Check out this video as our co-owners and former gymnasts, Jay Thornton and Brad Thornton, break it down with a step-by-step process on how to build your gym or add on to your existing gym along with ways to provide additional streams of income to your business. With over 21 years of owning this business and being a former USA World Gymnastics Team Member, Jay Thornton knows the ins and outs of what is involved in making a successful gym come to life. And his brother, Co-owner Brad Thornton, who is also a former gymnast, has no problem applying his engineering degree from Georgia Tech as he tweaks and perfects each unique gym design to fit customers’ wishes and desires.

A burden will be lifted once you chat with our team and realize how much American Gymnast, along with our own 3D Gym Design technology, has to offer you as one of their valued customers. Imagine seeing your very own gym in 3D on your computer, as you work hand-in-hand with American Gymnast adding final touches and additions before it is ever built.  We will leave the guess work out and give you a clear perception of what your gym will look like before any construction takes place. But we don’t stop there. Once your design is complete,  American Gymnast then creates a detailed quote of every piece of equipment needed to outfit your new custom gym for you to review and order. We will then make sure all of your equipment is manufactured, shipped and installed per your design so that opening day is a success!  As you can see, we are a full service gym provider and we are passionate about helping others build their dreams while they build champions.

Please contact us for more information and to discuss your future plans at: https://www.american-gymnast.com/contact-us/

The post 3D Gym Design – We Design, Build and Equip YOUR Gym appeared first on American Gymnast and Ninja.

So, why did I make the long haul for such a short visit?

1. Our client invited me – To that, you answer “yes!”

2. I was able to observe their gym during class time which is alway nice to see. This gives me so much valuable info that is helpful when I consult with future clients. I get to see how coaches like to structure their classes around our specific ninja obstacles. I can also take note of all the unique ways coaches are using those obstacles and which ones the kids seem to enjoy the most. You can’t put a price tag on that.

3. I got to meet the owner in person and also their talented Ninja coaches. After you spend months (literally) going though gym designs, quotes, info etc, it’s always nice to put a face with a voice. At the same time, it’s much more personal to field any questions or concerns while you are right there with client & course. 

4. Our friends from World Ninja Sport were giving one of their Spotted Coaching certification classes. This was awesome to watch. This group is so knowledgeable in all things Ninja. Curriculum, technique and safety are all key areas of focus on this course. These coaches were drinking from a firehose for 3 days and seemed to enjoy every minute of it. If you have a Ninja program, it would be silly not to consider having your coaches get certified by this group. 

My takeaway from this trip —  Every experience like this is like attending continuing education. It makes me better at what I do and therefor can serve my clients better. We want our clients to feel confident that we will provide them the latest and most relevant information related to Ninja. Our mission is to be that resource for our clients and create a world class Ninja Facility.

Check out some highlights of the trip in the video below:

Brad Thornton

Brad@InteractiveSportsZone.com

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From time to time, Venn will send us updates on things and will also share some awesome videos of himself doing some super cool skills on our rig. I decided it was time for others to see what he was up to. Keep in mind, I DO NOT recommend some of the things you see Venn do in this video. This is merely for entertainment purposes. You will also see the importance of proper matting as Venn has a few wipeouts that had nice soft landings. Enjoy!

Train Safe!

Brad Thornton

Brad@InteractiveSportsZone.com

The post Extreme Ninja Training appeared first on American Gymnast and Ninja.

We comfortably placed 3 different obstacles on the Versa Ladder which also caters to 3 different skill levels. Can’t get much better than that right? So, let’s take a look at each…

