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"American Ninja Warrior"

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  • Description

    Matt Iseman talks about the competitors on the show and what you can expect

  • Duration 7:17
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This transcript is automatically generated

Felt let's talk about this of those may have -- that familiar with the show in the play by play -- tell us about it a little bit of background somewhere in the show came from.

Well it came from it was inspired by Japanese game show a Japanese.

-- in the whole premise of the -- -- they've -- the world's most difficult obstacle course.

And invited people to come -- and try -- and to give you an an idea of how difficult it is 2700 people have attempted it.

Only three have completed -- no Americans ever done it.

So this is the first time -- this is the fourth season of American ninja warrior.

But previously we've gone over to Japan to take in ten Americans this year we brought the course here.

We rebuilt it in Las Vegas and we have a hundred Americans trying to tackle it we're open to find the first American ninja warrior.

Great and now to try out close about the traffic -- rounds and they have to go through before they make it -- you.

So we it we did Venice Miami and Dallas and we would do to regions.

Any team we have about a 12550.

People come through we narrow it down to the top thirty.

And then those thirty would be narrowed down to the fifteen who would get to travel to Vegas so we had thousands of submissions.

People sending in video -- trying to convince -- our DVDs.

Look at tapes a habit bad day for myself I -- It's a gentle -- in their digital video submissions.

To try to convince us that they were worried that worthy to get a shot at the course.

And then -- each of these regionals we would have.

Hundreds of people lining up hoping to get a shot to just walk on the course.

And usually we would take about ten of those people as well.

Wow okay so now who are -- competitors -- who's trying out for says.

Give us the wide variety of backgrounds.

And their day jobs you know -- and they have to be.

-- hit it -- everything we have cable installer is doctors lawyers Ph.D.

holders.

Pizza delivery people.

It's it's amazing it really runs the gambit and it's it's people.

So many of these people didn't really do have day jobs or not they're not professional athletes.

They do -- they build these courses in their backyard they find ways to train.

But these these people dedicate their lives finish and that's what's amazing is.

The passionate fan base that we have every year in this competition has grown and the level of athletes that are coming out.

Have gotten better we've we've seen some incredible people but we do actually have.

Professional athletes coming out tonight if you watch on NBC we actually have an NFL player Cameron Wimbley.

He's the defense event for the Tennessee Titans 64255.

Pounds.

He's an unbelievable.

Athlete.

We have a Harlem globe -- was actually on tonight as well bull Bullard.

And these guys it's it's incredible what they can do but some of the other folks we have a used car lot dealer.

Comes out tonight drew to -- and so it's if people from all walks of life and what's cool is a lot of people a lot of the competitors we're sitting at home.

Sitting on their on their chairs watching the show last year.

And they were inspired they thought this is a challenge I want -- undertake they started training and then make a mountain compete so actually you who.

Actually be inspired or perhaps next year you could you could try to attack on the course.

Oh I'm sure about that at and we should roll some video of the cars that I got to get past step one.

I -- -- wiping out is because I did -- and if I failed miserably at -- night priced and okay how hard you get.

When you -- -- course not very far and I will say I am a world class athlete in my own mind I played baseball or college and my my agility apparently is not quite good enough I'm not an -- I guess -- would be more the sumo wrestler.

If we have American sumo wrestler warrior maybe I'll have a better shot at that -- and you participate you -- just host.

That then.

Yeah I was embarrassing I have learned not to make assumptions even if somebody is a professional athlete they come on the show it getting mean that they're -- is better than anyone else.

Well.

You know one of the stories we had Levi -- who's the most storied competitor we've ever had he's actually made it to -- -- -- -- which is.

The finale course he's made it there five times more than anybody.

He won out on the very first obstacle.

Three seconds into the competition.

So nothing is guaranteed we we.

At and what's amazing is it's kind of like the Olympics and that these guys will train so hard and the reality is there's a half a million dollars on the line but the only person who gets that.

Is the person who completes all four stages of the -- course now again.

Three people -- done that in history so most people coming -- no.

There's probably not going to be any reward for this they're doing this really for the love of the sport and to challenge themselves.

And so when you see these people.

Who spent so much time and they go out one obstacle and you can just see the crushing disappointment if the agony of defeat.

You know do lovers know I don't care if you know -- no do -- -- one and done.

Wow one and done and they don't get a practice on the course the first time they try these obstacles his win there on the court so.

It really is an unbelievable test about -- schism in scale.

What these challenges and it names for them because they think there and credible -- is an autistic people who -- -- I think if the people who did those off.

Figure they would chase you until I got -- I it's very similar to that we actually most of these challenges there -- one man in Japan.

Who who came up with the majority of these challenges now we brought the course here to America so.

A lot of the challenges we've taken a bit inspired by ones that have been in the competition previously.

But we have some some experts not man who have kind of come up with some challenges that are in the spirit of what we've seen in ninja warrior and they really are and when someone gets through an obstacle.

They take it as a personal challenge them to come up with one that they can't get through to this course has gotten so -- more difficult over the years.

As the level of athleticism and the level of skill rises the courses gotten more difficult to meet the challenge.

Of course analysts -- about what's in store for those 100 -- competitors that do you make it to the finale like he said it's it's modeled after the one in Japan.

And and that's what is that gonna look like can you describe that Israeli can describe with a well we've -- We we we rebuilt -- would Torrealba -- just off the strip in Las Vegas which is.

The ultimate setting the first stage stage one is is about speed and skill and you have.

You -- -- obstacles that you're trying to get through you have two minutes to do it.

To give you some idea of how difficult that is on the regional finals which were nine obstacles I think we only had five competitors -- Out of around 200 who made it in under that time so.

The there there -- there these incredible test there's a thing called the spider jump.

Which is two walls that are about four feet apart you have to jump up put your hands and feet on either side and Spider-Man your way through -- there's nothing on the ground.

So it's incredible it's incredible skill just the lock yourself -- -- strength.

But then you have to propel yourself forward and up and it's again I marvel -- what these guys can -- I don't know how they train for says.

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