Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
Vestavia Hills High School senior Alex Ferguson builds a “warped wall” from “American Ninja Warrior.” The finished wall stands upright at 14 feet.
Alex Ferguson and his little brother Graham Ferguson spend a lot of time watching “American Ninja Warrior,” a TV obstacle course competition.
When Graham Ferguson asked to replicate the course in their backyard for his 10th birthday, Alex and his father, Scott Ferguson, stepped up to the challenge.
The Fergusons have lived in the Countrywood neighborhood of Vestavia Hills since Alex Ferguson, now a Vestavia Hills High School senior, was 7 years old. As they started planning a backyard Ninja Warrior course in summer 2015, Alex and his father found there weren’t blueprints of any of the popular obstacles online.
“We thought, ‘OK, we’re going to have to do this from scratch,’” Alex Ferguson recalled.
Through trial and error, the Fergusons put together a course of 10 obstacles to navigate by jumping, climbing or any means possible. The course is still put to frequent use by the brothers a year later.
“It’s one thing to watch people do the show, and they make it look so easy. It’s another thing to actually do it. And then to build it is like its own thing, especially because we don’t have any blueprints. We’re creating them,” Alex Ferguson said.
Once they had completed the course, though, Alex Ferguson saw an opportunity. His father started his own medical software company, ChartCapture.com, and Alex Ferguson said he passed on the entrepreneurial streak.
“I thought I’m sure there are other people out there that would like to build a course to train on, play on,” Alex Ferguson said.
In September 2015, he digitized the blueprints from their backyard course and made his own online business, ninjawarriorblueprints.com. Scott Ferguson said he was immediately on board with his son’s idea.
“I was like, yeah, you should totally do that. You know, make enough money to pay back the materials, buy some pizzas — that’s awesome,” Scott Ferguson said.
The success of the website surprised them both. Over the past year, they have made about 500 sales to people in all 50 states and several other countries such as Norway and Australia.
Alex Ferguson said his customers include people searching for new fitness options, parents with kids who watch the TV show and a few in training to try out for “American Ninja Warrior” in the future.
“It’s almost become like a new sport,” Alex Ferguson said. “It’s got so much action in it, but it’s also a friendly competition.”
His online blueprints include many obstacles that show fans will recognize: the Salmon Ladder, Rumbling Dice, Devil Steps, Cargo Net, Peg Board and more.
Alex Ferguson said he offers the Salmon Ladder blueprint for free so people can test the quality of the plans, and many go on to buy the full set. All 10 obstacles will fit in about a 16-foot-by-9-foot area.
“It’s still about the size of a play set, so it doesn’t take up the whole backyard,” Scott Ferguson said.
So far, Alex Ferguson has seen a lot of excitement from his customers when they are able to construct the course themselves and enjoy it.
“I think it makes it real easy for people to do,” Alex Ferguson said.
He noted that having his own online business is a lot easier than the average high school job. He spends about three hours a week sending emails, maintaining the website and social media and making sure everything’s in order.
“My favorite quote was [when] he came home from school one day and was like, ‘Dad, you know what’s really cool?’” Scott Ferguson said. “I said, ‘No, what’s really cool?’ ‘Checking your email, and there’s money.’”
This September, Alex Ferguson added to his blueprints with one of the most iconic Ninja Warrior obstacles: the Warped Wall, a 14-foot concave construction for athletes to run up and attempt to grab and climb on top.
Since his own backyard wouldn’t fit an obstacle that size, Alex Ferguson and his dad built the wall at Crossfit J19 in Hoover, where they both exercise.
Alex Ferguson said he is looking at other Ninja Warrior obstacles to build, but not all of them translate well to the average yard. He’s hoping to maintain the business after graduation and even try out a couple other online business ideas.
“It’s nice. I would definitely take this over any other job,” Alex Ferguson said.
Learn more at ninjawarriorblueprints.com.