• Standard Monkey Bars – Beginner
  • These are pretty self explanatory and pretty much a must in every Ninja gym. The Versa Ladder has a set of rungs that are static and welded to the outside rails of the element. The rungs are perfectly spaced for beginner Ninjas but no reason all levels and athlete sizes can’t use them as they please.
• Cliffhanger Ledges – Intermediate
  • Another Ninja staple – We opted to go with a more mid level (2in) friendly ledge along all four sides of this obstacle. That’s not to say you can’t swap them out for some 1 “inchers” to make it wicked hard. OR no reason why you can’t mix them up. The combinations are endless really. What I love about the ledges on each end of the obstacle, is they make for a fun transition to or from another obstacle. A recent trade show we did, we had a simple leche bar with a nice 6ft leche to the cliffhanger ledge. Great fun!
• Floating Monkey Bars – Intermediate/Advanced
  • A fresh Ninja element, The floating monkey bars present its own unique challenge. The motion through the obstacle is similar to the monkey bars except there is one big difference – the rungs aren’t attached! Don’t worry, we added some nice cups for you not much bigger than the rung where you can place them. Therein lies the challenge. Our cup diameter is slightly bigger than the rung itself. This means you have to be hyper focused on placing that rung properly, otherwise you will be hanging from one arm for a long time – and any Ninja will tell you that can be a course run killer. Also, it’s worth mentioning these rungs are carbon fiber which are very light and safe.

Here is a photo of that beautiful and versatile piece of equipment:

How about a video too!

This would look amazing on your Ninja frame, don’t you think?

Hit me up if you want to talk about it!

Brad@interactivesportszone.com

The post Ninja Obstacle SPoTlight – The Versa Ladder appeared first on American Gymnast and Ninja.

A recent project with The Agility Center, located in Rockville, MD presented that opportunity to create something a little different than normal. I had my usual consult with our client before beginning the project, and I got the sense pretty quickly they wanted to do something unique. After some discussions on a few different ideas, we came up with a final plan which looked like this:

As you can see, the framing stepped up in height in each section. The client idea was to have the elements increase in difficulty as you move over to a higher section. It really was a pretty cool looking course.

Installation was successful and the final product turned out great. Here are some photos:

We love designing and building new courses so if you are in need of a consult, give us a shout! Or you can email me directly at: Brad@InteractiveSportsZone.com

Brad Thornton

The post Custom Ninja Course appeared first on American Gymnast and Ninja.

This is good news in that Ninja is not a fad or the latest craze. It has true sustainability like soccer, basketball or any other sport that is fun, well organized, and is competitive. 

There is one important element in Ninja that I see as vital to its sustainability — Safety. If parents don’t feel confident that their child will have a safe training environment, then I can promise you they will go find a more traditional sport. Each and every Ninja facility should all be diligent about doing their part. 

So, how does one make their Ninja facility safe? There are many things to consider, but here are some of the most important:

Equipment

One of the most important factors for safety in your gym is the equipment. Of course, you will want to source your equipment from a reputable manufacturer with a solid safety track record. It’s tempting to go find the cheapest equipment somewhere overseas, but we would encourage you to be tread very cautiously with this decision, and consider these aspects before going overseas:

• Are there any reviews of the equipment and/or the manufacturer from other verified buyers?
• Can you get in touch with an actual customer support representative?
• What is their warranty, and can/will they honor it?
• How long will it take to receive the product?
• Are there any import taxes, duties, etc you will be responsible for?
• If something breaks, can you order replacement parts, and how quickly can you get them?

A lot of times, with a little homework, you may discover that the money you appear to be saving up-front from an overseas manufacturer actually ends up costing you quite a bit more in the long run.

In addition to actually purchasing your equipment, you will want a solid plan for the layout of your equipment and the type of obstacles you plan to have. This is where design comes in to play. Having a professional design done for you from someone who is experienced in Ninja (like us!) Is key to operating a safe program. Your designer will consider your target audience and recommend obstacles that are suitable and safe for those that will be using it. In addition, the designer will come up with a layout that will allow for good flow and safe use of the equipment. Lastly, your designer will be very helpful in recommending appropriate matting for your course. That will be discussed in more detail below.

Once you have your equipment set up and you begin operations, there are some essential checks you should make often. There are a number of checks with respect to specific obstacles but I have narrowed down the inspections to a few very important general checks that every setup will need. 

Welds – With a lot of obstacles your kids will be swinging on, more often than not, a welded piece of steel is what is keeping them aloft. Pretty important that the weld is as it should be, right? Keep an eye on your obstacles! At the end of each day, make your rounds through your course and be on the lookout for any possible cracking or a bend in steel at a weld location. If you see either of these, pull that obstacle or mark it off limits immediately and contact your rep.

