instructables

HOW TO DESIGN AN COURSE Like a Pro

by howtobasic123

Every week, millions of viewers tune in to NBC's am in the process of making three more American American Ninja Warrior, to watch as ninjas from Ninja Warrior styled instructables. I have now every walk of life attempt to complete a series of completed building more than 10 different backyard iconic obstacles of increasing difficulty in the hope of courses (i'm pretty much an expert ninja warrior becoming an American Ninja Warrior. To many course builder) and through this Instructable I hope to American Ninja Warrior is just a source of aid people all over the world enjoy American Ninja entertainment but to many its a way of life. As the Warrior as much as I do. In this instructable i will give American Ninja Warrior community grows and gyms you my pro tips on creating your own american ninja start coming up all over the world there has a been an warrior course increase in the need for ninja specific training tools and course plans. This is my first instructable and I

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 1 Step 1: Designing Your Own Course

There are many things to consider when designing a Things to consider: Ninja Warrior training course in your backyard or home. Many people think that they can just go to One of the most important things to consider is where home depot, get materials and start building. Sadly its to place your new American Ninja Warrior course. not that easy and there is alot that goes into creating The first thing is to make sure you are allowed to a safe Ninja Warrior training course,but the result is construct the course, some neighborhoods with what will create lasting memories and help you in associations require prior approval from the board of your journey to become the next American Ninja directors.Another thing to consider regarding the Warrior. There are many things to consider when spacing and location of your course is to make sure looking to build a ninja course. that your course is on your property (you dont want to deal with your neighbors). Also consider talking to choose the obstacles I want to include. I list it out and your neighbors prior to construction and informing estimate the sizing of each obstacle. After choosing them what you plan to build and get their thoughts. the obstacle i want i create a rough design of the When looking to build an American ninja warrior course on paper with dimensions and obstacles I course you must also think about is what obstacles hope to include (This step is very important). Having you plan to include and the sizing of your course. a good design will help you when you design a digital Most backyard courses start at around 8ftx10ftx12ft design or a more detailed sketch. Whenever I design but the size can change based on the obstacles a new Ninja Warrior course i use sketchup as a 3d desired and the complexity of your course. Another rendering tool. Sketchup is a very easy to use thing to consider is the cost of your course. Be sure to software and will help you visualize what your are design your course before actually beginning your going to be constructing. whether you sketch your construction this will help you save both time and design out by hand or design it digitally it is important money. Building a Ninja course starts at around to make a list of the hardware you plan to use and the $200.00 and increase drastically based on frame materials. materials,obstacles, and location. When designing your course it is also important to think about the For this instructable I chose to use a L-shaped design purpose of the course and the users. Things to with a platform on top. This course will be very similar consider include user age, skill of the users, to a treeless tree house. This American Ninja Warrior obstacles you want to include. Another to consider is tree house will feature a salmon ladder for access to safety make sure that you always plan for safety the top as well as a set of stairs for less skilled ninjas. issues look at local building codes and be sure to buy The course will feature a variety of obstacles. For this plenty of safety mats. It is also important to use the design I will be using wood for the construction. This right size metal,Pipe, and wood this will prevent the just One design you can use metal pipe, Square steel structure from breaking and causing injury. Plan for and just about anything. any scenario and also build with care and safety in mind.

When designing a course the first thing I always do is

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 2 Step 2: Construct Your Course

