Category: History

Team Ninja Warrior

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Team Ninja Warrior

 

Based on everything that has been written, it may seem that Ninja Warrior is a solitary sport. The opposite is actually true; the community around Ninja Warrior is extremely active. Unofficially, there are many teams that compete and train together such as the Wolf Pack. These teams, however, are only unofficial. What if these teams were official and competed against one another?

A veritable who’s who of ninjas

In 2016, ANW decided to answer this question with Team Ninja Warrior. Team Ninja Warrior showcases teams facing off across multiple rounds. Consisting of three ninjas each (with two men and one woman), the teams would race against one another through a course. Within each round, the ninjas would compete against one another, earning points for completing the course faster than the other team.

Team Golden Hearts, consisting of (from left to right) Neil “Crazy” Craver, Grant McCartney, and Natalie Duran

The implications of this different format are intriguing. In this format, ninjas are able to test how fast they are able to go. Some notable ninjas always run at full speed, such as Lorin Ball, Drew Drechsel, and Flip Rodriguez. For other, more methodical ninjas, however, we are never sure just how fast they could go. While the ninjas only have one chance on American Ninja Warrior, there are multiple attempts at each course for every athlete on Team Ninja Warrior. The potential for extreme, extraordinary results is greater in this alternate format.

Flip Rodriguez, one of the fastest ninjas in the sport

In one of my previous posts, I touched on the differences between gymnasts and rock climbers. These two groups of ninjas specialize, with considerably different strengths and weaknesses. Even within these two groups, however, there is further specialization. Brian Arnold is probably the strongest ninja in the sport. Lorin Ball, as inconsistent as he may be, is probably the fastest ninja. Drew Drechsel and Daniel Gil are the most naturally athletic ninjas. What is special about the format of Team Ninja Warrior is that, with a possible expansion, there is potential for even further specialization.

Lorin Ball, one of the best ninjas whenever he avoids making a simple mistake

The future of the ninja sport depends on the expansion of the competition, and Team Ninja Warrior is the natural progression of the sport. American Ninja Warrior is a fun and compelling sport, but there is so much potential for the ninja world to expand and specialize. Team Ninja Warrior allows ninjas to test how quickly they can complete courses. Future competitions could allow athletes to specialize within certain roles or create new roles entirely. Team Ninja Warrior is an amazing sport, and its success shows that American Ninja Warrior will succeed for years to come.

 

<http://sasukepedia.wikia.com/wiki/Team_Ninja_Warrior>

Daniel Gil

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Daniel Gil

 

Not many athletes are able to reach the national finals in their rookie year. Daniel Gil, however, is not like many other athletes. In his rookie season, he reached the second stage in the national finals, and since that time, he has not looked back, reaching the third stage in ANW8 and the second stage in ANW9.

Daniel Gil, 23 and already a top Ninja Warrior

One of the most standout aspects of Gil is his ability to make obstacles look easy. Few can match his apparent athleticism and intrinsic skill at obstacles. When he leaps or swings to an obstacle eight or ten feet away, no one wonders whether he can make it the distance, but rather whether he is able to manage his explosiveness and maintain his grip strength to safely land.

Daniel Gil navigating an obstacle with his trademark athleticism

Like all athletes, Daniel Gil had to begin somewhere. In 2013, Daniel Gil began working with ninja legend Sam Sann. Sam Sann, originally from Cambodia, quickly became a fan favorite. He is a father-figure to many competitors, and his gym is consistently considered one of the best in the nation. Despite the fact that he is far older than most other competitors at the ripe age of fifty, Sam Sann consistently competes at an extraordinarily high level.

Sam Sann, 50, easily making all of us feel bad about our bodies

For all of the success that Gil has encountered on American Ninja Warrior, Daniel is more than just an athlete. Daniel Gil is a man of faith, and he lives through his faith every run that he makes. Daniel Gil even earned a degree in Applied Ministerial Studies from All Nations School of Ministry(the site makes me kinda uncomfortable, but it is an interesting read).