Quick Links – There are also a number of obstacles that have slings and quick links. Again, these quick links are a vital piece of a series of elements holding your kids up in the air. So, it is so important that your quick links are closed off and tight. A small quick link left open  will fail quickly. I have seen it happen. Secondly, to assist with keeping your quick link hex nut tight, make sure it is oriented to where it is on top. That is, when you tighten it, it should screw down when closing. So, once tightened, you will get a little help from gravity to keep it where it should be.

Hardware – The last thing you want is for a piece of your rig or obstacle to come off because of something like hardware coming loose. The Ninja rigs will have a good bit of vibration through them, so hardware can loosen over time. Anything that has a nut or bolt should be checked often. 

Matting

There isn’t much more important than the matting you are putting in your facility. Yes, I know, it’s expensive, but (it’s cliche) you can’t put a price on safety!  Pad, pad, pad, mat, mat, mat! Everywhere! 

Here is a fantastic example of a properly matted gym:

If it is my gym, here is what I’m going to do. Every inch of flooring in the training area is going to have a layer of at least 1 3/8” carpet bonded foam. Anything solid, made of steel or wood, that a kid can run in to or hit their head on is going to have a pad. 

Moving on to safety mats…of course, any obstacle hanging above the ground will have a safety mat underneath it. How thick should it be? Our rule of thumb is 1in of matting for every foot an athlete may fall. High flying, swinging/leche elements are what I consider high risk for back landings. This means an athlete’s head can likely come in contact with the landing surface. For these type obstacles, I like to over-mat. Consider using a supplemental mat (like a pit pillow), going with a resi, or doing these obstacles over foam block or an air bag.

Coaching 

When it comes down to it, the coach is the first line of defense in preventing accidents from happening. A competent coach should be cognizant of equipment status and athletes at all times. One who is alert and aware of all surroundings can save the day or even someone’s life. It’s important to instill in them that becoming complacent is not an option while in the gym with the athletes. Once it becomes a habit for each of your coaches, you can feel confident that unnecessary accidents are much more likely to be prevented

Safety comes first when we design our facilities. If you are need of a consult or just want to bounce some ideas off of us about your course or training, don’s hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email

brad@InteractiveSportsZone.com 

Brad Thornton 

The post Safety In Ninja appeared first on American Gymnast and Ninja.

Gold Medal Gymnastics Drills for Uneven Bars

In this DVD, Amanda takes her team through a wide variety of progressive drills for the uneven bars. Among the topics covered are: body positions, casting, glides and glide kips, front hip circle, shoot throughs, squat ons, Underswings, tap swings, Flyaway, clear hip circles, baby giants, full giant circles, straddle backs and Pirouettes. An excellent resource for coaches, parents, and gymnasts. 47 minutes. 2006.

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Gold Medal Gymnastics Drills for Balance Beam

In this DVD, Amanda takes her team through a wide variety of progressive drills for the balance beam. Among the topics covered are: beam complex, balance fundamentals, handstands, jump drills, leap drills, turn drills, cartwheels, level six skills, beam tumbling, back handsprings, connected series and dismount series. A must have resource for coaches, parents and gymnasts. 65 minutes. 2006.

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Gold Medal Gymnastics Drills for Floor Exercise

In this DVD, Amanda takes her team through a wide variety of progressive drills for the floor exercise event. Among the topics covered are: floor complex, back extension roll, front limber, round offs, back handsprings, flipping, tumbling drills, twisting and front tumbling. An excellent resource for coaches, parents and gymnasts. 55 minutes. 2006.

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Gold Medal Gymnastics Drills for Vault

In this DVD, Amanda takes her team through a wide variety of progressive drills for the vault. Among the topics covered are: plyometric drills, speed drills, running drills, hurdles, board position, heel drive, blocking, the Tsukahara vault and the Yerchenko vault. An excellent resource for coaches, parents and gymnasts. 49 minutes. 2006.

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About the Coach:

Amanda Borden spent six years on the US women’s National Team. She has competed in several World Championships, was a Pan-American double Gold Medalist and the 1995 USAG Sportswoman of the Year. In 1996, Amanda was the captain of the United States Olympic Gold Medal women’s gymnastics team. In 2004, she opened the Gold Medal Gymnastics Academy in Tempe, Arizona.

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