The Grit Report

Join The Team: Meet Grit Elite and Grit Crew

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 02:05:31 GMT

The Grit Report · For Teams

Some ninjas leave class still talking about the warped wall, asking when they can come back and drawing obstacle courses on every scrap of paper in the house. If that sounds like your athlete, it might be time for a team.

Grit Club has two ninja teams for ages 7 and up: Grit Elite and Grit Crew. Here's what each one is about, what it takes to join, and a look at the 2026–27 competition season.

You don't have to be the best ninja to join. You have to be ready to work, grow and compete.

`Parent Info Night: Friday, November 6 at 5:30 PM`

Come meet the coaches, learn about each team and get your questions answered about practices, competitions and what the season looks like. The meeting is at the gym, 750 Garden of the Gods Rd, Suite 125. Athletes are welcome too.

Grit Elite: for ninjas ready to compete

Grit Elite is our competitive team for ninjas who want to push their limits, embrace challenges and put their training to the test beyond the gym.

What it takes to be Elite:

A willingness to compete. Be ready to take part in outside competitions, including the Colorado Ninja League (CNL), the United Ninja Athlete Association (UNAA) and the Federation of International Ninja Athletics (FINA).
A commitment to training. Show up consistently, work hard and take your development seriously.
A growth mindset. Be willing to learn, make mistakes, take feedback and keep improving.
A drive to be challenged. Embrace new obstacles, step outside your comfort zone and push yourself to become a stronger ninja.

Practices: Monday 6:30 PM, Wednesday 6:30 PM and Friday 4:30 PM

Tuition: $245 a month (includes the coach travel fee)

Grit Crew: the next step after classes

Grit Crew is for ninjas who are ready for more than classes and looking for their next challenge. It means extra training, more experience with competition-style obstacles and the chance to grow alongside teammates in a fun, supportive environment.

What it takes to be Crew:

A commitment to growth. Train more, learn new skills and build confidence on the course.
A team mindset. Encourage your teammates, work together and celebrate progress.
A willingness to be challenged. Try new things, push your limits and keep getting better.
An interest in competition. Crew athletes take part in in-house competitions and can explore CNL Rec. Competing is encouraged, but not required.

Not quite ready for Elite? That's okay. Grit Crew is a place to build experience, gain confidence and get ready for what's next.

Practices: Wednesday 6:30 PM and Friday 4:30 PM

Tuition: $190 a month

`Up to 28 hours of coached training a month`

Both teams include Grit Clinic, our coached open gym, at no extra cost. Team athletes can come to every Clinic session (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday), including the ones right after practice. That adds up fast:

Grit Crew: 2 practices + up to 4 Clinics a week = up to 24 hours of coached training a month, or under $8 an hour if they use it all
Grit Elite: 3 practices + up to 4 Clinics a week = up to 28 hours of coached training a month, or under $9 an hour if they use it all

For comparison, a standard weekly class works out to about $21 an hour. The more your athlete wants to train, the more a team gives you.

Families with more than one athlete on a team save 5% on each additional sibling.

`The 2026–27 competition season`

Here's a look at the season ahead for our competitive ninjas:

Nov 14–15: Flow Vault (CNL)
Dec 5: Warrior Challenge (CNL)
Dec 12: Warrior Challenge (CNL)
Jan 2–3: Ninja Core (CNL)
Jan 16–17: Ark (FINA) and Ninja Intensity (NSC)
Jan 23–24: Flow Vault (UNAA)
Feb 6: Warrior Challenge (UNAA)
Feb 6–7: Ninja Core (CNL)
Feb 20–21: Ark (CNL)
Feb 27: Ninja Intensity (UNAA)
Feb 27–28: Ninja Intensity (FINA)
Mar 6–7: Leap (CNL)
Mar 20: Ninja Core (UNAA)
Mar 20–21: Ark (NSC)
Apr 3: Warrior Challenge (FINA)
April: CNL Finals (date to be announced)
Jun 5–6: NSC Youth Sectionals, Tempe, AZ
Jul 14–17: UNAA and FINA Worlds, Chicago, IL

UNAA Regionals and FINA Sectionals dates are still to be announced, and the schedule may change. Coaches will help each family decide which competitions are the right fit. Nobody has to do them all.

League key:

CNL = Colorado Ninja League · UNAA = United Ninja Athlete Association ·

FINA = Federation of International Ninja Athletics · NSC = Ninja Sport Network

`How to join a team`

Team spots are by coach approval. Here's how it works:

Take a class. Most team athletes start in Ninja 1, 2 or 3.
Ask a coach for an evaluation. Coaches look at fundamentals and safe landings, effort, how athletes take feedback and how they treat their teammates.
Register online. Once a coach approves your athlete, finish registration in the parent portal and their spot is confirmed.

