Calling all would-be warriors – USA Ninja Challenge opens in Appleton

Judith Munson

Contributor

April 20, 2026

APPLETON – Appleton is now home to Wisconsin’s second USA Ninja Challenge, joining the Brookfield location.

Owner Orlando Munoz said the 6,100-square-foot gym – located at 620 N. Lynndale Drive – offers youth an alternative fitness experience that prioritizes individualized attention.

Munoz said the program is based on skill mastery, with participants advancing through six levels – from little Ninjas to Warrior teens – while learning how to tackle the rings course, balance obstacles, tumbling surfaces and other challenges using traverse walls, cargo nets, ropes and ladders. 

“My kids were always in sports while growing up,” he said. “Wrestling, swimming, volleyball and those are very individual skills. What I like about this program is that you can bring an athlete here or even somebody who has never been an athlete, and they will find something to improve on. They become more well-rounded physically.” 

Munoz said each of the program’s six levels requires students to master 27 different skills covering five main categories: jumping, climbing, swinging, traversing and conditioning.

Participants, he said, progress at their own pace with instructor guidance, drawing on skills from gymnastics, cross-training and track and field.

Beyond classes, Munoz said the Appleton facility hosts birthday parties and other events in the lobby, which also serves as a viewing area for parents who want to watch their “ninjas” in action. 

The warp wall – a 14.5-foot vertical climb – he said, is one of USA Ninja’s “signature obstacles.” 

“We have modified it, so the kids can work their way up to the tallest part of these walls,” he said. “We also have a rock climbing wall, so they can work on those skills.”

Wide variety of ages, programs, skills

Munoz said these skills are important in helping kids develop strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, as well as emotional resilience.

He said the gym – which is still in its soft opening stage – caters to youth aged four to 17, though it will extend programming to two-year-olds this summer. 

“Basically, with them, what we’re doing is just working on those basic skills: ‘Can you follow the coach? Can you listen?’” he said. “We’re just introducing them to physical activity.”

In the gym’s “Sidekicks” program, Munoz said parents actively assist their little ninjas during class.

“The mom or dad is their sidekick,” he said. “They help the ninjas do some of the obstacles, get familiar with the routine and then eventually, once they turn four, the kids graduate to the Junior Ninja level.” 

Munoz said Junior Ninjas – who are ages four to five – continue to focus on learning how to follow coach instruction and getting used to the obstacle course.

The Ninjas class is for ages six to 12, he said, with students focused on starting to master the obstacle course.

Munoz said the Warriors – geared toward ages 13 to 17 – prioritize advanced skills and competition preparation.  

He said the program also provides opportunities for kids who can’t participate in traditional sports to build strength, agility and overall fitness.

“We have a lot of kids with autism or ADHD or other challenges who need the right environment,” he said. “Here, we can work with them one-on-one, and they don’t have to feel out of place.”

Something for every type of athlete

So far, Munoz said the facility has attracted athletes from a variety of sports, as well as those who just want to improve their overall fitness.

“I think what’s really nice about this gym is that you can have your regular athlete come in who just wants to work on jumping skills or maybe they want to do speed drills,” he said. “And then there are the kids who want to come here for something physical to do for fun.”

Individual instruction, Munoz said, is also offered.

“We see a lot of athletes who want to improve a specific skill,” he said. “Track is starting, so someone may come [in] who is really good at jumping, but they want to develop upper body strength. We also have a lot of girls from gymnastics. Maybe someone is really good at balancing, but they want to work on their lower body strength.”

Seeking a slower pace, Munoz – a retired Marine Corps drill instructor – said he and his wife, Kelly, recently relocated from Milwaukee to Appleton “looking for the right business to start.”

“With my background in the military – training recruits – I always loved what a person can accomplish physically when they actually set their mind to it,” he said. “I knew I wanted to open a business that had the same concept, but, obviously, wasn’t the military – I didn’t want to yell at people anymore. I wanted to work with youth, because they’re our future.”

Munoz said all USA Ninja Challenge classes, including birthday parties, are led by trained instructors – including himself, his wife and son, Jayson.

The gym, he said, does not offer open gym hours for safety, ensuring kids are always supervised while navigating the obstacles.

“Because if you leave a kid alone with these obstacles to free range, they can really hurt themselves,” he said. 

In the few weeks since opening, Munoz said he has found working with the gym’s budding ninjas is rewarding and fun.

“We get to celebrate with them when they accomplish something they didn’t think they could do,” he said. “It’s amazing to see their faces light up. That’s why I do it, because I want to see that kid smile and go home and say, ‘Hey, Mom, guess what? I got this done today.’”

More to come

Munoz said they are already planning the gym’s next stage, which will provide students with an opportunity to compete using their newfound skills.

As fans of “American Ninja Warrior” know, Munoz said ninja is a sport in its own right.

“So, that’s our objective, to eventually take a team to the point where we’re competing nationally,” he said.

With 47 locations across the country, Munoz said USA Ninja Challenge – which is not associated with the TV show – hosts regional and national competitions.

The sport, he said, is gaining recognition, and the organization is collaborating with the IOC to bring Ninja to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Munoz said the gym hosts local school field trips to give kids a unique activity experience and has launched a popular class for homeschoolers. 

“When they come for the camps, we’re able to level them up on one or two skills,” he said. “It is very focused, but we have a lot of fun and a lot of time to work with them and improve on the 27 skills they need to master to advance to the next level.”

Munoz said the camps were a hit, selling out and including trial classes that gave kids a taste of the program.

Many families, he said, enrolled after seeing what the gym has to offer.

“The parents just love our one-on-one coaching,” he said.

Munoz said the response to the new gym has been overwhelmingly positive.

“We love the parents here,” he said. “They’re very supportive, and they’re helping us to get the word out and find sponsorships. It’s a great community.”

For more on USA Ninja Challenge-Appleton, check out ninjaappletonwi.com.