Backyard Ninja Courses: The Complete Buyer's Guide

Backyard ninja courses have gained popularity as more people look to bring the thrill and challenge of obstacle course competitions right into their own homes. Whether you're inspired by shows like American Ninja Warrior or simply seeking a way to enhance your fitness routine, a backyard ninja course can provide the perfect mix of fun and physical training. However, with many options available, choosing the right course requires careful consideration. This guide walks you through everything you need to know to select the ideal backyard ninja course for adults.

What Is a Backyard Ninja Course?

A backyard ninja course is an obstacle course designed to test and improve strength, agility, balance, and endurance. These courses typically mimic elements from ninja warrior competitions, featuring a range of challenging obstacles such as monkey bars, climbing walls, rope climbs, and balance beams. A backyard course offers an ideal training ground for adults who want to push their fitness to new heights while engaging in a fun, dynamic workout.

Benefits of a Backyard Ninja Course

Investing in a backyard ninja course provides more than just a fun activity—it comes with numerous physical and mental benefits:

Full-Body Fitness: Ninja courses offer a comprehensive workout that engages multiple muscle groups, builds cardiovascular health, and enhances coordination and balance. From upper body strength with monkey bars to core and leg work with balance obstacles, you'll find that it's an effective and exciting way to stay fit.
Breaking Workout Monotony: Traditional workouts can become repetitive and dull. A ninja course shakes things up by providing a high-intensity, varied routine that keeps you engaged. Each obstacle challenges a different part of your body, keeping your workouts fresh and stimulating.
Skill Development: Ninja courses build critical fitness skills such as agility, grip strength, and explosive power. These elements are key for functional fitness and can translate to improved performance in various physical activities, from other sports to everyday tasks.
Outdoor Activity: In today’s tech-dominated world, getting outdoors is more important than ever. A backyard ninja course encourages time spent in fresh air, improving both physical health and mental well-being by lowering stress and boosting mood.
Customizability: A major advantage of backyard ninja courses is their customizability. Whether you’re a beginner looking for an entry-level challenge or an experienced athlete training for an obstacle course race (OCR), a ninja course can be tailored to your specific fitness goals and skill levels.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Backyard Ninja Course

When selecting the right ninja course for your backyard, it’s essential to consider factors such as space, skill level, safety, and durability. Here are the key things to keep in mind:

1. Space Availability

Yard Size: Start by measuring your available space. Ninja courses come in various sizes, from compact setups that fit in smaller yards to expansive courses with multiple elements. Ensure that your chosen course fits comfortably without overcrowding your yard.
Layout Flexibility: Look for a modular design that allows you to adjust the layout. Some courses offer flexible configurations, making it easier to adapt the setup to your unique yard shape and size. This adaptability can help you maximize both space and the challenge.

2. Age and Skill Level

Beginner-Friendly: If you're new to ninja training or obstacle courses, choose elements that match your current age or fitness level, such as lower monkey bars or easy climbing walls. This allows you to build strength and confidence before moving on to harder obstacles.
Advanced Challenges: For seasoned athletes, look for courses that include higher monkey bars, complex grip attachments, rope climbs, and other challenging components like warped walls or salmon ladders to keep your workouts demanding and progressive.

3. Safety Features

Material Quality: Opt for high-quality, durable materials like steel frames with weather-resistant coatings and strong ropes. This ensures that your ninja course can withstand frequent use and exposure to the elements.
Anchoring System: A sturdy anchoring system is essential for safety. Properly anchored obstacles prevent tipping and shifting during use, minimizing injury risks. Look for sets that include ground anchors for stability.
Safety Surfacing: Installing protective surfacing such as rubber mulch, artificial turf, or padded mats under your course can significantly reduce injury risk in case of falls. This is a must for high-impact obstacles like monkey bars and climbing walls.

4. Durability and Maintenance

Weather Resistance: Ensure the materials used in the course are UV- and weather-resistant to prevent rust and wear over time. Properly coated steel, treated wood, and durable plastics can be good options for outdoor use.
Maintenance Requirements: Some materials, such as coated steel, require minimal maintenance, while wood will need more frequent care like painting or staining. Understanding the upkeep involved will help you choose a course that suits your preferences.

5. Expandability

Modular Design: Consider whether the course can be expanded or upgraded over time. A modular design allows you to add new obstacles as your fitness level improves, ensuring that your ninja course grows with you.
Component Compatibility: Ensure that additional elements, such as extra climbing walls or balance obstacles, are compatible with your current setup. This makes it easier to upgrade and modify your course as your training progresses.