Richelle Helper, Daniel Gil, and Sam Sann competing as Team Iron Grip on Team Ninja Warrior

Daniel Gil is a man of faith, an American Ninja Warrior, and an all-around extraordinary person. With his youth and excellence, Gil has the chance to become the face of ANW for years to come.

 

<https://www.americanninjawarriornation.com/2016/8/1/12344886/american-ninja-warrior-daniel-gil>

<http://danielgil.ninja/about/>

<http://sasukepedia.wikia.com/wiki/Daniel_Gil>

<http://sasukepedia.wikia.com/wiki/Sam_Sann>

Rock Climbing versus Gymnastics

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Rock Climbing versus Gymnastics

 

Part of what I love about American Ninja Warrior is that the sport is extremely accessible. Almost anyone can learn how to climb around and complete obstacles. That being said, there are two sports that lend themselves toward success on Mount Midoriyama: rock climbing and gymnastics. Most of the athletes who have had success on the show have some background within these two sports. When the show began, the two most common types of athletes were originally rock climbers and free runners (those who do parkour). As the course has evolved and become more difficult, however, there have been fewer free runners and more gymnasts. Rock climbers and gymnasts are common, because the skill set required for these sports are the same as those required for American Ninja Warrior.

Meagan Martin, a rock climber, navigating an obstacle requiring great grip strength and climbing ability

Rock climbers excel at American Ninja Warrior because of their climbing ability, problem solving skills, and their overall strength. If rock climbers have a weakness, it would have to be balance or movement obstacles. The transition from rock climbing to ANW is natural: all the athletes have to do is change where they are climbing. They tend to excel on the back half of courses and in the second and third stages of the finals, where the course tends to focus on upper body strength.

Ian Dory on the Flying Bars, the final obstacle on Stage 3

The Wolfpack, a group of ninjas from Colorado, are rock climbers who have transitioned to ANW. This team includes Brian Arnold, Ian Dory, Meagan Martin, and Dr. Noah T. Kaufman. Two of these four athletes have been on the national team, and Meagan Martin is one of the top female competitors in the history of American Ninja Warrior. The Wolfpack is a perfect example of successfully transitioning from rock climbing to ANW.

The Wolfpack, listed from left to right: Ian Dory, Dr. Noah T. Kaufman, Meagan Martin, and Brian Arnold

Gymnasts excel at American Ninja Warrior because of their superior body control, impressive strength, and balance. Gymnasts tend to get tired more quickly than rock climbers on courses that focus on the upper body. The obstacle course aspect of ANW and its focus on high flying acrobatics make gymnasts feel at home on the course. Gymnasts tend to excel at the beginning of courses and stage one of the finals, where the course focuses on balance, mobility, and acrobatics.

Jessie Graff on the Wingnuts, an obstacle requiring acrobatic abilities in addition to strength and body control

Johnathan Horton, an Olympic medalist in men’s gymnastics, has competed on three seasons of American Ninja Warrior. While he has never had overwhelming success, Horton has made very respectable runs during each of his appearances. Jessie Graff has a history of gymnastics (in addition to acrobatics and track and field) that is apparent as she flies from obstacle to obstacle.

Olympic medalist Johnathan Horton navigating a deceptively difficult obstacle

An interesting outlier is the 21 year-old Tyler Gillett, an ANW mega-fan. At 21, he just passed the age requirement for American Ninja Warrior. He has trained since fourteen years old solely for ANW, which bred results as he reached Stage Two in his first year. This trend, younger and younger athletes training specifically for ANW, will continue as different ninjas open gyms for the sole purpose of training young ninjas.

The 21-year old Tyler Gillett, an inspiration to a new generation of ninjas who are training solely for American Ninja Warrior

The two strongest divisions of American Ninja Warrior are gymnasts and rock climbers, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, but an intriguing new development is the growth of competitors who have trained to be ninjas for their entire lives.

