A ninja obstacle course focused on fun and exercise for ages 4 to 17 is opening in Woodstock.
Cobb County residents Kristy and Matt Tyler are bringing USA Ninja Challenge, a franchise with locations across the U.S., to Cherokee County. The soft opening is scheduled for Jan. 7. The grand opening is scheduled for March 4.
The studio, 185 Stockwood Dr. suite 100 near Stars and Strikes off Highway 92, features obstacle course training aimed at providing a place where kids and teens can be active, as well as grow their self-esteem, self-confidence and leave with a sense of accomplishment.
"Our kids (Sarabelle, 8, and Collins, 6) are of the age where they become interested in different activities, so we've tried all kinds of stuff like swimming, soccer and martial arts. All of these things are great, but when I saw ninja, I really appreciated the idea that the kids are constantly moving around and exercising," Kristy Tyler said. "It helps their confidence and challenges themselves. Everything about ninja really appealed to me. This is the perfect thing for them, so I know there are other kids out there like that."
Matt Tyler added that in the sport of ninja, kids are spending more time being active and less time on screens.
"It also serves as an alternative to team sports and lets individuals work on themselves and learn to overcome obstacles," he said.
The equipment seen in the studio is influenced by the original Japanese "Ninja Warrior" (also known as "Sasuke") and "American Ninja Warrior" competitions. Kids and teens will jump, climb, swing, traverse and balance as they make their way through the courses.
Available equipment includes traversing rings, the warped wall, rope swinging, cargo nets, pegboards and more, said Brandon Cox, an instructor at Woodstock's USA Ninja Challenge.
"Most of our obstacles are centered on building strength, agility or some sort of coordination," Cox said. "We focus on 21 different skills, so every week we will have a completely new class plan, so that way it stays fresh for them. That also gives me enough time to teach and train because I can't effectively teach all of those 21 skills in an hour. The goal is to focus on four or five of those skills each day."
USA Ninja Challenge will offer classes, programs and camps, and will also be available to host parties. Class sizes will range from eight to 10. No more than two classes will be in the building at a time, Matt Tyler said.
"We adjust the classes, so the little ones use cutesier and smaller obstacles and as the ages go up the obstacles become bigger and more advanced," Kristy Tyler. "There's a level system too so we know where they are physically and developmentally as far as using the equipment. We have a 21-step process, so we know where they are. For instance, one kid may be advanced on the rings but struggles on the balance beam. We will know that as instructors."
There will be one class per week. For kids/teens 6-17, the price is $95. The price for ages 4 and 5 is $85 per month.
"The first class is risk free, so if you take the first class and decide you want to keep coming, we will charge you for the month. If you don't love it after the first class is over and don't want to come again, we won't charge you at all," Kristy Tyler said.
Though the Tyler family lives in east Cobb, Kristy Tyler said they are frequent visitors to downtown Woodstock and love spending time in Cherokee County.
"We live 10 minutes from here, so when we started looking for spaces, we thought this area would be perfect — this space and surrounding area is beautiful," she said. "Cherokee is our home away from home and I think it will be a lot of fun for the kids in this community and the surrounding area. The goal is to let kids have fun, stay active and build confidence."
Kristy Tyler said she hopes to open another location in the metro Atlanta area in the near future.
USA Ninja Challenge will be open Tuesday through Thursday, as well as Saturday. "Right now, we are taking registration for ages 4 through 17, and we are adding a 'sidekicks' class in a couple of months, which is like a mommy and me class for 2-and-a-half to 3-year-olds," Kristy Tyler said. "The classes will be separated by ages."
For more information or to register for a class, visit www.ninjawoodstock.com.
