Gianna Ziniak has been dedicating her time to a new and surprising passion, training for American Ninja Warrior.
Ziniak, a senior computer science major, began in 2023, when Ziniak was introduced to the world of Ninja Warrior by a friend.
Her first practice session left her completely drained: she was hooked, despite not having the upper-body strength necessary to perfect obstacles like the famous Warped Wall or the Salmon Ladder.
“Even though I sucked, I genuinely knew this was something I wanted to return to,” Ziniak says.
Ziniak started out by training two to three times a week at Hamden Ninja Academy, which has now become her second home.
“I started to crave this sport and be so dedicated to it,” Ziniak says.
She created an Instagram account to document her journey to others. Videos she posts of her progress allow her to show far she’s come on her journey.
“It’s fun seeing how embarrassing I used to be, but that’s a part of the progress,” Ziniak says.
Despite her rapid growth, Ziniak still sees herself as a “rookie.” But to her family and friends, she’s already an inspiration.
While her family has not seen her training in person, their unwavering support helps keep her motivated.
“They think I’m truly amazing at it, little do they know I’m still a rookie in my eyes,” Ziniak says.
Her friends have occasionally joined her for practice, but Ziniak admits the sport is not easy. Ninja Warrior is about more than just physical strength; it is a mental game as well.
The obstacles themselves can be intimidating. They require balance and strength to complete perfectly, one such obstacle being the lache.
A lache is an obstacle where one swings from a bar of a certain height to another of the same, at a considerable distance.
“I think they’re so fun and an adrenaline rush,” Ziniak says.
When doing a lache, Ziniak has reached distances up to 7 feet. She’s aiming to conquer an 8-foot lache next.
Ziniak’s path has had its fair share of setbacks. In early 2024, she suffered a serious injury while attempting an 8-foot lache at Hamden Ninja Academy.
“I went for it and didn’t catch it on my backswing,” she says.
The result was a broken foot and ankle, landing her in a boot and crutches for several months. The mental and physical toll of recovery was challenging, especially as she watched her training partners continue to make progress on social media.
“It made me feel left out and ashamed of myself that this accident happened,” Ziniak says.
Yet, her determination did not waver. Once she recovered, she returned to the gym and worked her way back to training regularly.
Bobby O’Neill, one of her coaches at Hamden Ninja Academy, has seen firsthand the progress she’s made over time.
“Gianna’s shown great improvement since she started her Ninja Training,” O’Neill says. “She’s been coming to the gym for well over a year now, and her progress has been steady since she began.”
O’Neil says one of the qualities that set her apart is her perseverance. He admires how she attempts to tackle obstacles again and again.
“Gianna keeps getting back up to make another attempt no matter how many times she fails. She never gives up, which leads to her eventual success,” O’Neill says.
When returning to the gym, she focused on her upper-body training while allowing her lower body to heal.
“I think she was excited to return to training, perhaps even a bit too early, but she eased her way back into it as quickly as she was able to,” O’Neill says.
Her most improved skill is on the lache, but she still has room to grow, he says.
“Working on it so diligently has helped her grow on the course and as an athlete overall. While laches are her most improved obstacle, she still struggles linking them together to get through the obstacles more quickly,” O’Neill says.
Ziniak’s tenacity has become a source of motivation for others training alongside her.
“Her return after injury has added to a positive environment in the gym that is motivating to all who train there,” O’Neill adds.
Balancing Ninja training with school is no easy task. With her rigorous computer science curriculum, she’s had to adjust her routine, sometimes skipping gym sessions or squeezing in training around exams and projects.
Looking ahead, Ziniak’s goal is clear: she wants to compete on American Ninja Warrior. While she does not think she’s quite ready to apply just yet, she’s working toward that dream with every training session.
“Right now, where I am in training, I won’t be that successful on the show since there’s still plenty of obstacles for me to learn and perfect on,” Ziniak says.
From her first training session to her return after injury, her journey is a testament to physical and mental resilience.
Whether she is perfecting her laches or planning her strategy for her eventual “American Ninja Warrior” debut, Ziniak believes she is proof that with dedication, passion and a positive mentality, no obstacle is insurmountable.
“I told myself one day I’ll make it on the TV show. I don’t know when this will be, but hopefully one day,” she says.
