The Ninjababes Podcast
by Cara Mack; Founder of Ninjababes™ and 4x American Ninja Warrior City
Cara Poalillo Mack, a 4x American Ninja Warrior leads a discussion about females in the sport of ninja. She interviews female athletes within the ninja world about their personal stories, performance on the ninja course, and mindset practices.
Episodes
-
The End of Ninjababes: Final Episode
This is the final episode of Ninjababes. I've been so honored and grateful to be a part of this community for the last 4 years. Ninjababes has been my passion project and a truly life-changing experience. I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into this community, but everything has a beginning,...
-
Can I Ninja While I'm Pregnant?! Back with Amy Harski- Ep 119
I'm back with Amy Harski to continue our discussion about pregnancy and post-partum training. We're going to talk more about what's actually going on during your pregnancy and what you need to know when you're training while pregnant. Amy's also going to answer some listener questions related to...
-
Preventing Abuse and Building Mentorship In Our Gyms with Neighborhood Ninjas
Neighborhood Ninjas is a nonprofit organization and community outreach program. Their mission is to "increase access to ninja warrior training for low income and underrepresented groups while fostering community and connection." Neighborhood ninjas partners with ninja training facilities…
more -
Hormones and Training: How Can We Work Together Naturally?
Sarah Avery is a physical therapist who specializes in women's health and pelvic floor rehabilitation. In this episode, we're going to talk about the female athlete triad, how hormones can affect your performance, and how to properly fuel your body and work with your menstrual cycle to maximize...
-
Post-Partum Ninja Training
Chances are, you know someone in the Ninja community who is currently pregnant or has been pregnant during their career. My guest this week is Amy Harski, a pregnancy and postpartum coach. She works with athletes looking to stay fit during their pregnancy and helps them get back into their sport...
-
Full Send Or Rest Up?! - Knowing When to Stop
Alex Katz is a Certified Personal Trainer with a Master's Degree in Psychology and she's super active in the ninja world as a competitor and coach, which gives her a unique, multidimensional insight and perspective in the Ninja world. Often in this sport, we want to go full steam ahead, 100% of…
more -
Eating Disorder, Ninja, and Body Image with Emerson Muise
Emerson's first exposure to ninja was when she had her 11th birthday party at a ninja gym, and she was instantly hooked. Inspired by the likes of Jessie Labreck and Kacy Catanzaro, she's been training consistently for the last two years and was selected for ANW junior this year. Her ninja name is...
-
How to Mentally Prepare for a Ninja Competition
Megan Budway shares her insights and practice for getting her mind ready for the ninja season! Megan describes what she has learned from "With Winning In Mind" by Lanny Bassham. She journals and mentally prepares for each competition by following the Mental Management System. Today Cara and Megan...
-
Rachel Degutz: Jersey Girl and Top Ninja Competitor
My guest this week is New Jersey's Rachel DeGutz! Rachel discovered Ninja while she was in college studying to be a teacher. She followed a lot of ninjas on social media, listened to this podcast, decided to sign up for a class, and the rest is history! Now Rachel is a guest on the show she has...
-
Chris Wilczewski and Michelle Warnky Buurma on National Ninja League Season 7 Changes
We have a full house in the Ninjababes Studio today! I'm pleased to welcome Michelle Warnky Buurma, Chris Wilczewski, and Mary Leighton on the show today to discuss the National Ninja League and the changes made for NNL season 7. We discuss what the changes are and the need for standards and...
-
Cara Mack and Mary Leighton: What's Been the Response from the Community About Our "Females in Ninja" Presentation?
Cara and Mary were honored to be presenters at the NNL World Championships to discuss a topic nearly two years in the making. Over the course of the competition, they presented the seminar 6 times. About 2 years ago, Cara and Mary started diving into the topic and concept of males and females in...