It's not about being the strongest or fastest. It's about athletes who keep trying after they fall, listen to their coaches and cheer for their teammates. If your athlete isn't quite ready yet, our coaches are always happy to tell them what to work on next.

Love parkour more than ninja? Ask about Grit Flight , our parkour team, at Parent Info Night.

Bonus for joining early

Families who register by November 30 skip the $40 registration fee, and everyone who joins by December 31 becomes a Grit Club Founding Member with a limited-edition Founding Member shirt.

We'd love to see you Friday, November 6 at 5:30 PM. Questions before then? Call us at 719-653-7742 or email admin@gritclubathletics.com .

She's Got This: Strength for Moving Day, Grocery Day and Every Day

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 03:48:33 GMT

The Grit Report · For Parents

There's a joke going around online: "No one believes in his wife more than a husband who has no one else to help him." You know the moment. The couch has to go up the stairs, the new dresser is still in its box, there's a 50-pound bag of dog food in the trunk, and suddenly he's looking at you like you're a professional mover.

Honestly? We love that confidence. Let's make sure it's earned. Our adult classes are built so that when someone asks, "Can you grab the other end?" your answer is, "I've got this."

Real life is a strength workout

Think about what a normal week asks of you:

Carrying: a sleeping toddler, a full laundry basket, every grocery bag in one trip (because two trips is for quitters)
Lifting: suitcases into the overhead bin, a cooler into the truck, a bag of mulch off the cart
Pushing and pulling: furniture across the room, a stuck garage door, a snowblower through a Colorado driveway
Gripping: a heavy box with no handles, the end of a moving strap, a jar lid that won't quit

Those are carries, hinges, squats, pushes, pulls and grip: the exact movements we train in GritFit. Strength training also helps build muscle and supports bone health, which matters more and more as we get older.

Your "I've got this" class menu

Every GritFit class is coached, scaled to your level and open to adults 18+:

GritFit Strong: Tuesday at 5:30 PM and Thursday at 6:30 PM. Learn to squat, hinge, push, pull and carry with good form, then build strength week by week. This is the "lift with your legs" class.
GritFit Conditioning: Monday and Friday at 4:30 PM, while kids are in class or at team practice. Circuits with sandbags, kettlebells, ropes and obstacles, so you still have gas on the third trip up the stairs.
GritFit HIIT: Wednesday at 1:00 PM and 5:30 PM, and Thursday at 2:00 PM. Short, intense intervals of cardio and strength, with an evening class that runs while kids are in Ninja.
GritFit Flow: Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 AM. Mobility, balance and core work, so your back and hips are ready for the heavy lifting.
GritFit Women's Ninja: Wednesday at 6:30 PM. A women-only ninja class for the warped wall, rings, bars and balance obstacles, with a crew that cheers you on.
GritFit Adult Ninja: Monday at 6:30 PM. Grip, swing and climb. After this, a box with no handles doesn't stand a chance.
GritFit OCR 1/2 and GritFit OCR 3 (ages 18+, 60 minutes): Tuesday at 7:00 PM and Saturday at 8:00 AM, for when you're ready to take on a race.

Lift smarter, not just harder

Strong is great. Strong and smart is better. Our coaches teach the habits that protect your back when the couch comes out:

Get close: keep the load near your body
Brace: tighten your core before you lift
Use your legs: hips back, knees bent, chest up
Don't twist: turn your feet, not your spine
Know when to ask: a dolly, a second person or two trips is still a win

Start where you are

You don't need to be strong to start. You start to get strong. No experience is needed, every workout is scaled, and you'll learn the basics before you add weight. GritFit classes are $85 a month, and GritFam packages save you more when you add a class or the whole family joins. Wear athletic clothes and athletic shoes, and bring a water bottle.

And yes, bring him too

GritFit is for everyone 18+, so he's welcome in class right next to you. Then next time the couch has to move, you can both say it: "We've got this."

Try GritFit Strong

The Most Important Ninja Skill? Learning How to Fall

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:52:54 GMT

The Grit Report · For Parents

Every kid falls. They fall off bikes, off playground equipment, on icy sidewalks and on the soccer field. A CDC report on children’s injuries found that falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries for children , accounting for about 2.8 million emergency room visits a year.

We can’t stop kids from falling. But we can teach them how to fall well. At Grit Club, that’s one of the very first things every ninja and parkour athlete learns.