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 3 After completing your designs for your American help hold the posts in place while positioning and Ninja Warrior course it is now time to start building leveling them, I temporarily screwed a 2x4 brace to the course itself. The first step is determine what the post so that its bottom edge was flush with the materials you will need and gather the materials and 48" mark. I then laid the 2x4 on the joist to gently hold tools needed for this course I will be using the it in place, leveled the post (clamped the level to the following Materials. During the construction Process i post to keep both my hands free), and clamped the didnt take any picture but I will walk you through the post the joist with a heavy-duty ratchet clamp. When steps of how i built the course. the post was plumb and securely clamped, I drilled through the post and joist to accommodate passage The first step in almost every Ninja course is setting of the bolt. Using a ratchet, I secured each bolt in the posts. used 4x4 PT posts for the posts, and ¾” place and then removed the 2x4 brace. To install the conduit for horizontal rails between the posts. The rails, I cut them with a saw about 1-2” longer than the conduit was inexpensive, each to install, and would space between adjacent posts, and was able to slide preserve our view. The conduit was also fairly easy the first end in one post, and slide/push the second (and fun!) to bend, which came in handy for the end in the other post. I wanted the rails just short ladder railing, and an interior railing around the loft enough (to maximize their lengths) to fit, which often ladder opening. required a few trial-and-error-cuts per rail. The rails are also relatively easily removable, in case I want Before installing the deck boards, I installed the posts them off the facilitate access to materials. In the since I still had access to the joists. Prior to installing future, I may add some caulk where each rail meets the posts, I cut each post to about long, and marked each post for a more permanent connection. (During each post exactly 48" from the top. I would line up the building process, after I knew I wouldn’t need this mark with the top of the joist that the post further access, and when my wife wanted extra secured to to ensure the tops of each post would line safety, I added top rails made from extra deck boards. up with each other. I then drilled holes in each post I also ripped a few boards on my table saw, screwed for the rails. Using the 48” mark, I evenly spaced them to the upper portions of each post, and just holes and drilled them using a guide to ensure they below the top rails.) were perpendicular to the face of the post. The guide also let me set the depth of each hole, which I set to The 2x8 PT floor joists are generally spaced 16 just under half the thickness of the post. To inches apart (on center) I marked one of the support accommodate ¾ conduit for the railings, the diameter beams (the “first beam”) where I planned to position of the holes was slightly larger than the outer each joist; I did not mark the second support beam as diameter of the conduit. Depending on where the the two beams are not exactly parallel to each other. posts were to be positioned on the platform, I drilled the holes in one face, two parallel faces, or on perpendicular faces of the posts. I decided to secure Since didnt want to screw the deck boards and the each post to a joist, where the joist meets the fascia; I plywood floor into a single joist, I used two joists opted not to secure the posts to the fascia so I could spaced fairly close together (3 inches) at the achieve a nice, clean look (without seeing bolt heads intersection of the deck and house (I added these randomly positioned along the fascia), and because extra joists after these pictures were taken). Tip: To the joists were able to bear more of a load than the determine this space between these two closely- fascia. I used two galvanized bolts, washers, nuts spaced joists, you should account for the thickness of and lock washers to secure each post to the joist. the sheathing and siding (including corner pieces) if Before I drilled the holes in the posts and joists, I plan to have a post (supporting a railing) next to the positioned the posts exactly where I wanted them. To house. I wound up changing to a thicker siding

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 4 material during the build, so I had to trim the corners 2x8s and the fascia board. of the siding to fit behind the post. To install the joists, I cut each joist to the same length (16 feet), marked the location of the joist I wanted to line up with the For the decking, I used typical PT deck boards; for first beam (about 5 feet from the edge), and the floor, I used ¾” tongue and groove plywood. I positioned the joist across the two support beams opted not to use pressure treated wood for the floor based on the marked location on the first beam and because the floor wouldn’t be exposed to weather. the marked location on each joist. To temporarily After cutting the plywood to size, the challenging part secure the joist to the beam, I screwed the joist down was lifting the 8x4 sheets onto the joists. I wound up at an angle into the first beam. I then squared each making a ramp by leaning two pieces of lumber joist to the first beam using a 2-foot square, and between the ground and the fascia board. I positioned screwed each joist into the second beam. Since there my ladder between the lumber, and pushed the are many forces acting on the joists, including upward plywood up the ramp while climbing the ladder. force from wind and as a result of the cantilever Success. I used liquid nails (for subfloors), and 3-3 design I’m using, after temporarily securing each joist, ½” deck screws to glue and screw the plywood into I secured each joist to each support beam with a place. I also staggered the seams of the different hurricane strap using structural screws. I generally pieces of plywood. used the longest structural screw possible for maximum strength. After all the joists were secured, I I chose to use traditional PT deck boards as they added bracing between the joists to help stabilize the were readily available, and they were available 20’ joists, and to help prevent movement of one joist with lengths, which was the longest length I’d need. The respect to each other installation of the deck boards was quite similar to installing a traditional deck, apart from the tress going For aesthetic and structural reasons, I decided to through it. If you look at the edge of each deck board, install 2X8 PT fascia board on both the front side and you’ll see that the grain is curved in one direction – back side across all the joists. The fascia board it’s curved to the bark (or where the bark used to be). effectively secures all joists to each other, thus I decided to install all the boards bark-up (curved side creating a robust frame for the deck and floor. up), so as they flatten over time the center of the board is pushed down. I also paid attention to the ink stamping on the boards and either installed them all Before positioning the fascia board in place, I glued face down (when possible based on my bark-up the face of each joist with liquid nails to further the installation) or cut off the stamped portions (they are robustness of the connection. To help ensure the top usually close to the ends). During installation, I of the fascia board was flush with the top of each aligned all the edges that were adjacent the plywood joist, and to help support the fascia board during (using about a 1.5” spacer; depending on how you’ll installation, I temporarily screwed a 2x4 to the top finish the treehouse), and intentionally left the other edge of the fascia. I was then able to lift the fascia edges (adjacent the end of the deck) long, as I would (with 2x4 attached) and position the 2x4 on top of the later snap a chalk line and cut off all the edges at joists, thereby aligning the top of fascia with the top of once to give me a nice finished look (and to save time the joists. After clamping the fascia to the joists, I with precise measuring). screwed the fascia into each joist with 2-3 screws per joist (and then removed the 2x4 from the fascia). I Since most deck boards are not totally straight, I wound up using two fascia boards for each of the screwed one end of the board to the joist below using front and back, mitered where the fascia boards met two 3” (coated) deck screws, and I used clamps to each other, and positioned the mitered edges on the push or pull the other end of the board into a straight same joist. For the spaces in front of and behind the line, using nails as spacers, and then continued to trees, I secured a 2x8 perpendicularly between two screw the rest of the deck board into each joist with adjacent joists using joist hangers and structural two screws. screws, and added additional joists between these