-
Addy Herman: 15-Year-Old Ninja Force
15-year-old Addy Herman is a former ANW Junior competitor who was one of the teen competitors featured in the current season of ANW13. In this episode, Addy shares her experiences with NNL, competing as a teen against adults, grip gauntlets, and why she has really been focusing on honing her…
more -
Lindsay Eskildsin; Momma Strong
Ninja moms, moms-to-be, or future moms: this episode is for you! Ever wondered how you can balance motherhood and family life with the demands of Ninja training? Lindsay Eskildsen did, and she's here to talk with Cara about how she took a break from Ninja to focus on family and motherhood, her...
-
Megan Rowe: The Axe Throwing Ninja & ANW13
Meet Megan, the axe-throwing ninja! Megan's first season on ANW was Season 11, and she's been involved with ninja for 3 years. In this episode, we'll talk about her experiences on the show, her axe collection & how she got into axe throwing, defining your worth as an athlete and as a ninja, and…
more -
Isabella Wakeham: Teen Ninja Warrior Competitor
Isabella Wakeham has been a part of the ninja community for a while, both on ANW Jr. and on ANW season 13. In this episode, Cara and Isabella talk about how delaying from season 12 to 13 affected her, her relationship with her ninja brother, the story behind her outfit, dealing with…
more -
Megan Budway: Opera- Singing Music Ninja Rookie on American Ninja Warrior
Megan Budway is an elementary school music teacher and a rookie on American Ninja Warrior season 13. Megan grew up singing in chorus and theater and later became a classical vocalist singing opera. Besides discussing Megan's musical life, Cara talks to Megan about athlete identity and why it is...
-
Zuri Hall: American Ninja Warrior Sideline Host
Zuri Hall has been the sideline host on American Ninja Warrior for 3 seasons. Learn how she landed her spot as host and what it's like interviewing for Access Hollywood. Zuri shares all the behind-the-scenes secrets from American Ninja Warrior about wardrobe, the interview process for ANW, what…
more -
Nicolette Mcdonnell and the Wonders of Being a Ninja Mom
Nicolette was cast for ANW season 13, but then life took an unexpected turn. Find out how this mom and nurse tackled one of the most disappointing moments of her life. We talk about the mindset and circumstances that got her through.
-
Meagan Martin: What are the Challenges For Females In Sports?
Meagan Martin is an 8-time competitor on American Ninja Warrior who has LOT to say about females crushing it on the course. Today she shares her passion for supporting girls and women in sports. We discuss her article on ESPN from 2019 about retaining girls in sports, what she values about coed...
-
NNL New England Regionals Extravaganza!
Ready to crush the competition and looking forward to the National Ninja League New England Regionals?! Ultimate Obstacles is setting up a competition experience to remember. Today we talk with Robert Perry, Mary Leighton, Beth Gionfriddo from the UO team about their course design philosophy and...
-
100th Episode Open-Mic Celebration!
Let's celebrate and pass the mic! It has been 100 episodes and we are BEYOND excited. Let's hear from all of you! Why do you love and listen to this podcast? What has this community meant to you? Get involved with our big NB Insiders community project! https://www.theninjababes.com/insiders…
more -
What's The Best Ninja Warrior Gear?
Let's talk about all the gear you need for a ninja warrior! Best ninja shoes, ninja holds, hand-balm for rips, recovery ice methods, how to take care of ninja rips. WATCH this talk on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SguznD9kLj0 Use our Amazon link-- Awesome shoulder-ice device: https://amzn.to/3gfgqTS...
-
What's the Power in Empowerment?
Shelle Edge and Cara Mack talk about the upcoming 100th episode and how you can be a part of the celebration. Go to www.theninjababes.com and click the pink bar to submit your audio message! Shelle and Cara talk about what empowerment is and how it can be useful to others beyond our own…
more -
Jennifer Stefano
Today we talk all things American Ninja Warrior! *How do you make a great submission video? *How did Jenn feel as a rookie during ANW12? *What do Cara and Jenn think of the new course changes for ANW13? ✨Want MORE advice about making your ANW submission video?✨ Become a Patreon subscriber and...
