Do you want to open a ninja warrior course for kids and adults? If YES, here is how much it cost to build an American ninja warrior course in your backyard.
The ninja course is so popular and enjoys a broad audience because it is something that touches even adults in a childlike manner. Though this probably will always be a niche sport, but it is a sport that even adults need. It teaches individuals especially kids, to paraphrase Robert Browning, that an athlete’s reach should exceed their grasp. It challenges and improves the strength, endurance, coordination, agility and balance of both children and adults.
More and more ninja courses have been built in the world, some are used as gyms for ninja fans to work out, while others are kept in yards for children to play in. In general, ninja warrior is becoming a national fitness movement especially in the united states.
To succeed in this endeavour, it is important that you are passionate about what you do. This passion should shine, motivating your clients to always strive for more. Since your client base will be diverse, you should be able to connect with every age group and personality type.
How Do Ninja Warrior Course Business Owners Make Money?
Most ninja course business owners’ confirm that the majority of their revenue is generated from classes, activities, and camps for young children. This is an excellent and safe place for kids to become a part of the show, expending energy and getting fit in the process.
The second largest client base will be individuals who are there to build strength in a more social atmosphere. The men often have a climbing or parlour background, while the female athletic background is often in dance or gymnastics.
As “American Ninja Warrior” continues to grow in popularity, so too will ninja warrior gyms. Your gym will generate revenue from each customer that comes in to take a class or utilize the facility. The fees charged will differ depending upon the services and amenities offered. Successful ninja warrior gyms report annual revenue of $200,000 to $500,000.
If you are inexperienced with the intricacies of running a business, consider taking a basic business course online or at your local college. Note that your customers expect to see physically fit instructors running the facility. They also expect a certain level of knowledge regarding Ninja Warrior competitions, obstacles, and current events.
How to Build an American Ninja Warrior Course for Kids in your Backyard
Every kid has something in common; an infinite source of energy that needs to be expended. Since the American Ninja Warrior TV shows have been such a hit, every kid wants to be a ninja.
Whether you’re a parent with active kids who need a challenge, a fitness enthusiast who loves watching “American Ninja Warrior” or someone looking to create a good business, building an epic obstacle course in your backyard is a great project that can make your house the envy of the block.
Building a safe course takes lots of planning. You will need to think carefully about the types of obstacles you want to incorporate and draw your designs with measurements and layouts before you start. It takes time to build and customize each challenge, plus a fair amount of sweat and exertion. Below is a detailed guide to help with building ninja warrior courses for kids:
- Choose a Suitable Location
The first thing you need to determine is the prime location to build. Depending on the amount of square foot available and the terrain itself, you will also figure out the obstacles you need. The perfect environment for an obstacle race is outside, far away from the internet and video games. Look around for flat area, hill or body of water, which can all be part of the course.
The terrain will significantly influence the layout of the obstacles and their order in the race. At home, the best place to organize your obstacle course is in your backyard. It is much more manageable to create a safe course in an area where you control what is inside and what can go out, especially if you are building the course for a younger crowd.
Find out if there are any restrictions on constructing the course from your local zoning authority or homeowners’ association. This can include noise, safety, and other considerations. It is a good idea to make a few calls before you get started.
- Choose a Specific Demographic
Next, you will have to decide your obstacles according to the participants. Not all obstacles are built the same. The age and amount of participants will hugely determine the structure you will design. Take your time to consider the age and fitness level of the kids.
The age and height of the kids will dictate the size of the obstacles and the level of difficulty. The obstacles must be challenging but also be safe for the children. Obstacle courses for adults are much more intense and could be dangerous for little kids. Additionally, the size of the party will also significantly influence the obstacles.
You will need tough obstacles if you have more than 20 kids attending the race. The more people will be using the course, the more the obstacle will get beaten. For a large crowd, consider selecting durable materials. Your laundry basket might get destroyed if more than 5 kids are jumping on it.
- Decide on the Types of Obstacles you want to Build
Each type of obstacles has to be adjusted to the participant’s fitness level and age. Some types are more suitable for children, while others could be too dangerous.
- Agility: Every obstacle course will test the agility of its participant. It requires moving fast and being precise on the execution. Agility obstacle for kids could include: running around cones, trying to hit a target, etc.
- Running: Note that having a clearly marked path with no obstruction is essential. Avoid crossing path where kids could accidentally bump in each other.
- Teamwork: Obstacle racing is all about the tribe and being a social animal. During the race, it is the perfect time to have the little monkeys working with each other. Plus it is such a great way to make new friends. You could include; relay race, three-legged race or human wheelbarrow.
- Strength: Testing participants’ strength is always a huge part of adult obstacle courses. Nonetheless, keep in mind that you are building an obstacle course for little ninjas, so keep it kid-friendly. Anything that involves carrying an object over a distance is an excellent strength obstacle. You can also have to flip, push or pull a heavy object. It can also involve body weight, like doing a push-up or crossing the monkey bars.
