The Floating Monkey Bars is an obstacle, firstly introduced as the eighth obstacle during Pittsburgh finals on American Ninja Warrior 7.
It consisted of two bars and six suspended trays, spaced 3 feet apart. After completing the Salmon Ladder, competitors must transfer to the two bars positioned in the first two trays. Then, they must move forward by continuing to move the rear bar to the next tray, until they were close enough to make the dismount to the landing platform.
Several competitors carelessly dropped one of the bar, which resulted in them to directly make the dismount to the landing platform from where they last placed a bar (with most of them failed to do it).
In its debut during Pittsburgh finals, seven out of 18 competitors could complete the obstacle, including Joe Moravsky, Elet Hall, Jamie Rahn, Mike Bernardo, Sean Darling-Hammond, Geoff Britten, and Mike Meyers. On the other side, competitors such as Brian Wilczewski, P.J. Granger, Pavel Fesyuk, Adam Grossman, Aaron Himelright, Adam Mihm, Ron Schmidt, Todd Mitchell and Jazon Khazi failed on this obstacle.
Other Season Appearances[]
American Ninja Warrior 8[]
The Floating Monkey Bars made its second appearance on American Ninja Warrior 8, once again as the eighth obstacle during Atlanta finals. This time, the third and fifth tray was moved six inches above the others for adding difficulty.
This time around, 16 competitors attempted the obstacle, and just like during Pittsburgh finals on the previous season, seven competitors completed the obstacle. Notable competitors who went out on the obstacle included Neil Craver, Todd Bourgeois, Mack Roesch, Yuri Force, Mike Chick, and both the Brazi Bros (Lucas Gomes and Alexio Gomes).
American Ninja Warrior 9[]
The Floating Monkey Bars returned once again on American Ninja Warrior 9, as the eighth obstacle during Kansas City finals. This time, one tray was added at the end of the obstacle, making it seven suspended trays, with the fifth tray was placed higher than the other trays.
However, unlike during the past two American Ninja Warrior seasons, the obstacle became more brutal, as only two out of nine competitors (Mitch VeDepo and Tyler Yamauchi) could complete it. This was likely due to fatigue and early eliminations from the front-half obstacles, mostly on the Broken Pipes and Bar Hop. Competitors who failed on the obstacle included Lance Pekus, Jeremiah Morgan, Dave Cavanagh, Hunter Guerard, Eric Middleton, Jelani Allen, and Alex Carson.
Later, combined with the other obstacles, Kansas City finals on American Ninja Warrior 9 became just the second city finals course in American Ninja Warrior history to have zero finishers (after Philadelphia finals on American Ninja Warrior 8).
American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja[]
A version of the Flying Monkey Bars appeared as the fifth obstacle during the third, sixth, and ninth qualifying round appeared during American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja. Compared to the regular season, there were only four cradles and each of them had its own bar (didn't have to take the bar to the next cradle) with two lache bars at the end of the obstacle. It eliminated Lauren Keen, Karsten Williams, Paul Kasemir, Rachael Goldstein, Sara Heesen, Sean Bryan, Rebekah Bonilla, Adam Rayl, and Mike Bernardo (who failed the obstacle twice).
American Ninja Warrior 11[]
After being absent for one season, the Floating Monkey Bars appeared as the eighth obstacle during Seattle-Tacoma finals on American Ninja Warrior 11. This time, the cradles were angled and positioned behind their support structures.
The obstacle became much more brutal once again, as only Karson Voiles, Jessie Graff, and Dan Yager could complete it out of 14 competitors who attempted it. Likely, this was caused by the brutality of the Lightning Bolts, which eliminated over 50% of the entire city finalists field. Notable competitors who went down on this obstacle included Nate Burkhalter, Nick Hanson, Mady Howard, Sandy Zimmerman, Zack Scholes, Matt Dolce, Scott Behrends, and most shockingly, Sean Bryan.