-
Avery Glantz Teen American Ninja Warrior Competitor:
Avery Glantz was an American Ninja Warrior Jr. competitor and now is heading towards her rookie season on ANW13. Avery is a top competitor in the ninja world and is hyped for her chance to bring her skill to the next level. Learn how Avery is preparing for ANW and what it's like going from the…
more -
Athlete Blood Test with A'nna Roby
"Ladies, your physiology, training, and nutrition needs change throughout the month. It's time to leverage this information to work smarter, not harder, for better results," -A'nna. Dr. A'nna Roby has been a lifelong athlete and now works as a nutritionist for athletes. She is the Chief Research...
-
How Do Ninja Athletes Prevent Injury In High Impact Sports?
Sarah Avery is a professional yoga therapist and teacher, founder of Moon Cycle Seed Company, and a physical therapist. Today she shares insight on injury prevention for ankles and ACLs. We talk about some practical tips for ankle strengthening after you've had an injury like a sprained ankle and...
-
Dr. Elspeth Hart
Dr. Elspeth Hart is not only a ninja who will be competing on this season of American Ninja Warrior, but she also treats injured ninjas! Elly is a physician assistant who works in sports medicine. Learn how she has developed "Gymnastics Medicine" which gives the diagnosis, treatment, and…
more -
Taylor Johnson: Top Elite Ninja
Taylor is a fierce competitor! At the time of this interview, she is ranked 2nd for Elite Female athletes in the National Ninja League. She has competed on American Ninja Warrior seasons 11 and 12 and is looking forward to competing in season 13! Hear how Taylor trains and her outlook on…
more -
The Sober Ninja: Kendra Nyrkkanen
Kendra has a story that is raw, real, and relatable. She explains how the drive to be accepted and valued led her down a destructive road. Kendra is now 8 years sober and is celebrating life free of a mind clouded by alcohol addiction. With her renewed mind, Kendra is crushing the course and…
more -
Future of Females in Ninja: A Conversation with Jordan Thurston
Jordan Thurston joins Mary Leighton on today's discussion of the future of female ninja athletes. Jordan coaches top ninjas at Vitality Obstacle Fitness in Massachusetts. Jordan believes that ninja warrior courses should be separated by gender for many reasons. He argues that it will benefit...
-
Jason Huewe, USNL, and The Future of Ninja
Want to know the future of ninja? Sometimes you need to look back to look forward. Learn some history about the roots of the ninja warrior community and what the first big backyard competition was like with Jason Huewe. Not only has Jason competed on American Ninja Warrior and worked with the...
-
Michelle DesOrmeaux
Michelle is the host of the upcoming United States Ninja League competition which will be televised on Bein Sports. She started teaching fitness 23 years ago. Her background is in dance, fitness group classes, she is a WBFF Pro Worlds top 10 winner, and she is currently a master Pound Fitness...
-
Megan Johnson- Med Student By Day, Ninja By Night
Two-time American Ninja Warrior Megan Johnson is a med student by day and a ninja warrior by night. Megan is in the midst of her medical program and is learning that there is more to being a doctor than just science and medicine. Megan has also learned valuable lessons from her time competing on...
-
Taylor Amann: Athlete and Creative Photographer #86
Taylor Amann is a 3-time Big Ten Pole Vault Champion and a 2-time competitor on ANW. In season 11 she crushed it in Oklahoma City and advanced to the Vegas Finalist. She then competed on ANW season 12. Taylor puts her creative brain to work on and off the course whether she is analyzing an…
more -
Ashley McConville Interview:
Ashley McConville is a 2-time American Ninja Warrior competitor. This year on season 12 she hit her first buzzer! Ashley wildly changed her mindset approach from season 11 to season 12. Find out what gives Ashley her focus, strong mindset, and a competitive edge. Ashley shares about her...
-
Periods and Sports Performance
Periods are awesome! Let's talk about the unique characteristics of females. Did you know there is a point during your menstrual cycle that your athletic performance is typically best? That's because females have a testosterone boost during ovulation that allows them to build muscle and perform…
more -
Jesse Labreck is The Last Woman Standing
Jesse Labreck was the "last woman standing" on this season of American Ninja Warrior. Hear how this champ felt on the course and how she strategized. She was the only woman who made it to the Power Tower and she raced up the tower against Daniel Gil. Jesse shares her favorite obstacle from this...