Types of Backyard Ninja Courses

There are several styles of backyard ninja courses, each offering different levels of challenge. Choosing the right type depends on your goals and fitness level:

Basic Ninja Courses

Overview: These are entry-level setups are designed for little kids with simple obstacles like low monkey bars, rope swings, and balance beams. They’re great for those starting out, but not appropriate for adults to train alongside kids.
Pros: Affordable and suitable for small spaces.
Cons: May not offer enough challenge for more advanced users.

Intermediate Ninja Courses

Overview: These courses introduce more complex obstacles, including climbing walls, higher monkey bars, and challenging grip elements. Ideal for those looking to increase difficulty without going too extreme.
Pros: Balances challenge and accessibility, making it suitable for varied skill levels so kids and adults can train together. Typically constructed of higher quality materials that will last longer.
Cons: Requires more space and a higher budget than basic courses.

Advanced Ninja Courses

Overview: Designed for serious athletes, advanced courses include high-difficulty obstacles such as warped walls, rope climbs, and salmon ladders. These setups are ideal for those training for ninja competitions.
Pros: Offers a rigorous workout and prepares users for competitive events.
Cons: Requires significant space, higher investment, and may not be beginner-friendly.

Key Features to Look for in a Backyard Ninja Course

When evaluating ninja courses, keep an eye out for the following features to maximize your experience:

Climbing Walls: Adjustable climbing walls that vary in difficulty are ideal for both beginners and advanced users. Look for walls with solid grips and a sturdy frame.
Monkey Bars: A must-have for ninja courses. Choose monkey bars with adjustable heights to accommodate different users and provide a progressive challenge.
Rope Climbs: A great upper-body workout, rope climbs are crucial for OCR training. Ensure the rope is thick and durable enough to handle frequent use.
Balance Obstacles: Balance beams, slacklines, and stepping stones challenge core stability and coordination. Make sure they’re stable and made from durable materials.
Gymnastics Rings: Rings are an excellent accessory for improving grip strength, core stability, and upper body endurance. Choose sturdy rings that can handle adult weight.

Installation Tips for Your Backyard Ninja Course

Once you've chosen your ninja course, proper installation is critical to ensuring its safety and longevity. Here are a few tips:

Measure Your Space: Ensure you’ve accurately measured the available space before purchasing the course. Account for extra space around obstacles for safety.
Check for Stability: Test each obstacle for stability after installation. Tighten any loose components and make sure all elements are securely anchored.
Protect Your Yard: Consider adding rubber mulch or other protective surfacing under the course to cushion falls and prevent wear and tear on your grass from wear and tear.

Why SpartanSesh Is the Best Solution for Backyard Ninja Training

When it comes to choosing the best backyard ninja course for adults, the SpartanSesh stands out as the ultimate option. The SpartanSesh is a versatile and durable outdoor fitness rig engineered specifically for obstacle course race (OCR) and ninja warrior training. Its combination of fitness elements and customizable features allows you to turn your backyard into a professional-grade obstacle course training ground for kids and adults alike, making it the perfect solution for those serious about getting race-day ready.

What is SpartanSesh?

SpartanSesh is an advanced outdoor fitness rig that blends the excitement of ninja warrior-style obstacles with functional fitness equipment. It’s designed to help kids and adults alike prepare for OCRs and ninja competitions by offering a full range of training tools that simulate real race-day obstacles. With features like monkey bars, climbing walls, lache bars, rings, grip cones, pull-up bars, and more, SpartanSesh brings the ultimate obstacle training experience to your backyard. It is not just for casual play—it’s a serious piece of equipment built for high-performance training.
Whether you're working to improve your grip strength, agility, or overall fitness, SpartanSesh provides everything you need to challenge yourself and make meaningful gains. Its unique design that doubles as a squat rack makes it a powerful training tool for individuals preparing for Spartan Races, Tough Mudders, or American Ninja Warrior competitions.

SpartanSesh Features for Ninja Training

SpartanSesh is packed with features that allow you to simulate real-world ninja warrior obstacles and develop the essential skills needed for obstacle courses. Each element is crafted to focus on improving strength, agility, and endurance—critical components of any OCR or ninja warrior event. Here’s a breakdown of the most essential features:

