In the world of reality television, some prefer to concentrate on dating drama, others feature home cooks while others showcase strength. When it comes to the latter, you’ve got “Strong” on NBC, “American Grit” on Fox, and “Ultimate Beastmaster” on Netflix and of course, “American Ninja Warrior” on NBC.
“American Ninja Warrior” is based on the long-running Japanese tv show, “Sasuke.” For this U.S. version, contestants go on to become ninjas and compete in a regional course before going to the finals in Las Vegas. If a ninja completes all four stages here, he or she can take home the grand prize, a whopping $1 million in cash. On the other hand, if no one completes the four stages, the “last ninja standing” wins $100,000.
And as we wait for more ninja showdowns, we thought it’d be cool some things you never know about “American Ninja Warrior”
15 The Show’s Executive Producer Used To Produce The Olympic Games
Smith told Deadline, “I always enjoyed the story that went along with the athletic competition. When we first started Ninja, I remember having a meeting with the producers, and I said, “Just like people care about sports that they wouldn’t think they’d care about, like bobsled or whatever, we’re going to make our people care.’”
14 Contestants Can Spend More Than A Week Camping Outside Hoping For A Chance To Audition
Producer Brian Richardson told Mental Floss, “You sleep in a tent for a week or more outside the course, with no guarantees. We usually only have time to run 20 to 30 people from the walk-on line. Sometimes people spend a week camping out and never get to run the course.” He compared it to “waiting for Black Friday sales.”
13 Some People Get Cast Because Of Their Backstory, Not Necessarily Their Athleticism
James Preston, who got on the show after a third attempt, told IndyStar, “The first two years, I didn't have a unique story.” During his third attempt, he had just suffered a personal tragedy. Preston’s grandparents had died just months apart.
12 The Obstacles Keep Getting Tougher To Stay One Step Ahead Of The Ninja Gyms Opening Up In The Country
Smith told Deadline, “When it comes to the obstacle course, every year you see dozens and dozens of new obstacles, and we do that for multiple reasons. One, we keep it fresh, and two, because the athletes are getting better, and three, because they’re building gyms in their backyards, and there’s Ninja gyms spreading across the country.”
11 The Show’s Age Limit Was Lowered After Teens Revealed They Were Already Training To Be On The Show
Smith told Deadline, “We started to hear from people who were 14 or 15 when the show first went on and had been training for this moment. We’ve received so many letters and so many requests to get on the show that we said, ‘You know what? Let’s lower it this year to 19.’”
10 The Course Is First Built And Tested Inside A Warehouse
Richardson told Mental Floss, “We work with the company that builds our obstacles, ATS, and brainstorm for months on ideas to test strength, balance, and agility. It might start as a drawing on a napkin. Then we'll build a prototype and test it in the ATS warehouse.” If it passes their test, the obstacle makes in on the show’s course.
9 NFL Players Have Been Itching To Participate On The Show
According to Mental Floss, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, who has been co-hosting the show alongside Iseman and Zuri Hall, revealed, “I get guys like Charles Woodson texting me, like, ‘Man, this is amazing.’ Other guys texting me or tweeting me, saying, ‘Look, give me your number. I want to get on this obstacle course because I think I could do it.’”
8 Once Selected, Contestants Only Receive A Two-Week Notice Before Going On The Show
Logan Broadbent, who served as a contestant on the show, said that two weeks before he was supposed to appear, he got a call from the show’s producer. Although, he wasn’t really expecting to make the cut. He told Insider, “I figured there were 75,000 applying to this thing, so I didn't really expect a call.”
7 Some Scenes Get Cut Out Of A Contestant’s Introduction Video
Former contestant Akiva Neuman told Insider that the part of his video about being a CPA was omitted. He said, “My main story from their perspective was my rabbinic aspect, because that had the most appeal. It's not that I wasn't anything else; they just chose to focus on what they thought would be most appealing.”
6 Before You Go On The Course, You Get Informed Of Rules Regarding The Use Of Your Hands And Feet
Neuman told Insider, “I remember when I was watching the show, before I competed, I was like, 'Why aren’t they using their feet?' It’s more awkward, maybe, but no one was attempting it. Now I know why.” He also said that someone from the show’s crew would walk contestants through each obstacle and “tell you how to accomplish it.”
5 Near The Course, There Is A Trampoline Available For Practice
Broadbent told Insider, “That allowed us to get a feel for falling from that height, hitting the trampoline, and then launching.” As you may know, there’s a part of the course where contestants are expected to jump on the trampoline and then, bounce right back up. Being able to practice allows them to get better at it.
4 The Hosts Can’t See Some Parts Of The Course
Iseman told Reality Blurred, “We usually can’t see the first or second obstacle. We can then see most of them up to the warped wall and then we’ll have monitors in front of us. We’re watching the monitor trying to get a better sense of it, particularly on stuff where it’s hand placement—where’s their grip going?”
3 In Preliminary Courses, The Goal Is For 20 Percent Of Contestants To Finish
According to a report from Men’s Health, “The obstacles need to have just the right amount of difficulty — the goal is for only 20 percent of contestants to finish the preliminary courses held in six cities across the country. Ultimately, only 24 new obstacles will make the cut.” From then on, the chosen contestants will make their way to Vegas.
2 If You’re Not Ready To Try Out As A Contestant Yet, You Can Be A Tester Instead
Tester Jaysen Saly told American Ninja Warrior Nation, “There's usually a posting [online] from the ninja challenge producer and we just email him. He'll give you some forms to fill out. If you feel that you're athletic enough or they feel that you can, they'll send you a confirmation email to say ‘Hey you got the spot to test!”
1 The Show First Aired On NBC As Part Of A Deal For Free Publicity
One of the show’s hosts, Matt Iseman, told GQ, “During the third season, G4 said [to NBC], ‘Listen, we'll give you our finale for free. Just air it on NBC to tell people G4 exists.’ It ends up winning the night with no publicity.” The show became popular. After that, it went back and forth between cable and network television.