American Ninja Warrior

[ATL_Gator]

Anyone else watch this on G4? It is basically an extreme obstacle course, based out of Japan. The final stage, Mount Midoriyama, has only been completed by 3 people ever, inspite 2,700 people starting the beginning stages.

I have been watching lately, (recorded it, haven't seen past stage 1 of the finals yet due to the Olympics). I have come to the conclusion that excess amounts of muscle and strength are a general hinderance to ones ability to maneuver through space efficiently.

On that show, every single person that has excessive amounts of strength ultimately fails the course due to lack of endurance. Many of the "strength" guys do not even get past the shortest regional qualifying rounds. This includes people who have gymnast backgrounds. Many get to the warped wall, which is a curved wall that is 14 feet high, and is angled out slightly at the top (past vertical). The strength guys are simply too tired at this point to thrust themselves up the wall.

To contrast that, the guys who post the fastest times in any of the rounds are typically fairly lanky in build. They have muscle and definition, but just look cut when compared to someone who has a "muscular"/"jacked" physique. Which I find very ineteresting.

They had a NFL defensive lineman try the course, he completed the short first round of the regional qualifying which takes 1-2 minutes time wise to do. When doing the longer regional finals course, he couldn't do it. By the time he got half way though, he was just out of gas.

Curious how an olympic gymnast would do on the course?

Anyway, check it out on G4 or some clips on youtube if you get a chance. Interesting stuff.

[Dreamliner]

I don't know. But I don't get the impression that elite gymnasts get a lot of endurance work if only because they don't need it for their sport. Of course there is no reason they could not incorporate a little running for a special event.

[ATL_Gator]

No doubt they get a lot of endurance work. The one thing I question is thier grip strength endurance. I notice they always wear grip aids. On Ninja Warrior, they don't do any of the thing, and some parts of the course requre fingertip strength/endurance, as that is the only thing you can grip on to.

As far as I have seen, people with more gymnastics background fare about as well as the weight lifters do on the course.

The most successful guys generally do something call "free running" or "parkour". This involves a lot of just running around, flipping off of and over various things, scaling walls, so on and so forth.

[Dreamliner]

No doubt they get a lot of endurance work. The one thing I question is thier grip strength endurance. I notice they always wear grip aids. On Ninja Warrior, they don't do any of the thing, and some parts of the course requre fingertip strength/endurance, as that is the only thing you can grip on to.

As far as I have seen, people with more gymnastics background fare about as well as the weight lifters do on the course.

The most successful guys generally do something call "free running" or "parkour". This involves a lot of just running around, flipping off of and over various things, scaling walls, so on and so forth.

I've actually mulling over parkour a bit. You might say I'm in parkour preparatory mode, hence the little bit of tumbling, sprinting and jumping I'm doing, along with certain basic gymnastics skills.

I'm definitely exploring the margins of my comfort zone.

[amangator08]

ATL, I used to watch the Japanese version on G4, say 5-6 years ago. If you recall the Hamm brothers from the 2004 US men's Olympic team, they actually competed on the Japanese one. If memory serves me, 1 didn't make it past the first round, and the other didn't make it beyond the second.

[Dreamliner]

Not surprising. The obstacle course is a whole 'nother animal. By the same token, based on teh episodes I've seen, none of the required movements come close to replicating elite gymnastics movements. Elite gymnasts are CRAZY strong.

[ATL_Gator]

Interesting.

Big fan of the show, will have to see if I can find old recordings of the Japanese version.

I had never heard of Parkour until this show. I had to look it up. LOL.

[Dreamliner]

The only thing about Parkour that doesn't appeal to me is ... well, all that concrete below.

I don't mind practicing handstands in the backyard and crashing on the grass.

[Zendra]

The only thing about Parkour that doesn't appeal to me is ... well, all that concrete below.

I don't mind practicing handstands in the backyard and crashing on the grass.


I know. I watch those vids and all I think about is the dreadful fall that they might get instead of the awesome moves that they made. All around athletes would definitely enjoy the obstacle course. Give a gymnast some endurance programs and he definitely might complete the course in record time.

[Dreamliner]

Yes, I have little doubt that the gymnast would have the advantage ... given a little endurance training.

[rburnett]

Rock climbers seem to do well too

[Dreamliner]

Good point! Although it is interesting to note that some rock climbers also do gymnastics.

[ATL_Gator]

I noticed the rock climbers as well. Fantastic combination of grip strength and strength to weight.

I have never noticed that rock climbers do much gymnastics, though I have also never looked.

That said, the image I have of rock climbers in my head are most certainly NOT the same look as the image I have of gymnasts. Granted, my view of gymnasts may be a bit skewed, I pretty much only pay attention when the Olympics are on. Anyway, male Olympic gymnasts all tend to have fairly large muscles especially in their arms and chest (I know, with little to no weights). Which is not a trait that I see in rock climbers...

Edit.. CRAP.. this is another thread.. NOT work.

Seriously, work time.

[StrangeGator]

Enjoy the show as well. I've probably seen two or three episodes.

I've been interested in Parkour for some time, probably since I saw the film Casino Royale. I'm thinking about giving it a try. I've become very good at forward and backward rolls from the years of Aikido. Also good at flying break falls. I do box jumps about every other week in my Tabata routine, though I don't usually go over 20". Used to skateboard in my teens. Did a bit of cornice/cliff jumping in my skiing days. Not sure if this is the kind of thing I should pick up in my mid fifties.

[LeafUF]

For movies with some fun parkour check out district b13 and district 13 ultimatum. They are French films that came out a few years ago.