On last week’s article of “Ninja Series: The Prequel,” I discussed a simple overview of NBC’s hit television show American Ninja Warrior.
This week, I won’t be talking about statistics. I won’t be talking about numerous ninjas. I will; however, be talking about one ninja warrior you may or may not know. She is one of the most adventurous ninjas, who happens to be partnering up with NBC’s own Captain NBC Jamie Rahn, but follows her own path in the ninja community.
Meet Kim Wienches. Female. 28 years old. Cherry Hill, NJ.
There was a time where she never believed she would become part of a community so close and practically family that it became her life full of love and adventure. An aspiring ninja to finally make it on the show and be invited to Sasuke in Japan makes her work harder at Pinnacle Parkour Academy (PPK) in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
This is her story.
What brought you to American Ninja Warrior? What’s your story?
Well, I first saw the show several years ago flipping through channels, but I never got sucked in. When Kacy’s run went viral a couple years ago, I definitely became more interested as something I could potentially do and I started looking for gyms in the area. Just so happened that a month or two later, I started dating Jamie Rahn, and when you date a ninja that owns his own gym, you inevitably start spending a lot of time there!
I’ve always been an athlete soccer and basketball in high school. I blew out both of my ACLs in high school though, which, ended that career. I put on weight in college, came out, and looked for a cheap way to get in shape. I found running and started doing marathons and half marathons. To date, I’ve done four fulls and I lost count of halfs. Anyway, I still didn’t like what I saw when I looked in the mirror and could barely do a pull up. I got into beachbody, changed my eating habits a bit, and then right around that time is when Jamie and ninja came into the picture.
My training is pretty varied though. Yoga, rock climbing, I play around with pole fitness some, some running, parkour and specific obstacle training.
Was it the first gym you went to?
Yep. PPK was the first official “ninja” gym I went to. At the time, I was living in Pennsylvania and didn’t find any closer to me than the one in Cherry Hill, but I still didn’t go until we were dating. Actually... Brooklyn Zoo was the first. Jamie and I went there on our second date before I ever trained at Pinnacle. There was a ninja training event over the weekend that Jamie coached at.
With how NBC showed Brent Steffensen being such a rock for Kacy Catanzaro along with giving the impression that he was part of her success, is it the same with you and Jamie or is it different?
Jamie is definitely a big support system for me and is always there to push me to be better and help me with technique. It’s definitely a benefit to being partners with someone so skilled in the sport. But honestly, it’s my female training partners that end up pushing me the most. Trina Lisko competed last season on the show in Pittsburgh and was pretty much my first training partner. About a year ago, Rachael Goldstein started coming to PPK and she has been a huge push for me because she is so super strong as well.
We get shown Kacy working with Brent and Meagan working with the Wolfpack, but never that women are training together. Is that something you believe could motivate and inspire others to work and train harder if it were shown?
Probably, It’s very easily recognized once someone joins the community. Women of this sport band together so easily and support each other so wholeheartedly just because we know how hard we need to work to get to a competing level. I’m lucky in that up here in the Northeast, we have a lot of gyms and a lot of women that train. Not everyone is so lucky.
If you can remember that far back, what was the first obstacle that you’ve ever done at a ninja gym? What has been your favorite ninja obstacle so far?
Oh, geez. Probably something with cannonballs or maybe quad steps. I’m a fan of the vertical limit, because it’s a difficult obstacle and one that I can do pretty well. I don’t think it’s been on the show yet, though. Only in Sasuke. I like cliffhangers also, so pretty much anything that utilizes fingertip strength. Lol.
Speaking of fingertip strength, would you say that’s your strongest asset or what do you say is your strongest ability? What’s the weakest and/or area where you want to improve?
Grip strength is definitely where I excel. My leg explosiveness is the physical area that I lack the most in, but my true weakness is in my mental game. I’m good friends with a lot of ninjas and they all have so much confidence in me because in training they have seen me succeed. I don’t want to let any of them down by failing when I compete, so my nerves get to me big time.
Is there something you try to do to calm the nerves such as dancing, singing, or just being goofy?
Yoga. If it’s a big competition, I go off and practice before my run.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
Jessie Graff. She is amazing. Super strong and has overcome knee surgeries in that past similar to my background.
If there was anything you could change about how American Ninja Warrior is viewed and runned on television, then what would it be?
I would love if American Ninja Warrior realized all runs even if only online can be viewed by all competitors. Everyone that competes advertises their episode and only about 30 out of 120 are shown every year.
Last question. What’s the best advice you can give to someone who is aspiring to compete and train?
Get out there and try. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t get up a salmon ladder on your first try. This stuff is hard and takes a lot of practice!!! But everyone is super supportive and even if there isn’t a “ninja gym” near you, If you can get out to a competition somewhere the energy and positivity is addicting.
It’s a lifetime of adventure. Just reach.
