Right after the successful launch of The Bike Playground, Circulo Verde, Ortigas & Company’s 10-hectare master planned mixed-use community in Quezon City welcomes the Ninja Academy at the 2nd Floor of Industria.
Ninja Academy is the very first parkour and free running facility in the Philippines and the biggest in Southeast Asia. “We are bringing Ninja Academy to Circulo Verde because it perfectly fits our thrust to be a community that encourages a healthier lifestyle,” says Arch. Renee C. Bacani, VP of Ortigas & Company.
If you’re thinking that only athletes can become as swift, agile, and skilled as a ninja, you are never more mistaken. Raven Solar, chief Ninja at the Ninja Academy, is the first to disprove that. “At Ninja Academy, we cater to both beginners and experienced practitioners. The training that we give is customizable.”
The workouts are catered to match your level. If you want a specific program, like one that focuses on muscle growth or weight loss, the modules can be adjusted to suit your needs.
In fact, Ninja Academy encourages kids as young as three years old to enroll. “We offer a natural way of developing motor skills. We once had a ten-year-old student whom we trained to learn eye and body coordination which were his weak points.”
Primarily, the facility is for those who want to learn parkour, or “the functional and creative movement of a person attempting to overcome an obstacle in a given environment.” Solar shares that in 2008 when he was a parkour practitioner in Manila, they have had to deal with challenges like sudden downpour, the absence of sturdy obstacles, and law enforcement people who thought that parkour was a destructive sport. “We were told not to do our training in the streets.”
Since parkour gyms were very popular in the US and the United Kingdom, Solar decided to put up Ninja Academy in 2014.
Other than parkour, Ninja Academy also offers training programs for muscle building, conditioning, fitness, strength training, and more. Solar is proud that at Ninja Academy, they provide functional training. The term might sound very technical but it actually refers to training that can be applied to everyday life.
Solar adds that Ninja Academy is a complimentary training ground. “If you’re into basketball, you can add in crossfit for flexibility and agility.” The facility had been able to train soldiers and boxers and early this year introduced the Ninja Fit Program specifically designed for those who want to either lose weight or gain weight. They also provide one-on-one coaching to special children. “We at Ninja Academy believe that everyone has the potential to be a ninja.”
Learn the ways of a true Ninja by enrolling at Ninja Academy in Circulo Verde. Pre-selling lowest membership rates are at P1750 per month for the first 99 sign-ups. Search for “Ninja Academy – PH” on Facebook.
