Bedminster resident, Abby Clark, had just graduated from Springfield College in Massachusetts when her athletic passion—gymnastics—came to an end.
She had been a gymnast for two decades, finishing her last four years competing collegiately and winning the 2015 National Championship on the balance beam. She also competed in track as a hurdler and sprinter for 12 years, finishing her college career on Springfield’s outdoor track team.
However, when Clark earned her degree in rehabilitation and disability studies with a minor in psychology and received her diploma, everything just stopped. “Unless you are competing in the Olympics, once you graduate college, your gymnastics career is over,” she says.
Along with her now-fiancé, Joe Capo, whom she met on the Springfield gymnastics team, Clark wondered: How can we keep this athletic momentum going?
They began running and working out to stay in shape, but they missed the competitive aspect. Then, they learned about a Ninja Warrior/Obstacle Course competition in Brooklyn from a friend. With “zero experience,” they signed up, and although Clark said she failed — “I fell on obstacles!” — she was hooked. The couple registered for more, taking advantage of the training component that preceded each competition. Each time, they got stronger, and their reflexes sharpened.
Little did they know that Ninja Warrior soon would become their way of life — and catapult Clark to the national stage.
The couple had been competing for only a few months when, in 2017, they decided to apply to compete on an upcoming season of American Ninja Warrior. “Joe didn’t get a call back, but I ended up on the show that season,” she says. “I was extremely new to it and had no idea what to expect,” she says. “My first season was Season 9. It was the city qualifiers and filmed in Cleveland overnight. There were about 100 competitors, and they only air about 30. I fell on an early obstacle and did not qualify.”
However, Clark’s story began to change drastically the following season. In Season 10, Clark not only completed the course but also became one of the few competitors to ring the buzzer, marking her very first buzzer on the show. This was her breakthrough moment in the sport, qualifying her for her first city finals. She moved on to the Las Vegas National Finals, her ultimate goal, solidifying her status as a serious contender in the world of Ninja Warrior.
"I definitely kicked it into high gear in terms of training — mentally and physically," she says. "I’ve hit buzzers and qualifiers, and I’ve moved on to Vegas finals four times."
The show films outdoors, in all weather, and competitors do not know the obstacles prior to arriving. “We show up in the late afternoon or evening and are shown demonstrations of how to do each obstacle. They’ll say, ‘Here’s Obstacle One. These are your rules: You have to do this; you can’t do that.’ When you step up to compete, it’s your first time touching those obstacles,” she explains. “It challenges me personally, because as a gymnast and track athlete, you know exactly what you’re doing down to the millisecond. In Ninja, you don’t know what’s coming at you. You have to be flexible mentally and adjust and adapt within a split second.”
Clark has competed in eight seasons of American Ninja Warrior—one of the most veteran competitors on the show—and competed as a Las Vegas National Finalist in Seasons 10, 14, and 16. She also competes for Team DGS Ninja in the Elite Division of the World Ninja League, winning World’s Strongest Ninja in back-to-back seasons.
Now, Clark and Capo are teaching their skills to the next generation of Ninja Warriors at Nex Level Ninja, in Flemington, which they opened in 2021. The obstacle gym, co-owned with partners Brayden Provan, Hunter Murphy, and Kelly Denti, is designed for children aged 5 to adults, offering structured recreational classes, open gym hours during which kids can play, advanced classes, and competitive teams, which start at age 6. They also host birthday parties and offer summer and holiday break camps. “It’s fun for everyone, no matter their ability,” she shares.
Leveraging Clark’s prior experience working with people with disabilities at a school in Manhattan, Nex Level Ninja offers programs for children and adults with special needs. “No matter the level you are at, you can reap the benefits,” she notes.
In addition to physical benefits like improved strength, balance, coordination, agility, and body awareness, there are mental benefits to obstacle course competition. “You learn how to overcome obstacles, set goals, push past failure, and jump back,” she says, adding that the environment is supportive. “It’s us against the course, not us against each other.”
The key is fun. “This is a different approach to fitness,” Clark says. “You don’t realize you’re working out. This is essentially a big playground.”
Challenge yourself! Find out more at NexLevelArena.com.
“You learn how to overcome obstacles, set goals, push past failure and jump back.” - Abby Clark
“It’s us against the course, not us against each other.” - Abby Clark