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 5 2 1 1

1. salmon ladder design with 6 inch gaps 1. WING NUT ALLEY 2. Salmon ladder mounted under a deck

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1. ASSORTED NINJA WARRIOR HOLDS 1. UNDER SIDE OF THE DECKING 2. DOUBLE TILT LADDER

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1. VIEW OF THE WARPED WALL AND THE HOLDS 1. LARGE COURSE LOOK

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1. ENTIRE STRUCTURE 1. SIDE VIEW OF WARPED WALL AND SALMON LADDER

2. Large deck with warped wall and other obstacles

Step 3: Inspiration

Here is a link to my Ninja Warrior Pinterest and Youtube Playlist with many Ninja course ideas.

Youtube Play List https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy1Nuu0nKtJN4LBtWrQktO4orMHRTjv5z

Pinterest Link https://www.pinterest.com/jonmadak4525/american-ninja-warrior-course/

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 7 1 1

1. PREACHERS FARM NINJA 1. Wall mounted salmon ladder with monkey bars COURSE

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1. COURSE INSPIRED BY THE BACKYARD NINJA WARRIOR BLUE PRINTS 1. MLAB IN OHIO

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 8 1

1. SPARTAN RACE RIG

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1. Sample of a ninja course you could build 1. ULTIMATE CLIFF HANGER TRAINING RIG BUILT BY ME FROM MY FRIEND STEVE

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 9 2

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1. NICK M'S BACKYARD RIG 1. READY TO BUY NINJA WARRIOR KIT 2. READY TO BUY NINJA WARRIOR KIT

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 10 1 1

1. JOHN GIELSKI'S PIPE RIG 1. LARGE PIPE RIG BY NINJA SCIENCE

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1. GRIPZ NINJA GYM MICHIGAN RIG 1. SIMPLE TRUSS DESIGN

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1. GRIPZ NINJA GYM MICHIGAN

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1. jgielski Started with a basic salmon ladder added piping for additional obstacles

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1. POWER PARK FITNESS NINJA RIG

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1. INDOOR COURSE I BUILT

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 13 1

1. ATTIC NINJA WARRIOR COURSE I DESIGNED AND BUILT

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 14 1

1. BASEMENT NINJA WARRIOR COURSE

Download http://www.instructables….com/ORIG/F98/Z47Z/JE95P41L/F98Z47ZJE95P41L.webp

Download http://www.instructables….com/ORIG/FTL/0DGO/JE95P41N/FTL0DGOJE95P41N.webp

Download http://www.instructables….com/ORIG/F93/SW0M/JE94WI59/F93SW0MJE94WI59.webp

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 15 Step 4: Closing Thoughts

Well There you have it you have now successfully training holds) designed and built an American Ninja Warrior course. I hope that this instructable helped Below I have https://www.atomikclimbingholds.com/ (ninja warrior included some Final tips. If you have any questions training holds) please be sure to let me know. www.monstro.ninja (ninja warrior training holds) Tip: Order at least 10-20% extra lumber, and MANY more screws than you think. I generally used coated www.ninjawarriorblueprints.com/backyardbuildernati.. screws for the entire project instead of nails, as the . (ready made obstacle course plans) movement of the treehouse may cause the nails to pop out over time. For a treehouse about this size, I’d www.ninjawarriorsolutions.com (Pre-made Ninja say to buy a 25 lb box of 3” screws, which is much warrior obstacles and rigs) less expensive than buying five 5 lb boxes. https://www.american-gymnast.com/product- Tip: Keep your materials organized category/... ( Pre-made Ninja warrior obstacles and rigs) Tip: As with all Projects measure twice and cut once IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE Tip: Always wear safety glasses and be safe while ANY INFORMATION LEAVE ME A COMMENT using tool. BELOW. I AM CURRENTLY WORKING ON AN INSTRUCTABLE WITH DETAILS ON HOW YOU Tip: Keep safety in mind never try to take shortcuts in CAN BUILD YOUR OWN OBSTACLES AND NINJA the building process HOLDS AS WELL AS ONE COMING UP ON HOW TO OPEN A NINJA WARRIOR GYM. Here is a list of websites that May be helpful MOST OF ALL HAVE FUN!!! http://www.threeballclimbing.com/ (ninja warrior

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1. THREE BALL CLIMBING 1. THREE BALL CLIMBING

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 16 1

1. ATOMIK CLIMBING HOLDS

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1. MONSTRO NINJAS PEG DOOR KNOB 1. MONSTRO NINJAS LEDGE BALL

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1. MONSTRO NINJAS WING NUTS

Nice instructable

HOW TO DESIGN AN AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR COURSE Like a Pro: Page 18