Joe Moravsky, one of the most consistent ninjas and the last ninja standing in ANW9, working on obstacles with young children

http://wolfpackninjas.com/our-team/

American Ninja Warrior and SASUKE

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ANW and Sasuke

 

While many people have heard about the television phenomenon American Ninja Warrior, few know about the show’s humble beginnings. In order to fully appreciate the history of ANW, one must first look to Japan:

SASUKE Title Image

 

SASUKE began in 1997, produced by the company Monster9. This program followed competitors attempting to complete four stages of obstacles in order to reach completion, called “kanzenseiha.” 1997, an obstacle course show titled SASUKE aired. This show gained a strong following in Japan, but on the now-defunct channel G4, American viewers began tuning into this show, drawn to its new and interesting challenges. In 2007, G4 accepted challengers in the American Ninja Challenge, a program to find American competitors for SASUKE.

Levi Meeuwenberg, an early and important face of American Ninja Warrior

 

American Ninja Challenge competitors had to complete tests of speed, endurance, and strength. Of the three competitors brought onto the show, only two completed these tests. Both of these athletes went to Japan, failing in the first stage of SASUKE 19. The next year, the field of competitors expanded to six contestants. These contestants trained even more intensely than the previous year, resulting in three qualifiers for SASUKE 20. Levi Meeuwenberg, one of the three American qualifiers, became the last man standing in SASUKE 20, completing the most obstacles in the shortest amount of time. While none of the competitors reached an exceptional position like this again, the success of American Ninja Challenge led to the creation of the hit television show American Ninja Warrior.

10 American Competitors before SASUKE

 

The American Ninja Warrior seen today is not the same American Ninja Warrior known today. The first three seasons of ANW aired on G4, featuring a qualifying and final course. At the end of this grueling process, ten competitors would be sent to SASUKE to face Mount Midoriyama.

The American Mount Midoriyama is based off of SASUKE’s Mount Midoriyama, shown here

 

After the success of American Ninja Warrior 3, NBC decided to air SASUKE 27 in the form of a special. G4 and SASUKE, later that year, filed for bankruptcy. NBC, seeing the potential in American Ninja Warrior, took a risk and purchased the rights to ANW. The format of ANW, under the direction of NBC, changed dramatically. Rather than a single qualifying competition, NBC expanded the challenge to include six regional tournaments. Along with ten wildcards, the fifteen finalists of these regional tournaments became the first one hundred contestants at Mount Midoriyama in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Similarly to SASUKE, ANW national finalists would have to complete the four stages of the competition to win the prize of one million dollars and the title of “American Ninja Warrior.” From ANW4 to ANW6, many contestants reached Stage 3, but none could conquer this stage.

From left to right: Commentator Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, American Ninja Warrior Isaac Caldiero, ANW finisher Geoff Britten, Commentator Matt Iseman, and Sideline Reporter Kristine Leahy

 

In ANW7, the sport of Ninja Warrior reached the next level. Seven competitors reached Stage 3, and two completed the stage, the first Americans to ever do so. For Stage 4, Isaac Caldiero and Geoff Britten had to race up a 75 foot rope in under thirty seconds. The fastest climber would win the grand prizes of a million dollars and the title of “American Ninja Warrior.” Geoff Britten completed the course first, reaching the top in 29.65 seconds. Isaac Caldiero followed Geoff Britten, completing the course in 26.14 seconds, and won the money and the title.

 

Since its humble beginnings as American Ninja Challenge, ANW has grown into a phenomenon. Even though no one has completed Mount Midoriyama since Geoff Britten and Isaac Caldiero, thousands of people make videos and camp out for a month beforehand hoping for the chance to compete.

 

 

Sources:
http://sasukepedia.wikia.com/wiki/SASUKE
http://sasukepedia.wikia.com/wiki/American_Ninja_Challenge
http://www.ninjawarrior.info/american-ninja-warrior-vs-sasuke.html