- Crawling: No obstacle course is completed without a crawling obstacle. For this type of challenge, you can be very creative, and you have an infinite source of solutions: laser maze, cargo net, tunnel, tires, cardboard boxes, pool noodle, and so on.
- Climbing: Climbing is a huge part of any obstacle course, and the ability to climb fast is what makes ninjas so spectacular. The most impressive climbing obstacle in American Ninja Warrior is the salmon ladder. Climbing obstacles usually necessitate more time to plan and could be unsuitable for younger kids. Adjust the height of the climbing obstacles according to the kids’ ages.
- Balancing: The balancing obstacles will require more concentration to be completed. It is where the participant needs to slow the pace and focus on the execution.
- Jumping: kids adore jumping obstacles; hurdle jump, stepping stones, tire jump, hula hoop jump, pogo stick, etc. Jumping obstacles make the course extra fun.
- Buy the Needed Materials
Your budget will significantly influence the type of obstacle you will produce. No one can do much without money, except you are ultra creative. If you don’t have the money to buy materials, you need to look for alternative source of building materials (eg: donation, scraps, leftover, pallets, etc.).
Also, you can find a multitude of obstacle blueprint for sale on the internet. Buying such plans can spare you lots of time and maximize your chance to finish the course on time for the big day.
- Create a Plan For Your Courses
For each obstacle, you must have a general idea of the time and the ability required to be completed. You will want to disperse obstacles along the course and try to alternate the ability needed. Don’t put all the strength obstacles altogether, the kids will get tired and might drop out of the race. Try to alternate fun with challenging obstacles.
Also, you must be aware of the average time needed to complete an obstacle. While taking the time to create your obstacles plan, consider making a real map of the event. The map can be displayed at the beginning of the course and will be used to explain the necessary instruction to the kids.
It is crucial that you give the obstacles an order for which the participant will follow. Otherwise, it will be chaos. Each obstacle should have a visible number, and you could add signalization along the course. Draw arrows, add small coloured flags or create corridors to follow.
- Create Rules and Instructions
Just like every other game, you will need to decide the basic rules and instructions. Don’t be over creative, because most participants will forget the rules anyway. Although most obstacles will be pretty obvious on how to use them, maybe some will require guidance.
Take your time to explain the instructions to the participants at the starting line. Also, give the instruction to parents who will help at each station. Kids should be able to ask questions if they are not sure how to use the obstacle. This will limit the chances of accidents because of obstacles misuse. Also, it will limit the waiting time at the station.
- Time limit: You can decide if the race is timed or not. Try to keep it simple; everyone who completes the course is rewarded. Using a timer could create unnecessary stress, and kids could be tempted to cheat or go over the obstacle too fast.
- Team: Teamwork could be involved in the course, and it will be a great addition. Kids could have to put their efforts together to complete specific obstacles. Also, having the kids running in a team will create an extra motivation.
- Medal: If you want to do a proper obstacle race, you will need to have finisher medals. Every kid who crosses the finish line would receive a medal. You could also, have different awards for the first 3 participants (or team) to complete the course.
- Help: Note that every obstacle race has volunteers along the course who can help the participant. Try to have at least one parent for each challenging obstacle. They will be able to assist, give instruction and also encourage kids. Even if you provide the direction to the kids at the starting line, most of them will forget, and it could create confusion at the station.
- Waves: Although it depends on the size of your crowd, you could have multiple waves of runners. By creating smaller groups at the starting line, you will avoid overcrowding your course, and it will be safer. Every 60 seconds a small group could begin the course.
How Much Will It Cost to Build an American Ninja Warrior Course for Kids in your Backyard?
For the most basic materials and designs, building a ninja course starts at around $200. If you upgrade materials, frames and the complexity of the obstacles, your costs are likely to go up. For tall, multi-tier obstacles you might need to rent a boom lift or other equipment. However, if you haven’t started designing your courses yet, take your time to consider the purpose of the course.
The skill and age of the users directly impact the difficulty of the obstacles and how much they cost to build. Once you finalize which obstacles you want to build, it is easier to estimate the amount and type of materials you need. After completing your designs, it is now time to start building the course itself.
Conclusion
Building an American ninja warrior course can be done by anyone. You can turn your backyard into a homemade obstacle course, with a couple of equipment, your DIY skills and a little bit of planning. Nonetheless, when you finish installing the obstacles, it is strongly recommended that you have them tested. Although they might look like a great idea, but chances are you might need to do some last – minute modifications.
Think about safety and ensure every obstacle is full proof. You are responsible for the safety of every participant, and therefore you must take every precaution. Chances are the kids will be rough with the obstacle and try to use them in all kinds of ways. Test these obstacles yourself and see if it can support your weight and the naivety of kids.