Article by Betsy Burnett.
I first started training for season 1 of Ninja Warrior back in 2016. It has been a fun and challenging journey since then!
I was a versatile athlete that could pretty much adapt to any challenge that was given to me. I had taken on various fitness feats that I found could challenge me in different ways such as True Grit, Tough Mudder & Spartan Sprint to name a few obstacle course races as well as taking part in the CrossFit Open a few times and the F45 Playoffs which I won in 2016!
Being a ninja started when the ad for season 1 popped up on my Facebook feed (clever marketing algorithms) so I thought why not, thinking that I wouldn’t get in but may as well apply!
4 years later and I’ve competed on 4 seasons of Ninja Warrior Australia. Each year has presented me with a different challenge and something else I need to work towards improving!Although training is a huge aspect of becoming a ninja, there are multiple other areas to think about including: recovery, sleep, nutrition and stress management. I am pretty good at managing stress in my life and my recovery usually involves sauna and ZMA, BUT sleep would have to be the most important thing. If I’m tired then I’m low on energy, not performing at my peak and definitely not myself. Getting a minimum of 8 hours sleep is a MUST for me. I usually take Peak Rest before bed to unwind as it contains zinc, magnesium & B6 which are essential to my recovery.
Being a ninja requires you to train:
- your grip strength (a lot)
- upper body strength (especially lock offs and pull ups)
- balance
- single leg strength and stability
- lower body power
- and most of all your inner strength, your mindset.
Mindset has been the biggest thing for me to work on when being a ninja. It’s just you against the course and although you know you have put all the hard work in you never know what you are going to be up against. It’s all about knowing your body and what it can do, trusting in the process of your training and believing that no matter what is thrown at you, you can succeed. Visualisation has been an important tool, especially in season 2 when I made it up the warped wall. I literally meditated and visualised a 6 obstacle course every day and myself hitting that buzzer at the end of the course. It just goes to show what a powerful tool our mind can be when we use it in the right way!
If you want to be a ninja, it is not only a great experience for your body and a true test of what our bodies are capable of but for your mindset too! It will challenge you, it will change you but it will transform you into a stronger version of yourself.If you would like help starting your ninja training journey, I have a 4 week beginner and intermediate program on the STRONG BODY APP. You can trial it FREE for 7 days. Otherwise feel free to reach out to me on my social media handles @betsy_ann_burnett for any questions or anything I can help you with!
