Ninja Parc offers playtime fun for children of all ages

With Ninja-style competition popularised in the media, linked with the growth of endurance and obstacle events, adventure leisure and ‘leisure-tainment’, Newcastle-based John Pirlo has created a new activity concept that fuses all of the above with fitness and activity.

Pirlo, who has been running gyms for over 20 years and currently operates nine Genesis Health and Fitness franchises in NSW, is a veteran of the Australian Ninja scene.

Having trained regularly with many of the competitors seen on the popular Ninja show, Pirlo noted the dramatic rise in popularity of obstacle events, both on and off TV. He set out to offer a similar experience but tailored to different age groups and abilities, where he could share his years of experience.

As a result, in 2016 he launched Ninja Parc in the former Howzat Indoor Sports facility in the Newcastle suburb of Cooks Hill.

Featuring rope climbs, bouldering challenges, vertical and horizontal doors, poles and a warped wall, complete with padded surfaces to land on, Ninja Parc is all about having fun, learning new skills and getting some exercise in the process.

Visitors can opt to do the full obstacle course, or just parts of it depending on their ability. They can test their skills against others in competitions, or try to beat their own personal best. The courses are completely adaptable, offering children and adults just the right level of challenge, so they walk away feeling as though they have achieved something, and then be able to progress next visit.

Pirlo is passionate about putting the fun back into exercise, which is reflected in Ninja Parc’s ethos of ‘have fun, learn and get fit’.

Pirlo joined his first gym as a teenager, before embarking on a career based on activity and exercise, and is concerned by the growing trend that sees many children spending more time on screens and less time running around playing. With a significant body of research showing that almost two thirds of children and adults in Australia aren’t getting the recommended amounts of physical activity, he has proved that when people are enjoying themselves, they don’t notice the amount of physical activity they are packing in.

Backed by Belgravia Health, Ninja Parc offers opportunities to reverse this trend by offering fun packed experiences, that help build both physical and mental resilience.

Explaining the development of Ninja Parc, Pirlo advises that the goal is to create a safe place for people to test their physical boundaries, build resilience, confidence and community along the way.

Wanting to create happier, more active children, he believes it’s not just their muscles that will benefit, commenting “exercise is important for kids; besides the obvious physical health benefits, it is also linked to better mental, emotional and social confidence.

“Our philosophy has always been we just want people to do something, we just want to encourage more people to be active, including kids.”

Pirlo (pictured below) sees that everyone who goes in for a session comes out feeling some kind of benefit adding “the first thing is it’s fun, moving is a by-product” adding “another benefit is you are doing movements you don’t typically do, such as hanging, balancing and agility as you go through the course.

“There’s also a lot of hand-eye coordination involved and anyone can do it.”

Among other activities, the venue hosted some of the country’s elite ninjas when ‘Ninja Warrior’ obstacle racing made its Newcastle debut last year while it is a popular party location for children and families.

Parkour classes have also been a success, with local parents feeling relieved their teenagers are pushing their boundaries somewhere safe.

As a result of the success of the first Ninja Parc, new facilities are set to open in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and with franchise territories available around the country, Ninja Parc is looking for people with a similar desire to have fun and improve confidence to own and operate their own Ninja Parc.

For more information, go to www.ninjaparc.com.au/franchise-opportunities