The stream of blood makes an audible "swoosh" as it exits the nose it used to inhabit. Beads of sweat drop from the locks of long hair. There is an unhinged tooth lying in the center of the ring. The fighters in this professional combat breathe heavily and emit grunts of effort in a range more soprano than alto or bass.

No. This is not an episode of "Orange is the New Black."

These are the sights and sounds of the all-female cast of the Ultimate Fighter Series, "The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion will be Crowned." The show is the culmination of an increasing trend of female participation in a sport that formerly was strictly a boys’ club.

Has broadcasting the glory of 115-pound females fighting it out for a championship belt increased the popularity of "regular" women undertaking mixed martial arts for sports, fitness or professional goals?

A component of this fighting style is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or "BJJ" and Nova Gyms in Oak Creek just happens to specialize in this martial art.

Nova franchise executive and corporate wellness guru Chris Martin weighs in on female fighting, the effectiveness of using a martial art like BJJ to get in shape, the importance of family fitness and more.

Martin is also offering OnMilwaukee.com readers "The Dream Package Every Fighter Needs" for men and women whose interest is piqued! It’s 30 days for $30. This includes three private lessons with three different trainers and an all-inclusive pass for readers to try all that Nova Gyms Martial Arts & Fitness has to offer for one month.

Prospective "fighters" should go to Chris' website or Nova Gyms' website and enter "onmilwaukee" in the subject line along with their contact information to get the deal. Read on to get inspired to get yourself in fighting shape. 

Lindsay Garric: Tell me about you and your role at Nova Gyms.

Chris Martin: First and foremost, I am a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu junkie (BJJ). The sport has transformed my life.

As a Milwaukee native and Marquette grad who spent the last 14 years working as an employee health benefit advisor, it was hard for me to walk without getting winded. Then BJJ entered my life. I joined a boxing gym and saw the crew rolling and tossing on the mats. I was curious and as I watched, I saw a petite woman throw this normal sized man over her and lock him into place. It was amazing to see. Her body was working in perfect unison, and she was able to generate force and power. I realized then what I know now: fitness is a total body experience – internal and external. It’s a lifestyle. It was then that I decided that BJJ was going to be my life.

Nova Gyms found me five years later. As a former client of mine, I could see Nova struggling to be relevant in an ever-changing fitness market. I spoke to them about incorporating BJJ and Martial Arts into their fitness routine. They tried it out and it fit. They asked me to join the leadership team, and made me an executive at the franchise.

I jumped at the opportunity to combine business with passion. I have assisted them in redeveloping their fitness franchise from Nova Gyms to now, Nova Gyms Martial Arts and Fitness. We are a fusion of fitness and martial arts where clients are actively engaged, results are actively tracked and managed, and personal coaches provide support to members.

LG: Please tell me about Nova Gyms – why is it unique in the Milwaukee area fitness scene?

CM: When led by a skilled coach, fusing high intensity interval training with mixed martial arts training will produce weight loss, greater flexibility, and a stronger core -- which is the key to a healthier lifestyle.

I have found this type of training is extremely time efficient for the busy professional. The coaches will have you dripping sweat in 20 minuets without even picking up a weight or getting on a treadmill. This type of training has also proven extremely effective for de-stressing.

In addition to the high level of instruction with all types of global martial arts and fitness styles – from Muay Thai to Boxing to Zumba dance, I do not know of any other martial arts or fitness gyms that provide a schedule for parents and children to train at the same time.

As a single parent myself, I feel it is imperative for my children and I to live an active lifestyle ... especially in Wisconsin. Fitness needs to be a priority for the entire family, especially mom and dad who need to lead by example.

LG: For the first time in history, the new season of The Ultimate Fighter will feature an all-female cast and will have a UFC championship title on the line. The storied reality series will feature a women’s 115-pound tournament to determine the first ever UFC women’s straw weight champion. Do you think this will inspire more women to train like UFC fighters? How does Nova fit into that?

CM: Pugilistic spots have always been a male dominated sport, however with this introduction of the female athlete, I truly believe it will change people’s minds on the way they can use their bodies. Looking at the cast of this show, I see gorgeous, fit women, who have developed their mind and body from their training. BJJ is by far the most effective martial art for women, considering it was developed for a smaller, frailer individual to defeat a larger adversary while lying on their back. BJJ provides real life self-defense, which is why I have my daughters participating, and the physical training that comes along with learning the art will develop a leaner, more flexible body.

The majority of the clients at Nova Gyms Martial Arts & Fitness are females who have never trained this way before, and now that they have experienced it, they love it! I would say that if you asked our females what they like best about it, they would tell you they love the weight loss results that they have experienced.

On the other hand, if you asked one of our members, like Joanna (pictured doing the arm bar) what she likes best about it, she might say beating up on the boys because she really does.
As I mentioned before, BJJ is by far the most effective sport for women because it works. I have experienced it first hand by getting tossed around by smaller women in my career, and now I am experiencing it first hand watching Joanna continue to quickly progress in this sport. I have rolled with a number of women, but I have never experienced any intensity like I do from Joanna. If she continues training like she is, I could easily see her being a TUF cast member!

(She has a competition this Saturday at Greenfield High School – details here. )

LG: What can a first timer, male or female, expect at a Nova class?

CM: This facility was established to introduce the general public to the benefits of training like a mixed martial artist, without having to enroll in an intimidating, smelly, "fighter gym."
Hopefully, they should feel comfortable without knowing anything about martial arts. An instructor who will humbly guide you always leads the classes. It is like having your own personal trainer who will continue to build you up and hold you personally accountable for maintain those results until you are ready to advance. When that time comes – you will be addicted to the results you see.

LG: What workout schedule do you suggest for best results?

CM: Each person has different goals so it will depend on them, however for me, I’ve found that the best results come when you really enjoy what you are doing. My training schedule is always dependent upon my work schedule, but I allocate three to five times a week for at least one hour. I like to mix things up to keep my body guessing – BJJ one day, kickboxing another, kettle bell cardio, or even a dance class with the crew. The workout schedule is going to depend on each individual’s personal goals and preferences. Our coaches will work with each member to customize a program and training schedule that suits their lifestyle needs.

LG: Do you have any success stories you’d like to share?

CM: We have only been open since March, but in that short period of time we have had a number of students who have lost weight - a ton of weight. This includes a young man who has autism. Not only has he lost weight, but he always has a smile on his face, he always wants to be in class and at the same time -- I can see his confidence boosted, which in my opinion is the reason that every child should practice a martial art! I am really enjoying watching him grow!

The success story that I know best, however is my own. BJJ transformed my body, and since I started it, I have consistently kept 50 lbs of weight off that was there for years. More importantly, BJJ has changed the way I feel, the way I view the world and has provided me a new sense of awareness that I never had.

Jiu-Jitsu was my paradigm shift in a time when my health had started to diminish as a result of poor lifestyle habits that I had picked up from growing up here in Milwaukee. 

I was on a Marquette University diet consisting of Real Chili and Miller Light kegs! I was drinking heavily, smoking and allowing the stress of work to get the better of me. Not to mention I was lacking the mind – body awareness connection that I had lost somewhere along the way.

BJJ assisted me with a complete transformation, and I am grateful to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for what it has done for me, which is why I continue to practice this art with my children.