Benefits of Ninja Training for Children

If you are looking for creative ideas to get youth moving and physically active, consider adding Ninja products to your program. Thanks to the popularity of Ninja obstacle television shows, many children know what they’re about and are excited to participate. Not only are Ninja courses appealing and fun, they offer many fitness benefits and are the perfect complement to a rock-climbing program. Ninja training develops strength, agility, balance, coordination and flexibility. Here are more details about the many benefits of Ninja training:

Strength

Making your way through the Ninja course involves running, leaping, jumping, hopping and climbing (if you have a Traverse Wall® included). This variety of movement creates a full-body workout that builds lower body, upper body and core strength. This not only helps to improve performance during future Ninja training sessions but boosts overall fitness and performance in other sports or physical activities.

Agility

Agility is the ability to move quickly and easily in different directions. Children get a lot of practice moving from side to side and up and down when they are doing a Ninja course. Being agile helps children succeed in other activities and sports and is useful in everyday life, enabling them to avoid stepping in gum or bumping into someone in a crowd. It can also prevent injury since it improves body control, balance and flexibility.

Balance

With Ninja training, there’s a lot of dynamic balance performed on the balance beams, river log and other challenges which helps to develop good balance. Having a good sense of balance results in better body awareness and coordination.

Coordination

One way to develop coordination, or the ability to smoothly move through space, is through practicing gross motor skills. Ninja courses provide many opportunities to hop, jump, run, lunge, balance and climb. Varying the experience is important to reap the most benefit and the courses can be configured differently each time to provide new challenges.

Flexibility

Flexibility is the range of motion available at a joint and stretching can help improve flexibility. Dynamic stretching, or movement-based stretching, is an integral part of making it through a Ninja course. Children must extend their arms, legs and other body parts to accomplish challenges, and in doing so are strengthening and lengthening their muscles.

Learn more about our Hijinx™ Ninja Packages tailored to specific age and grade-level ranges:

• The K-2^ndGrade Package is perfectly designed for this age group and helps develop balance, coordination and gross motor skills.
• Our 3^rd-5^thGrade Package brings some additional challenge and excitement ideal for upper-elementary-age children.
• The 6^th-8^thGrade Package is the perfect package to keep middle-schoolers engaged, challenged and having fun.
• Our 9^th-12^thGrade Package is our most challenging package, and is perfect for high-schoolers.