Overcoming Obstacles is Key to American Ninja Warrior Michael Silenzi's Success
By Lia Kizilbash Gillet
Michael Silenzi, '10, M.S. '12, celebrates his success on NBC's American Ninja Warrior.
(Photo: Elizabeth Morris/NBC)
NBC’s American Ninja Warrior Michael Silenzi, ’10, M.S. ’12, a.k.a. “The Stallion,” was a student at NIU when some of his friends had the wild idea of auditioning for the show. A few weeks later, they were accepted to compete on American Ninja Warrior’s fourth season, and Silenzi has competed in 10 seasons ever since.
“I didn’t know about the show at the time.” said Silenzi. “When a few guys told me they thought I’d be good at it I decided to go for it. I ended up doing very well and making the finals. I was instantly hooked. I knew immediately after competing that this was going to change my life.”
The show, which Silenzi describes as “the hardest obstacle course you can imagine,” takes place over water with a live audience. Contestants use their strength, stamina and serious grit to maneuver through a television-worthy obstacle course to hit the buzzer at the course’s finish line. Those who successfully reach the finish line compete in a series of other courses culminating with the American Ninja Warrior finals in Las Vegas. If all four stages of the finals are completed successfully, one ninja will take home the grand prize of $1M. Silenzi has hit semi-final buzzers for three seasons in a row (seasons 13, 14, and 15) and has competed in Las Vegas seven times.
“Being in my mid-to-late thirties and still competing well on American Ninja Warrior has made me very proud,” he said.
After completing his first season on the show, Silenzi was inspired to open a gym, partly to help him train for future shows.
“I wanted others to experience how challenging and fun obstacles can be,” he said. “I knew if I enjoyed the challenge of doing obstacles that other people would too.”
In 2017, Silenzi partnered with Ultimate Ninjas founder Jeff Piejak and opened an Ultimate Ninjas location in Libertyville, Illinois. Silenzi is now co-owner of three locations and is part of the Ultimate Ninjas Franchise Group, helping to start future locations.
“We quickly learned that 99 percent of people who want to participate in obstacles are kids,” Silenzi said. “Coaching kids has been extremely rewarding. Being a positive role model and having a life-changing impact on some kids is very fulfilling.”
Despite his busy schedule and leadership responsibilities, Silenzi doesn’t stop having fun at work.
“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing,” Silenzi said. “Working hard and spending countless hours working feels different when you do something you love.”
(Photo: Elizabeth Morris/NBC)
Silenzi says following his passions has never led him astray. He grew up as a competitive gymnast and noted that by age 12, he ranked 37th nationally.
“I moved around a lot growing up and lived in almost every state in the Midwest,” he said. “Moving every couple of years forced me to learn to adapt to different situations and environments and how to make friends quickly. My youth was a bit unusual because not many boys did gymnastics, but the sport taught me how to work hard, deal with injuries, and stay humble with success. I was a state champion multiple times.”
Silenzi came to NIU not precisely sure what he wanted to do. He joined the NIU gymnast club team, but an injury in his sophomore year helped him realize he wanted to be a physical therapist. After earning his bachelor's degree in health sciences, Silenzi pursued a master’s in physical therapy and went on to practice physical therapy for five years before opening his first Ultimate Ninjas facility.
“I enjoyed my time at NIU a lot,” he said. "I made lifelong connections, and I owe a lot to the physical therapy class of 2012. I never thought I’d be a successful competitor on a TV show and play on obstacles for a living, but I can’t think of a better outcome!”