LHS senior Josh Miller has dedicated the past seven years training for a chance to compete in his favorite childhood show, “American Ninja Warrior.” Many people have hobbies; however, for Miller, this is more than just a hobby, it is a passion.
American Ninja Warrior is an obstacle course that must be completed within a certain time limit. Miller describes it as “a cross between rock climbing and gymnastics.” While the show is well known, there are also smaller leagues that cater to different skill levels. Miller grew up watching “American Ninja Warrior” and as he got older, he started to fall in love with it. When a gym called 605 Ninja opened in Sioux Falls, SD, Miller began training there. The owner, Jason Steinberg, competed in season nine of the show and serves as Miller’s inspiration to keep training. Miller eventually started competing against Steinberg and became even more determined to become a “ninja.”
“My biggest motivators were my coaches and friends that I trained with. My friends pushed me to train harder because we all shared a common goal of getting stronger and better at competing. We were also very competitive, which pushed us to work even harder during training sessions,” said Miller.
Miller also received support from his parents.
“My parents motivated me throughout my journey because they have always been incredibly supportive and encouraging,” said Miller, “They also attend every competition, so I wanted to make them proud.”
Miller trained almost every day, either before school or after the gym closed.
“Training involved setting up courses in the gym that replicated the show. I also had a group of guys that I trained with, and we always pushed each other during training. I also often train with my girlfriend because we both do ninja,” said Miller.
Miller has appeared in three episodes so far: the first was in Los Angeles, where he was the first to complete the course. The second was the semifinal episode, where he had to race against another contestant, but unfortunately lost by .1 seconds. However, Miller’s time was still fast enough to move on to the third episode, which took place in Las Vegas.
“My biggest fear throughout competing was making a simple mistake, because all of the training that I put in for the past seven years would have felt like it went to waste, and it would have sucked knowing that I could have done so much better,” said Miller. “If I could go back, I would have wiped my shoes off before trying the obstacle that I fell on, because I think that is ultimately why I fell.”
After Miller’s journey participating in the show, not only does he have regrets, but also advice.
“Don’t get discouraged if you want to pursue Ninja, because you’re going to fall a lot and your hands are probably going to hurt,” said Miller. “But just stick with it because your body will eventually get used to it. Ninja is a fun way to stay in shape, and the community in the gym is super supportive and friendly. New people are always welcome no matter their skill levels,” said Miller.