On Sunday, May 1st, Thompson's Station teen and elite American Ninja Warrior athlete, Elijah "The Boss" Browning along with his family, took over We Rock The Spectrum Gym Franklin to host their first ever inclusive ninja clinic. Over 80 children of all ages and abilities and their caregivers filed into the gym for an action-packed hour of overcoming obstacles while being coached by a REAL ninja warrior.
Browning led participants through four ninja warrior stations including a zip line, climbing wall, rings, and balance obstacles. Kids even got to hit a buzzer at the end of the course just like the competitors on the show.
 Photo by Clara Vaughn |
Steve Komarnitsky, owner of We Rock the Spectrum Gym Franklin, said, "What a fantastic experience! We knew this was going to be a unique and exciting event and partnership with Elijah 'The Boss' and his mom Renee. We were exponentially pleased with how easy-going and professional they both were; not to mention the great turnout and how much fun the participants and their families had during their time with us."
 Photo by Clara Vaughn |
Dalyn Carbajal, a mother of one of the participants, told us how much she loved watching her daughter run the obstacle course.
"My 5 year old daughter had the absolute best time at Elijah’s Ninja Clinic at We Rock the Spectrum Gym!" said Carbajal.
"She had been counting down the days and it did not disappoint. Her favorite part was the speed obstacle course and hitting that button at the finish line. She said she learned that she could do anything and she loved that the gym was equipped for all experience levels."
 Browning poses for a photo with Dalyn Carbajal's five-year-old daughter.Photo by Dalyn Carbajal |
Local mom and regular at We Rock the Spectrum Gym Franklin, Jacie Abrahams, was impressed by the special attention her son got from Browning during a particularly difficult obstacle.
"My son was scared to do one of the obstacles and Elijah talked with him about overcoming fear and just trying!" said Abrahams.
"He [Elijah] even came back to help him across when it was his turn, and my son had the biggest smile on his face when he made it across. It was truly a great experience and we can’t wait to do it again!"
Renee Browning told us how proud she is to watch her son share what he's learned as a ninja athlete with others.
"Elijah is passionate about helping kids grow and learn to overcome obstacles in a positive way while developing their athletic abilities through the incredible sport of ninja!" said Browning.
 Photo by Clara Vaughn |
Komarnitsky is already looking ahead to the next ninja warrior event at We Rock the Spectrum Gym Franklin.
"We are talking about hosting a quarterly event and potentially adding another hour to the sessions," Komarnitsky said.
"This was a perfect example of two local brands and businesses coming together with a unique value proposition that served our communities here in Middle Tennessee!"
Be sure to follow We Rock the Spectrum Gym on Facebook and Instagram for updates on this and other upcoming events.
And get ready to cheer on Elijah "The Boss" as he competes on the next season of NBC's American Ninja Warrior expected to air this summer!