-
How to Fight FOMO
Want to fight FOMO in your life? Does looking at other people's lives on social media make you feel bad about your own life? Sometimes we get stuck letting the negative affects of comparison make us feel less-than. The result is that being truly thankful is hard, because we don't actually…
more -
Myths About Athletes and How Do Women Best Train For Ninja?
Let's debunk some myths: Women have more lower body strength and men have more upper body strength. Men have more fast-twitch muscle movement, and women have more endurance. We are designing ninja courses with mens' bodies in mind, not womens'. Kids do not produce lactic acid in their muscles.…
more -
Optimizing Ninja Performance For Women
How can women ninja athletes optimize their performance on the course? Dr. Blade is an expert in sports performance and has a PhD. in Kinesiology with a focus in human morphology and the differences between male and female bodies in their growth process. Today we discuss in depth the differences...
-
#79: Olivia Vivian and Sarah Blackmoore
Olivia finished 6th place overall in the Grand Final of season 4 of Australian Ninja Warrior! In Grand Final Stage 1, Olivia beat the course for the first time! Season 4 was Sarah's first season competing on Australian Ninja Warrior. Both ladies had a long history in gymnastics and share their...
-
Ninjababes #78: Dr. Fitni Destani
Cara Poalillo and Dr. Fitni Destani, a professor at Keene State College who specializes in mental performance in athletes, talk about all things mindset and gender in ninja. We discuss how we can empower girls and women in our sport to reach their full potential in training and competition. When...
-
Ninjababes #77: Sara Heesen
Sara Heesen and Cara Poalillo have a vulnerable discussion about the pressures they have felt related to how they portray themselves on social media and in person. Cara and Sara Heesen talk about role models, expectations, and living authentically. When should or shouldn't you confirm to others'...
-
Ninjababes #76: Casey Rothschild
Casey Rothschild and Cara reflect on the last 2 years of ninja and life. Today Casey shares all about: *How she has learned to keep calm before competition and on the course *Why it's ok to want to WIN *Casey's career goals for the future *What's new happening with the Neighborhood Ninja mentor...
-
Ninjababes #75: Maggie Owen
On today's teen episode of The Ninjababes Podcast, teen host Marie Young interviews Maggie Owen about her time during quarantine and how she is crushing it as a ninja athlete. Maggie has competed in NNL Worlds for 4 seasons, she was a UNX Majors 2nd place winner, competitor on ANW Jr. season 1…
more -
Ninjababes #74: How Do We Create Incredible Gym Culture?
Incredible gym culture: there is something so amazing about helping young girls feel strong. How do we foster healthy gym environments? How to do support the females AND the males in such a way that we are working together to empower one another, promote safety, and produce stellar athletes? It's...
-
Ninjababes #73: Shelle Edge
In the world of ninja warrior most often men & women and boys & girls compete together and train together. Is this always the best option? This is a topic that we have explored a lot on The Ninjababes Podcast. Today Shelle Edge shares her perspective on girls and boys training ninja together and...
-
Ninjababes #72: Gloria Orta
Gloria Orta talks with Cara Poalillo about her time on American Ninja Warrior season 12. Her rookie year was filled with excitement as she hit the course for the first time, proving that dreams do come true. Gloria, age 20, shares today about her experience coming to America as an immigrant and...
-
Ninababes #71: Rebekah Cornwall
Rebekah Cornwall is the singing ninja, but did you know that she is the strategy and technique queen? She has spent hours reviewing skilled ninjas' competition runs and obstacle work. Rebekah has an eye for technique and strategy. Marie Young and Rebekah talk about her time on ANWJr. Rebekah...
About this show
Cara Poalillo Mack, a 4x American Ninja Warrior leads a discussion about females in the sport of ninja. She interviews female athletes within the ninja world about their personal stories, performance on the ninja course, and mindset practices.
Hosted by
Cara Mack; Founder of Ninjababes™ and 4x American Ninja Warrior City