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Zoo Ninja Gym
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Unleash your natural instincts

The ninja warrior gym at the Metro Richmond Zoo. Warped walls, nets, rings, ropes and air tracks for curious cubs (age 3) to apex athletes.

Book a classFind your troop
A young ninja swings from a rope under the gym canopy while a coach watches
Saturdays · Late Fall SeasonNovember 14 – December 19 · drop-in $30

Find your troop

How old is your ninja on the first day of the season, Saturday, November 14?

Lemurs

Lemur catta

Ages
6–9
When
Saturdays 1:00–1:50 PM
Drop-in
$30
Season
from $125
Join the seasonDrop in

Explore the habitat

Seven exhibits, one wild gym. Every stop below shows who it's for, when, and what it costs.

  1. A young ninja climbs a hanging obstacle1

    Ninja classes

    Obstacle-course training by age troop, from Capuchins (3–5) to Gibbons (15+).

    • Drop-in $30
    • Season from $125
    • Saturdays
    See this exhibit
  2. A group of campers in hand-decorated headbands posing on the gym floor2

    Summer & School's Out camps

    A full day of ninja training, games, and a visit to the zoo's siamang troops.

    • Ages 6–14
    • 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
    • $95 / day
    See this exhibit
  3. A ninja swings up a climbing obstacle3

    Ninja Night Out

    Three supervised hours of obstacles and games, with pizza. Parents get the night.

    • Ages 6–13
    • 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
    • $50
    See this exhibit
  4. The covered gym floor: rings and rigs over blue mats4

    Birthday parties

    Your crew gets the whole 7,200 sq ft canopy to themselves, hosted by our coaches.

    • $350 / party
    • Up to 12 kids
    • Sat 1 PM or 3 PM
    See this exhibit
  5. A ninja traverses a line of rings5

    Open gym

    Train at your own pace on 30+ real American Ninja Warrior obstacles.

    • Drop-in from $15
    • $75 / month
    • Ages 1 to adult
    See this exhibit
  6. An adult ninja swings between bars6

    Team building & private events

    Group training and semi-competitive ninja games for companies, teams and groups.

    • Private sessions
    • Coach-led
    • Inquire for dates
    See this exhibit
  7. 7

    Wild Ninja Competition

    A 2-mile adventure with 42 obstacles grouped into 10 Animal Challenges around the zoo. Rack up points and reach “Least Concern” status.

    Run wild
The Zoo Ninja Gym floor: red-padded rigs, rings and bars over blue mats
  • 7,200 sq ft covered, open-air gym
  • 30+ real American Ninja Warrior obstacles
  • 900 sq ft air track for tumbling and parkour

Train wild

Elite obstacle training meets primal movement. We train ninja, tumbling and body awareness that conditions kids for any other sport.

The curved warped wall, with 10, 12 and 14 foot versionsWarped walls: 10, 12 & 14 ft
Justin Andelin, the original Zoo Ninja, walks across a stage with a blue-and-gold macaw on his arm

Meet the original Zoo Ninja

Justin Andelin · American Ninja Warrior seasons 10, 11, 14, 18, 19

Justin is the General Manager of the Metro Richmond Zoo. He didn't just grow up near the animals — he grew up with them, trading standard gym equipment for swinging from branches and training on great ape exhibits.

A five-time American Ninja Warrior competitor (seasons 10, 11, 14, 18, and 19), he's known for bringing his wild coworkers to the course — a friendly African penguin, a whiskered screech owl — as a reminder that nature is the ultimate training ground.

Our story

The Code of the Wild

Training doesn't stop when you leave the gym. These five rules go home with every ninja.

Wild at Heart
We never forget that “monkeying around” is where the magic happens.
Perseverance
Never back down from a challenge.
Protect the Troop
Community is our greatest strength.
Conservation
We are stewards of the planet.
Survival
Total awareness and safety-first instincts.

Plan your visit

We're in the upper parking lot of the Metro Richmond Zoo: 8300 Beaver Bridge Rd STE B, Moseley, VA. Book ahead, since we only open the floor for booked ninjas.

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