If your childhood dreams include becoming a ninja warrior, then this is the show for you. You can revisit that dream and root for your favorite contestant in American Ninja Warrior (ANW).
Based on the long-running Japanese show Sasuke, ANW is an action-packed series that follows competitors as they tackle a series whole slew of challenging obstacle courses across the US. Those that successfully complete negotiate their regional event move on to Las Vegas where they face a stunning four-stage course for a grand prize of $1million.
If this has awakened your inner-ninja, and now you’re thinking of ways on how you can become a warrior and overcome the ultimate obstacle course, here are a few tips to help you achieve your dream.
1. Work on your strength.
Ninja warriors take pride in their amazing strength, specifically upper body strength which helps them get past a mixture of horizontal and vertical obstacles. At the gym, the monkey bars, dumbbells and seated chest press are equipment types that can help you strengthen your upper body. You can also create a body weight routine that strengthens these areas doing push ups, or if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you can always learn parkour or rock climbing.
2. Work on your balance and footwork.
In order to successfully traverse multiple obstacles, you also need balance and footwork. Refine your balance with a balance beam, skateboards and stability balls, among others. Meanwhile, rock or wall climbing will not only harness your upper body strength but also your footwork coordination.
3. Work on your willpower and discipline.
Becoming a ninja warrior doesn’t happen overnight. When training, you need a detailed plan, discipline and an endless supply of willpower. It has been reported that some ANW contestants train for at least a year before joining, and training for ANW is much more complicated than you would expect.
4. Work on achieving your optimal body-mass ratio.
Ninja warriors come in all shapes and sizes. In fact, some body types have an advantage over others. But no matter what your body type is, the best thing that you can do is to achieve your optimal body-mass ratio, which means your measure of body fat cannot go beyond what your weight and frame can support. While the bulky and muscled types may look strong, this also means that all that body mass can weigh you down. So it’s best to work according to your body type, not against it.
5. Work on your narrative.
No, this is not just some random fact. ANW, unlike most competition shows, does not hold a casting call, which means your chances of joining the competition heavily depends on your video submission where you won’t be able to personally charm the producers. So the only way to get their attention is to present your story well. Figure out what makes you different and create a pitch. So whenever you get a chance to join any competition (hopefully it’s the Philippines’ version of ANW), you’re prepared.
That aside, what better way to prepare than to load up on inspiration? So make sure to catch seasons 1 to 4 of American Ninja Warrior weekdays at 7:20 p.m. on Warner TV.
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