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Ninja Meets Technology

Where is Ninja headed? Well, at agNinja, we have a pretty good idea where it CAN go and we are making sure we are in the drivers seat to steer it in that direction. The great thing about the sport of Ninja is that it can be done SO many different ways. Courses can be rearranged by moving obstacles around or swapping old obstacles for new obstacles.  The way in which you progress through a Ninja course can be altered which can completely change the difficulty level. We want to throw one more variable in the mix – technology!

Imagine “gamifying” Ninja in a totally unique way through the use of some simple, but clever technology. What this does is it creates a variety of additional challenges for your athletes and provides a new way for them to either compete against each other or themselves. Sounds rather appealing doesn’t it? Well let’s get down to it and take a look at the future!

Here are just a few of the new and exciting things you can expect from us

Warped Walls – Imagine having a 12 foot warped wall in your facility that can only be conquered by around 10 percent of those who attempt it. Of course, warped walls can be done a number of ways to allow for intermediate ledges that younger kids can grab. We want to spice that up a bit. Imagine some interactive technology that incorporated sensors and/or buttons on the wall that tracked the the height they reached. Now throw is some basic coding to turn this in to a game. All of a sudden you have a fun challenge where two teams of kids are going head to head on warped walls and points are being tracked based on certain factors. All of this would be displayed on a few flat screens and you have yourself a completely new attraction. 

Ninja Courses – Consider a similar concept with the obstacles and framing. What if we create a new set of challenges for the athlete as they progress through the course? Imagine pods being strategically placed throughout the course that the athlete interacts with. Instead of simply navigating an obstacle, they must also decide if they want to collect points and go for a pod that is in a tricky spot. These pods can be utilized to create a multitude of other games that really make for an endless combinations of fun.

Climbing – This too can be enhanced for a more exciting user experience. Again, it comes down to censored pods. You can give your climbers something to shoot for by incorporating these pods in to your existing climbing wall. It’s fairly simple and the excitement it builds those using it is priceless. Just like the warped walls and courses, a number of games can be created that can be utilized during weekly classes and especially during birthday parties.

For climbing, you can go one step further and do an entirely interactive climbing wall. such as the one pictured below


Pretty awesome stuff! Some of these things mentioned above are not something we have to wait for. They are already here and we can make it happen for you. If you are looking to retrofit something you already have or you want to create something completely new, we can help you determine what might be the best direction for you.

Call us or email Brad@InteractiveSportsZone.com

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After School Athletic Center Includes Ninja

We’ve taken on many different types of design projects over the years so it’s always fun when something new comes along. Jams Athletics presented something a little different than what we are accustomed to. Jams is an after school program which comes with a laundry list of procedures and regulations related to their operation to which they must adhere. These procedures must be considered when working the gym design and flow of the kids through the facility. It can be tricky and safety is paramount with these type operations. From the time a child arrives to the time he or she leaves, they follow a fairly regimented schedule. Understanding where the kids need to be throughout the day played a big roll in how the facility was laid out. It was quite interesting to learn more about after school programs and their operations.

This is Jams Athletics second facility and it is substantially larger than the first. They are taking advantage of this new space by implementing some new activities such as Ninja and a soft play area. Like many business owners, they recognize that Ninja is a fun way for kids to exercise. We added in a 30ft frame section with hanging obstacles, ground obstacles along with a 10ft warped wall. It should be awesome! In addition to the new programs, they will also have full court basketball, dance and cheer. It’s really going to be a great experience for the kids.

This is a testament to the sport of Ninja and the benefits it brings to a variety of businesses. I love seeing it’s popularity continue to grow as it makes its way in to fitness facilities, schools, organized leagues and even residential back yards. Stay tuned for completed facility photos, but in the meantime, here is a video of the design

Brad Thornton

Co-Founder and Lead Designer

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AG Ninja Goes to the Hamptons

After years of providing facility design concepts and installing large Ninja and Gymnastics setups for our clients, you think you have seen it all. This thought went out the window we met a new client who was looking to build an underground sports bunker for his kids. With my jaw on the floor, I listened as he described the space what he wanted it to include — a gymnastics area, basketball court, full climbing walls, turf field, hockey rink, golf simulator, workout area, yoga room, locker room and a full Ninja Course.

This was one of those projects you dream about doing – Design concept through installation – Amazing facility – sweet family. This video takes you on a virtual fly through of this amazing fun space. Enjoy!

Don’t forget, we work in residential spaces all the time! Even if it is simply coming up with a cool and fun concept in a single room of the basement, we are happy to chat with you about your project ideas. You’d be surprised how much you can do in a small space at home. For more info, email Brad@InteractiveSportsZone.com

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AG Ninja Goes to Wyoming

This past week, I had the pleasure of visiting a beautiful Ninja Facility (One of our clients – Leap Fun & Fitness) up in Laramie, WY. It was a great trip and Laramie certainly spared me with it’s southerner friendly 45 degree weather. (I still wore long johns). I was in town for a quick 3 days but soaked in everything I could and made sure it was a productive trip.

So, why did I make the long haul for such a short visit?

1. Our client invited me – To that, you answer “yes!”

2. I was able to observe their gym during class time which is alway nice to see. This gives me so much valuable info that is helpful when I consult with future clients. I get to see how coaches like to structure their classes around our specific ninja obstacles. I can also take note of all the unique ways coaches are using those obstacles and which ones the kids seem to enjoy the most. You can’t put a price tag on that.

3. I got to meet the owner in person and also their talented Ninja coaches. After you spend months (literally) going though gym designs, quotes, info etc, it’s always nice to put a face with a voice. At the same time, it’s much more personal to field any questions or concerns while you are right there with client & course. 