Monkey Bars: A staple of ninja warrior courses, SpartanSesh includes an 8-foot span of monkey bars, with rungs placed at a height of 7.5 feet. This allows adults to practice grip strength and coordination—two vital skills for navigating obstacles like Twister or the Salmon Ladder in OCR events. Adjustable height options allow the bars to be set for different levels of difficulty, providing continuous challenges as you improve.
Climbing Wall: The climbing wall attachment allows you to practice vertical climbs and develop upper body and grip strength, which are critical for obstacles such as rope walls and rock climbing elements found in OCRs. The wall is sturdy and designed to be adjustable, so you can scale its difficulty to match your skill level as you progress.
Pull-Up Bars: SpartanSesh features multiple pull-up bars at varying heights (6 feet and 8 feet), allowing you to build critical upper body strength through pull-ups, chin-ups, and muscle-ups. These exercises help prepare you for overhead obstacles and high-intensity challenges that require pulling power, like the Multi-Rig or Rope Climb in Spartan races.
Climbing Rope: Add a 15-ft rope climb to your rig to perfect one of the toughest obstacles on the course. There’s no way to master this obstacle without practice, and the best place to practice is your own backyard.
Rings: For those looking to add even more complexity to their training, SpartanSesh includes the option to add rings or grip cones. Rings enhance core stability and upper body control, making them perfect for improving the balance and coordination needed for ninja warrior-style challenges. Training with rings prepares you for swinging and traversal obstacles like the Monkey Bars or the Multi-Rig.

Expandable and Modular Design

One of the most significant advantages of SpartanSesh is its expandable, modular design. Whether you're a beginner building foundational strength or an experienced athlete training for your next OCR, SpartanSesh can adapt to meet your needs. The system allows you to easily add new elements or expand the rig as your training progresses, ensuring that you can continually challenge yourself and take your workouts to the next level.

Scalable for All Fitness Levels: SpartanSesh’s modular design ensures that you can start with a simple setup and add more obstacles or lanes as you get stronger and more skilled. This flexibility makes it suitable for users at all fitness levels, whether you’re just beginning your ninja warrior journey or preparing for a competitive OCR event.
Add New Features: SpartanSesh’s uprights with 1-inch holes throughout are designed for compatibility with various fitness attachments, allowing you to seamlessly integrate additional fitness features. This means you can continually upgrade your setup without needing to replace your entire rig, making it a long-term solution for ninja training.
Fully Customizable: If you have specific training goals, SpartanSesh can be fully customized to include the exact elements you need. Whether you want to focus on grip endurance, climbing skills, or core strength, SpartanSesh offers a range of accessories and attachments to suit your personal goals.

Built to Last with Superior Durability

SpartanSesh is built from heavy-duty steel with a weather-resistant coating, ensuring that it can withstand even the harshest outdoor conditions. Whether you’re training in the heat of summer or the chill of winter, SpartanSesh is designed to last for years, providing a reliable training platform for dedicated athletes.

Weather-Proof Construction: SpartanSesh’s frame is coated with UV-protected thermoplastic, making it resistant to rust, corrosion, and wear from the elements. This low-maintenance, high-durability design ensures that your rig stays in top condition, even with regular outdoor use.
Stable and Secure: Each SpartanSesh comes with heavy-duty anchoring systems that secure the rig in place, even during the most intense workouts. The 18-inch screw-style earth anchors keep the structure grounded, allowing you to focus on your training without worrying about stability or movement and no need for concrete.

Easy Installation for Quick Setup

Despite its robust design, SpartanSesh is surprisingly easy to install. With basic tools and a few helping hands, you can have your SpartanSesh rig up and ready in as little as 3-7 hours. The rig comes with pre-drilled holes, all necessary hardware, and clear, step-by-step instructions that make the installation process straightforward.

DIY or Professional Installation: If you prefer to handle the installation yourself, SpartanSesh provides everything you need for a simple DIY setup. However, if you’d rather have experts handle it, professional installation services are also available, ensuring that your rig is properly assembled and secured.

Why SpartanSesh is the Best Choice for Backyard Ninja Training

If you’re looking for a backyard ninja course that offers both functionality and durability, SpartanSesh is the ultimate solution. Its combination of essential OCR training features, customizable design, and superior construction makes it the best choice for serious athletes. Here’s why:

Simulates Real Race Obstacles: With features like monkey bars, climbing walls, ropes, and gymnastics rings, SpartanSesh allows you to practice the exact obstacles you’ll face in Spartan Races and ninja competitions.
Expandable and Adaptable: The modular design ensures that SpartanSesh can grow with you as your training evolves. It’s a scalable investment that offers continuous value, allowing you to add more complexity to your workouts over time.
Durable and Weatherproof: Built to endure intense workouts and all-weather conditions, SpartanSesh provides a long-term, reliable training rig that you can count on year-round.

In summary, SpartanSesh offers everything you need to elevate your obstacle course training. Its professional-grade components, durability, and expandability make it the ideal choice for those serious about mastering ninja warrior obstacles and getting race-day ready.

Naomi Leeman

Naomi is co-founder and COO here at SwingSesh. With years of experience in landscape architecture and urban design, Naomi enjoys helping people make their spaces functional and beautiful! When her husband Brad had the idea to combine a home gym with a backyard playground, she was on board immediately and hasn't looked back since!