Jonas Pichler: a real Ninja Warrior completes our course

Ninja sport is all about overcoming various obstacles without falling off. There are many different types of obstacles - from rings and poles to ropes and chimneys to running obstacles such as the Mega Wall - which have to be mastered by jumping, swinging, hanging and climbing. Fitness and strength are just as important as speed, stamina, mobility, coordination and balance, as well as a great deal of courage. Ninja sport has become well-known and increasingly popular in recent years thanks to the TV show “Ninja Warrior Germany”.

How did you come to take part in the TV show “Ninja Warrior Germany”?

Even as a child, I was an avid Ninja Warrior fan and watched the TV show regularly. When a South Tyrolean woman appeared on it for the first time, I decided to take part myself one day. Five years later, when I was finally 17 years old, I finally applied. Surprisingly, I was one of the 320 participants who were selected from over 10,000 applicants and invited to the preliminary round in Cologne.

How did you prepare?

First and foremost, I probably used every pole I found to practise. I also recreated a training course as far as possible to prepare myself as well as possible for the various obstacles.

How did the preliminary decision go?

Before the shoot, we were allowed to view the course, which was “shown” to us once by an athlete. We were not allowed to try it out ourselves. Then it got serious. One by one, everyone took their turn, made their challenge and tried to complete the course.

What was it like to complete the course in front of cameras?

At first, of course, it was strange to be filmed. But as soon as you start the course, you really are in your own tunnel and completely block out the cameras. It's only when you land in the water that you remember that you were being filmed. I have to say, I was very excited both times, even a few days beforehand. When it got serious, the excitement was even so great for a short time that I tripped on the way to the starting point in both the 2023 and 2024 preliminary rounds, almost falling off the starting platform into the water.

How far did you get each time?

In 2023, I was eliminated relatively quickly in the preliminary round. In 2024, on the other hand, I made it to the semi-finals and finished in 50th place. However, only 40 participants make it to the final. At first, of course, I was disappointed that I had just missed out on the final, but on the other hand, I was very proud of my performance. After all, I made it to the semi-finals out of more than 10,000 applicants.

Would you take part in the show again?

Basically, I would definitely take part in “Ninja Warrior” again, provided of course that I am selected and invited again. However, I'm doing my High-School graduation this year, so I won't be able to take part again until 2026 at the earliest. Overall, however, I've already made a lot of personally experiences the last two years and I'm very happy with my performance.

Another great thing, of course, was getting to know other well-known participants and learning from them. In 2024 after the semi-final, for example, I had dinner with some of my fellow contestants, including René Casselly, who later won the show again and went on to compete successfully in shows such as “Let's Dance”.

Do you have any tips for young Ninja Warriors?

The most important thing is to have fun and go through the course with a smile. You also have to keep at it, even if you fail once. That's how it was for me too. At the 2023 show, I fell into the water after a short time and was eliminated. Nevertheless, I continued to train hard and tried again in 2024. The second time, I was able to take a much more relaxed approach to the whole thing and enjoy the moment much more. That's how I finally made it to the semi-finals.

The Ninja Warrior course at Feuerstein is definitely a great way to practise hard.

Photos from the TV show “Ninja Warrior Germany”: RTL / Markus Hertrich