4. Our friends from World Ninja Sport were giving one of their Spotted Coaching certification classes. This was awesome to watch. This group is so knowledgeable in all things Ninja. Curriculum, technique and safety are all key areas of focus on this course. These coaches were drinking from a firehose for 3 days and seemed to enjoy every minute of it. If you have a Ninja program, it would be silly not to consider having your coaches get certified by this group. 

My takeaway from this trip —  Every experience like this is like attending continuing education. It makes me better at what I do and therefor can serve my clients better. We want our clients to feel confident that we will provide them the latest and most relevant information related to Ninja. Our mission is to be that resource for our clients and create a world class Ninja Facility.

Check out some highlights of the trip in the video below:

Brad Thornton

Brad@InteractiveSportsZone.com

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Dare to Be Different With Your Ninja Course

agNInja’s new steel warped walls allow for some really unique ways of incorporating them in to your Katana Frame Ninja Course. The great thing with our rigs is you don’t have to stick with the standard linear course way of thinking. We like to get creative with our designs and courses to make them fresh and fun but still functional. Ninja training has no limitations and we feel that you should explore all options with your Ninja course configurations.

The video below shows an example of something a little more unique in terms of a Ninja course. While it is setup to function more like a variety of stations, it is easy to create a number of different ways of progressing through everything in a timed course like fashion. Like a lot of our courses this example also demonstrates how easy it is to create something with a wow factor in a small amount of space. This ninja rig only requires about 650 Square feet. In that space you get 2 warped walls, a double salmon ladder, 4 possible lanes of obstacles and an infinity revolver station.

When you work with us for a design on a Ninja space, it’s important to remember that it is our job to think outside the box for you! We can get as creative as you like and put something together that you may not see anywhere else. Really, that is a big part of a successful operation – is it appealing to your clients? Do they walk in the door and immediately want to try whatever it is you have displayed for them. Don’t hold back! Be bold! Dare to be different…

Brad Thornton

Brad@InteractiveSportsZone.com

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Ninja Obstacle SPoTlight – The Versa Ladder

We sound like a broken record, but as it’s name suggests, we created the Versa Ladder with the idea of versatility in mind for your Ninja course. It really doesn’t make sense to have 100 obstacles in your gym with 50 in storage when you can have 50 obstacles hanging on your rig that have the same functionality as the 100. That’s a little exaggeration but you get the point.

We comfortably placed 3 different obstacles on the Versa Ladder which also caters to 3 different skill levels. Can’t get much better than that right? So, let’s take a look at each…

  • Standard Monkey Bars – Beginner
    • These are pretty self explanatory and pretty much a must in every Ninja gym. The Versa Ladder has a set of rungs that are static and welded to the outside rails of the element. The rungs are perfectly spaced for beginner Ninjas but no reason all levels and athlete sizes can’t use them as they please.
  • Cliffhanger Ledges – Intermediate 
    • Another Ninja staple – We opted to go with a more mid level (2in) friendly ledge along all four sides of this obstacle. That’s not to say you can’t swap them out for some 1 “inchers” to make it wicked hard. OR no reason why you can’t mix them up. The combinations are endless really. What I love about the ledges on each end of the obstacle, is they make for a fun transition to or from another obstacle. A recent trade show we did, we had a simple leche bar with a nice 6ft leche to the cliffhanger ledge. Great fun!
  • Floating Monkey Bars – Intermediate/Advanced
    • A fresh Ninja element, The floating monkey bars present its own unique challenge. The motion through the obstacle is similar to the monkey bars except there is one big difference – the rungs aren’t attached! Don’t worry, we added some nice cups for you not much bigger than the rung where you can place them. Therein lies the challenge. Our cup diameter is slightly bigger than the rung itself. This means you have to be hyper focused on placing that rung properly, otherwise you will be hanging from one arm for a long time – and any Ninja will tell you that can be a course run killer. Also, it’s worth mentioning these rungs are carbon fiber which are very light and safe.

Here is a photo of that beautiful and versatile piece of equipment:

How about a video too!

This would look amazing on your Ninja frame, don’t you think?

Hit me up if you want to talk about it!

Brad@interactivesportszone.com

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AG Ninja Goes to Fargo, ND

The AG Ninja team had the opportunity to work on a brand new Ninja facility in Fargo, ND, starting with the custom design all the way to the installation. This facility is no joke!

Click on the facebook link below to view photos from the installation.

 

Check out video footage of this awesome new space. You’ll be ready for some obstacle training after you watch!

 

 

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AG Ninja Goes to Lancaster, CA

The AG Ninja team had a blast working on this project in Lancaster, CA. From the custom design to the cool color-scheme, this facility is full of safe and challenging AG Ninja obstacles for all age groups.

Click on the link below to view photos of the design concept, installation and final product – who’s ready to tackle that wall?

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AG Ninja Goes to Wake Forest, NC

Wake Forest, NC is now home to a new state of the art Ninja facility, which boasts many exciting obstacles for kids of all ages. The AG Ninja team custom designed this space to allow for ninja training, parties and camps. Our team was involved every step of the way from the design process to the installation.

Click on the facebook link below to view photos from our installation

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AG Ninja Goes to Fort Worth, TX

The AG Team completed another fun project in Fort Worth, Texas in April, 2018. This facility is able to offer parties and classes for multiple ages with their dynamic AG Ninja equipment.

Click the facebook link below to view the photos of AG Ninja’s work at this awesome new ninja facility.

 

Check out the video below to see how our team’s process works – from custom design to complete installation, watch as this Ninja facility takes shape!