Top 4 Safety Tips for your Ninja Warrior Course

Ninja obstacle courses are a paradise of fun and fitness! But with that excitement comes the inherent risk of falls. By prioritizing these safety tips in your backyard, home, day camp, or Ninja Gym, you can transform your training grounds into a haven for pushing boundaries safely. Here are the top 4 Ninja Warrior Course Safety Tips to keep you and your kids swinging with confidence:

Feel free to skip to the conclusion for our recommendation summary.

The Safest Option

1. Fall Protection

We are going to highlight the three main fall protection types here that we recommend. Keep in mind, there are other kinds of fall protection, but we do not recommend them.

Fall Protection Types

• Mats - the tried and true safety surface used in olympic level sports such as Gymnastics and Track and Field. Aim for at least 8 inches of padding to absorb the impact of falls, especially under dynamic skills like swinging and laches. The 8" thickness minimizes the risk of injuries and boosts your confidence when tackling new moves. A great example would be the Backyard Mat Set. Also, it's important to use velcro strips to connect your mats to prevent ankle rolls that can occur in the cracks between the mats and to help avoid having mats shift out of place. A thicker mat isn't just about comfort, it's about peace of mind. When shopping for mats, you should also consider durability - are the mats UV resistant? How thick is the vinyl? What's the warranty? Generally, you should look for mats with:

  • UV resistance

  • Vinyl of 21 oz. weight

  • Velcro to cover the seams

  • Proper sizing to avoid gaps between the mats and other surfaces (generally, you'll need to get your mats custom sized)

Mats Overall Score	8.875
Safety	9.5
Maintenance	Indoor 10/10. Outdoor 6/10
Cost	8
Customization Options	10

• Rubber Mulch - the preferred fall protection and playground material for very large areas such as summer camp ninja courses or big backyard projects. It's great outdoors all year round and requires very little maintenance. Generally, you'll want your rubber mulch to be a minimum of 3" deep, but when running in mulch it's easy to create pits, so we recommend aiming for roughly 5" at minimum. In the rig area (where there is likely to be higher falls) you'll want to have some extra mulch spread to have 8-12" depth.
  

The Option With The Least Maintenance

Rubber Mulch Overall Score	7.625
Safety	7-10 (for 3" - 12" depth)
Maintenance	10
Cost	7
Customization Options	5

• Air Floor Pro (and other inflatable options) - the most mobile and lowest cost option. Air Floor Pros are 8" thick (just like mats), but they don't have the same cushioning that gives mats the highest safety rating. When properly inflated, Air Floor Pros can provide strong safety for falling, but they come in a standard width of about 6.5', so they lack the ability to cover all spaces. When deflated, the Air Floor Pro can fit neatly into a bag that packs down as small as 24" x 24" x 7". This size is perfect for mobile ninja events or storing your ninja course when not in use. We use Air Floor Pros for safety protection at our trade shows, events, competitions, and demonstrations. Many gyms also use the Air Floor Pro for their mobile birthday parties. These also come with FREE SHIPPING!

The Lowest Cost Option

Air Floor Overall Score	7
Safety	6
Maintenance	10
Cost	9
Customization Options	3

2. Expand Your Safety Zone: Cover All Your Bases

Don't limit your protection to just the immediate landing area. Extend the safety zone of you by ensuring mats cover a minimum of 6 feet around all equipment. This approach accounts for potential miscalculations and unexpected tumbles.

3. Don't forget post pads for any exposed support structures.

4. Knowledge is Power: Master the Art of Falling

Learning to fall safely on the course is just as important as learning the obstacles themselves. Two key fall techniques to master are the front peel and back peel. Practice rolling techniques to protect your head and neck during a front peel, and learn how to land in a QM (Quadrupedal Movement/ frog like) position for back peels, distributing the impact across your body. Having this knowledge empowers you to react instinctively, minimizing injury risk.

Conclusion:

The general recommendation for your ninja course is:

1. Have all areas under the rig covered in 8" thick, UV resistant mats with velcro to cover all seams.

2. Have a playground border with at least 3" of Rubber Mulch that creates a perimeter at least 6' outside of all obstacles.

3. Avoid wood mulch, sand, pea gravel, thin mats, improperly sized mats, solid surfacing, sharp edges, hard objects, uneven surfaces, level changes that can present trip hazards, debris (including personal items such as water bottles, chalk bags, and attire) around the course.

4. Supervision and responsible training! This can't be understated - kids love to push their limits and this is part of what makes a good ninja! But it's also why kids need supervision - keep an eye on them to ensure they are training responsibly. Adults should also consider taking a progressive approach. Progress through movements over time and work up to bigger goals - your joints will thank you!

Here's an example of one of our Ninja Courses that has mats, post pads, mulch, and padded platforms.

World Ninja Sport is here to help you prioritize these safety tips and create a safe training environment. Feel free to reach out to use if you have any questions. We're here to enable you to Ninja!