Posted on Leave a comment

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

Posted on Leave a comment

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

Posted on Leave a comment

Sport Obstacle Highlight – The Flying Squirrel

Flying_Squirrel_Obstacle_2

One of the newest obstacles added to the AG Ninja arsenal not only brings excitement in it’s functionality, but it’s also beautifully crafted with a lot of attention put in to the design.  Outside of creating obstacles that are safe and professionally engineered, we really want to focus on designing items that look great. Let’s face it, when your customers walk in to your facility, you want them to take one look at your equipment and think “whoa, that is really nice!” No doubt, this was achieved with the release of the Flying Squirrel.

If you haven’t seen the show, you may not be familiar with this Ninja Obstacle. The mechanism you see in the photo above works in conjunction with a second one to create a swinging obstacle that allows you to act like…well, just like it’s name.

 

Flying_Squirrel_Obstacle_2

 

Generally, a series of these are lined up so the athlete can fly from one set of bars to the next. Obviously, this sounds like a high level obstacle, and normally I would categorize it as such when used in a conventional manner. However, sometimes you have to think differently of the products we offer. It’s important to see how each of them can be used as a training tool and not necessarily a means to getting from one side of a frame to another.

In a structured obstacle training environment, the flying squirrel can be used for a massive age range. Now, if it is being placed on a course type environment where kids are simply trying to mow through a series of obstacles then it is limited to a more skilled level.

For example, before kids can learn how to release a bar and grab another, it is imperative they learn a proper swing/tap first. The flying squirrel apparatus is a fun way for kids to practice this swing and even swing and release and drop in to a pit or large resi. We even have options with this obstacle to allow the arms to operate independently of one another (more difficult) or connected to each other (easier).

I love this obstacle and know that it provides a variety of ways to teach body control, coordination, strength, confidence etc. The sensation of one day flying is appealing for kids and adults so I promise you can’t go wrong by including these in your curriculum.

 

If you have any questions or need details, feel free to to email me at Brad@american-gymnast.com

 

Posted on Leave a comment

Sports Obstacle Highlight – The Unstable Monkey Bars

This SpOTlight video highlights the AG Ninja Unstable Monkey Bars obstacle.  Monkey Bars are a great exercise for grip strength, arm and shoulder development and hand-eye coordination.  More challenging than your typical playground monkey bars, the “unstable” front-to-back and side-to-side movement requires the athlete to maintain a greater focus while navigating from one end to the other.

Posted on Leave a comment

Sports Obstacle Highlight – The Warped Wall

10ft_Premium_warped_Wall

Are you ready to beat that wall? We offer 2 types of Warped Walls – Premium and Basic – and several different sizes to choose from for Sports Obstacle Training. This SpOTlight Video shows different age athletes trying to scale our 10′ high Warped Wall.  This should give you a good indication of which size Warped Wall(s) you should consider for your Ninja Training Programs.

Posted on Leave a comment

Sports Obstacle Highlight – The Slanted Steps

Slanted_Steps

Some version of the slanted step has been around Ninja Warrior since the beginning. It’s one of those obstacle you just have to have. Our Slanted Steps are custom made out of high quality wood, painted to the color of your choice and come with a gripped surface to prevent any slipping on the step. Each step has velcro on the underside which adheres perfectly to carpet bonded foam.  This SpOTlight Video shows 3 different age athletes demonstrating 3 different techniques, varying from Beginner to Advanced, for navigating across the Slanted Steps.

Posted on Leave a comment

Sports Obstacle Highlight – The Unstable Bridges

Low_Unstable_Bridge

One of the staples for Ninja obstacles are the Unstable Bridges  The low hanging wood or plexiglass planks dangle from sling hardware causing motion in all directions as soon as you step on them. The ninja must carefully scale across the plank while attempting to keep their weight distributed in the center of the board. Then comes the true test of leaping to board number two!  The gap between the two bridges can be varied to increase or decrease the difficulty of the obstacle.