but I do compete in jiu jitsu on a regular basis and became an IBJJF Master World Champion in 2024. Jiu Jitsu is a journey, and I am here to share with you my journey, some of the fundamental lessons I have learned along the way, and maybe help you streamline your journey at the beginning based off of my experiences and bumbles. Good luck and Oss!