Ninjas, what’s the one piece of advice you’d give to this year’s rookies?

The American Ninja Warrior community is an incredibly supportive little world. Something we always hear is that it’s Ninjas versus the course, not Ninjas versus each other. Even when it came down to the Power Tower playoffs in season 12, which meant that Ninjas needed to directly outpace one another, there was support. We’d see competitors eyeballing the obstacles together and working out beta just before lining up to start their races.

With season 13 about to kick off, we’re hoping to tap into that supportive spirit.

Those of you who have American Ninja Warrior experience, what’s the one piece of advice you’d give to season 13’s rookies?

Training is one thing. But actually getting on the stage with the lights and the cameras, with your family watching (virtually this year), is a whole other beast. There’s stage fright, anxiety, excitement, and overwhelming joy at being there. There’s the potential to be emotionally drained before they even face the very first obstacle.

So those of you who’ve been there before, can you share your wisdom? What should the rookies keep in mind? What’s the one thing you wish you had known during your first time out? We’ll gather the advice into another article that will hopefully be useful to newbies and veterans alike!