HAMDEN--It's ninja time in Hamden! And at the center of the new-era ninja world is Drew Drechsel.
"The entire world is my playground," Drechsel, who is best known for his outstanding performances on "American Ninja Warrior," a popular competition TV show, said.
Now he’s teaching his skills to the next generation. Kids as young as 6 years old are hanging on to the concept, and they’re reaching new heights.
"Parkour is the art of movement--it's being efficient with your body mentally and physically," Drechsel explained of his approach to how he runs his Hamden Ninja Warrior gym, New Era Ninja.
So what does it take to be a good ninja warrior? Well you would think it’s takes strength--which these kids haven’t fully developed yet--but the fact is, it takes a lot more than strength to be a good ninja.
"You need to have good reflexes, a good mindset, just basically a calm and collective attitude," Drechsel said.
And for these young ninja warriors in waiting, overcoming the challenge is the greatest reward.
And if you think this is just a way to build muscles one swing at a time – think again. These ninja lessons build much more than just wanting to be on a reality show.
According to Drechsel, "If they are faced with something they can’t do, they have a hard time with--how to approach it--you can overcome this obstacle, and you can take that with anything throughout life."