Why falling is a skill

When most people lose their balance, they panic. They stiffen up and throw out a straight arm to catch themselves, which is how wrists and elbows get hurt. Kids who have practiced falling react differently. They tuck their chin, round their back, bend their arms and roll or spread out the impact.

That reaction has to be trained. It only becomes automatic through practice, over and over, in a safe setting.

How we teach it

In class, falling is a game, not a lecture. Athletes practice on soft mats, starting low and building up:

Safe landings: landing a jump on the balls of the feet with soft, bent knees
Tuck and roll: rolling over the shoulder instead of the head or neck
Breakfalls: spreading out the force of a fall with the arms and body instead of one locked arm
Bailing out: stepping or jumping off an obstacle safely when a move isn’t going to work

As kids get comfortable, coaches add these skills to obstacle runs, so a safe fall becomes the natural thing to do.

Confidence, not fear

Kids who know how to fall are less afraid of trying new things. The fear of getting hurt is one of the biggest things holding kids back. When they trust their bodies to handle a mistake, they’re more willing to climb a little higher, try a new obstacle and keep going after they slip.

Skills for life

The same instincts that protect a ninja on the mat protect your child on the playground, the ski slope and the icy driveway. It’s one of the most practical things they’ll ever learn, and it starts in their very first class.

Find a Class

The Great Candy Burn-Off: Shake Off Your Sugar Buzz at Our Grand Opening

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 20:24:58 GMT

The Grit Report · For Everyone

Halloween is Saturday, October 31. Our Grand Opening is the very next afternoon, Sunday, November 1. We'd like to say we planned it that way.

By Sunday morning you'll know the scene: a pillowcase of candy on the kitchen counter, a kid who's been up since 5:30 AM, a "candy for breakfast?" negotiation already underway, and an adult who swears they only had "a few" of the little candy bars. Good news: we have a whole gym full of warped walls and obstacles that are exactly the right size for a post-Halloween sugar buzz.

Grit Club Grand Opening · Sunday, November 1 · 2:00 to 5:00 PM · Free

YOUR SUNDAY SUGAR-BUZZ MENU

The Warped Wall Challenge: Run, jump, grab the top. Kids, teens and adults are all welcome to try.
Coach demo: Watch our coaches fly through the course, then go home and tell everyone you're "basically a ninja now."
GritFit try-it (18+): Grown-ups, this one's for you. Find out what a real GritFit workout feels like.
Gym walk-through: Meet the coaches and see where your athlete will train.
Free prize drawing: Because one more treat never hurt anyone.

Please leave the costumes at home this time. Everyone will be on the equipment, so come in athletic clothes and athletic shoes.

THE NINJA CANDY EXCHANGE RATE (GROWN-UPS ONLY)

How much ninja does it take to match your favorite treat? For a grown-up, roughly:

1 mini bag of gummy bears = about 5 minutes of climbing and swinging
1 fun-size candy bar = about 8 minutes on the ninja course
1 peanut butter cup = about 10 minutes
15 pieces of candy corn = about 10 minutes
The whole pillowcase = see you at Grit Lab all week

Rough, just-for-fun estimates for a 150-pound adult moving nonstop, based on the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities and calories from candy package labels. Your mileage (and your sugar buzz) may vary.

FOR THE KIDS: NO MATH REQUIRED

Kids don't need to "earn" their candy or "burn it off." Halloween is supposed to be fun, and so is moving. We just think a kid bouncing off the walls on Sunday afternoon should have some walls that are actually built for it. Let them climb, swing, jump, fall into the mats, try the warped wall again and go home happily tired. (You're welcome.)

And for grown-ups, the best reason to come to GritFit isn't a candy bar. It's getting stronger, having fun and feeling ready for whatever the week throws at you. The candy math is just a fun excuse to try it.

BEFORE YOU COME

It's free. We encourage everyone to sign up ahead of time on our homepage at www.gritclubathletics.com.
Waivers: Everyone who goes on the equipment needs a signed waiver. Fill it out online ahead of time to skip the line.
What to wear: Athletic clothes and athletic shoes. Bring a water bottle.
Leave the candy in the car. Sticky hands and climbing holds don't mix. Our coaches thank you.

See you Sunday. Bring your sugar buzz.

Your Child's First Ninja Class: What to Expect

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:12:06 GMT

The Grit Report · For new parents

Trying something new can make kids (and parents) a little nervous. Here's exactly what happens at a first class at Grit Club, so your ninja walks in ready to have fun.

Before you come

Complete registration and required waivers before your visit.
Dress for movement. Athletic clothes with no buttons, zippers or jewelry, plus athletic shoes. Pull long hair back.
Bring a water bottle with your child's name on it.
Arrive 10 minutes early. Doors open 15 minutes before the first class of the day.

