The Yin and Yang of Nicholle Stoller, massage therapist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) enthusiast. When a previous employer forced her to choose between the two, Stoller chose both.
She moved her massage practice to Nashville Mixed Martial Arts, where she trains and helps keep the other fighters in tip-top shape. “Over the past year, I’ve been recognized as valuable for injury prevention and rehab.”
Stoller is finding success on both fronts. Since beginning BJJ training a year ago, she has won 14 tournaments, and her massage practice has gained acceptance in her new hometown. “If you love something, don’t give it up,” she says. “There’s always a way to make it work if you are willing to put in the effort.”
“I’m always working to maintain structural balance of all connecting soft tissue. My teammates are very considerate. I jokingly tell them that if they break me, I can’t fix them!”
“Massage therapy called to me—as much for my own healing as to satisfy my desire to assist others with their healing.”
“I love the sense of community, the confidence I’ve gained, and the physical effects of training. Before BJJ, I was terrified of groups; now I can hold my head up and look people in the eye.”
“People often joke that I break ’em, then fix ’em, but BJJ is not about inflicting pain -—it’s a nonlethal self-defense system with a goal of subduing, not injuring.”