When you arrive

Check in at the front desk and we'll introduce your child to their coach. Kids set down their bags, keep their water bottles handy and head to the floor. Parents are welcome to stay and watch.

What happens in class

Every class follows a familiar rhythm, so kids know what to expect:

Warm-up: a fun, active game to get bodies moving
Skill time: coaches teach a skill, like safe landings, hanging, balancing or climbing, and break it into small steps
Obstacle time: athletes practice the skill on the obstacles, with a coach right there
Course run: everything comes together in a mini ninja course
Cool-down and high-fives: a quick stretch and a shout-out for each athlete's win of the day

Classes are capped at 10 athletes, so your child gets real attention from their coach.

If your child is nervous

That's completely normal. Coaches never force a child onto an obstacle. They start low and small and celebrate every step. Shy kids often warm up fast once they see what's possible. If your child needs a minute, let them watch for a bit; they usually can't resist joining in.

After class

Ask your child what their favorite obstacle was and what they want to try next time. Ninja progress happens week by week, and kids love telling you about it.

Find the right class

Grit Movers (2–3) and Grit Minis (3–5): 30-minute classes for our youngest athletes
Grit Ninja 1 (5–12) and Grit Parkour 1 (8–13): no experience needed
Grit Homeschool (5–16): daytime classes Wednesday and Thursday

Find a Class

About Us: Why We Built Grit Club

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:08:07 GMT

The Grit Report · Our story

"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." — Franklin D. Roosevelt

That's Randi's favorite quote. It's the reason we coach, the reason we volunteer and the reason Grit Club exists.

We're Randi and Michael Brantner, and we're opening Grit Club Athletics on November 1, 2026 , at 750 Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs.

Who we are

We're former Spartan racers. We know what it feels like to stand at the bottom of a wall that looks impossible, and we know what it feels like when a stranger reaches down and pulls you over. That's the spirit of obstacle racing, and it's the spirit we want in our gym.

Randi is also a former dance instructor and cheer coach. She knows first hand how kids gain confidence one skill at a time.

Between us, we bring more than 40 years of experience in finance, operations, facilities, public safety and emergency response, and we've split Grit Club the same way. Randi, who has an MBA and is a Six Sigma Black Belt, leads the business side: enrollment, scheduling, finances and making sure every family has a great experience. Michael leads facilities and safety. He's a former EMT shift supervisor at the summit of Pikes Peak and a former wildland fire crew supervisor and incident commander, and today he manages facilities and security for 16 public buildings across the region. He's also an Eagle Scout.

We've also been Scouting America leaders for six years. Michael is Cubmaster for a Pack of more than 70 Cub Scouts in kindergarten through 5th grade. Randi is Scoutmaster for a Troop of more than 15 girls ages 11–17, and an assistant Scoutmaster for a Troop of more than 35 boys ages 11–17. Every week, we see what young people can do when someone believes in them and gives them a place to belong.

We're parents, too. Our two kids are a big part of why Grit Club matters so much to us. We're building the kind of place we want for our own kids.

A place where kids belong

Today's kids spend a lot of their lives on screens, in social media and video games. We wanted to build something different: a real place, with real people, where kids put the phone down, climb something hard and hear a crowd cheer when they do it.

Not every kid fits into a traditional team sport, and that's okay. Some kids aren't built for the soccer field or the basketball court, but they light up on a warped wall. Grit Club is for them. It's a place for non-traditional athletes to find their team: coaches and friends who show up every week and cheer them on.

Why this space matters

When the ninja gym that used to call this space home closed, our ninja community lost something big. Kids lost their coaches, their friends and the place where they felt strong. Parents lost the community they'd built in the bleachers.

We couldn't let that be the end of the story. Grit Club is our way of bringing that community back home and building it into something even stronger.

What we believe

Grit is built, not born. Every athlete starts somewhere, and every fall is part of the climb.
Everyone gets a team. Ninja may be an individual sport, but nobody here trains alone.
Safety and trust come first.
Community is everything. We're not just a gym. We're a family of athletes, parents and coaches who show up for each other.

That's what our slogan means: Built on grit. Driven by community.

Come meet us

Come celebrate at our Grand Opening on Sunday, November 1, from 2 to 5 PM : remarks and a ribbon cutting at 2 PM, a gym walk-through, a free open gym for every age, snacks and a prize drawing. Participant signup and signed waivers are required before participation. See Grand Opening details.

We'll see you on the course.

Randi and Michael Brantner Owners, Grit Club Athletics