The three competitors who completed the obstacle eventually fell on the next obstacle, the Northwest Passage, making Seattle-Tacoma finals on American Ninja Warrior 11 became the third instance in American Ninja Warrior history where no competitor was able to complete the city finals course (after American Ninja Warrior 8's Philadelphia finals and American Ninja Warrior 9's Kansas City finals), the second consecutive time the Floating Monkey Bars was on a course that had this occurrence happened (after American Ninja Warrior 9's Kansas City finals), and the first ever instance where no competitor was able to reach the final obstacle of the city finals course.
Other Appearances[]
Australian Ninja Warrior[]
On Australian Ninja Warrior 2, the Floating Monkey Bars (locally called the Floating Monkey) appeared as the seventh obstacle during the semifinals (except in Semifinal 4), with just four trays used.
Similar to its appearance on American Ninja Warrior, the obstacle was preceded by the Salmon Ladder with no rest. However, unlike on American Ninja Warrior (where both the Salmon Ladder and Floating Monkey Bars were counted as one separate obstacle each), both the Salmon Ladder and Floating Monkey Bars on that competition were combined and counted as one obstacle. Therefore, the obstacle was named as the Salmon Ladder to Floating Monkey.
Then, on Australian Ninja Warrior 5, the Floating Monkey appeared as the fifth obstacle Heat 1 and Heat 3. This time, there were six cradles, each was placed at different position. There was a rope and a laché bar at the start as the medium to reach this obstacle, as well as another laché bar after the sixth tray (similar to Ninja Warrior Israel 3's version during Heat 6 and Heat 10). The obstacle was also paired with the Flying Shelf Grab as part of the Crossroads' Path A.
Ninja Warrior France[]
On Ninja Warrior France 3, Floating Monkey Bars was the second obstacle of Stage Two. There were five cradles at the same height. Contestants also had to use two lache bars to reach the first cradle.
Ninja Warrior Germany[]
Floating Monkey Bars made its debut in Ninja Warrior Germany 2, in Heat 2 semifinals as the 4th obstacle. There are 5 trays in total and the gap between the 3rd and 4th tray is slightly larger than the rest. Also there is a fixed bar at the start of the obstacle.
It returned to Ninja Warrior Germany 3. once again as the fourth obstacle of the Semifinals Qualification 6 and 7. There were still five trays and a lache bar at the start, but another lache bar was added at the end.
On Ninja Warrior Germany 4, the Floating Monkey Bars was once again the fourth obstacle of the Semifinals Qualification 6. The number of trays had been increased to six.
Team Ninja Warrior Germany[]
On Team Ninja Warrior Germany 2, the Floating Monkey Bars appeared as the eighth obstacle of Seeding and Relay in Episode 1. There were four sets of cradles in total, with a lache bar between the second and the third, as well as before the first and after the last. Competitors would have to carry at least one of the bars from the first two sets of cradles to the third, as another bar was already placed of the last set of cradles.
Ninja Israel[]
On Ninja Warrior Israel 2, the Floating Monkey Bars, simply called בר הקופים (Monkey Bars) appeared as the fifth obstacle in Heat 6, Heat 11 and Against the Route Heat, with just five trays used. Unlike American Ninja Warrior, the obstacle also featured two laché bars, with a laché at the start as a medium to reach this obstacle, as well as another laché bar after the fifth tray as a medium to dismount to the landing platform. The obstacle was very brutal, as it eliminated 6 out of 12 competitors who attempted it.
Then, on Ninja Warrior Israel 3, the Floating Monkey Bars appeared as the fifth obstacle in Route B of Heat 6 and Heat 10, then reappeared as the fourth obstacle in Route A of Repechage Heat. In Heat 6 and Heat 10, the obstacle featured a rope at the start as a medium to reach the laché. In Repechage Heat, the rope was replaced by a trampoline. The obstacle was very easy in Heat 6, as both two competitors attempted and cleared it, but the obstacle later very brutal in next heats, as it elimineted two out of four competitors in Heat 10 and two out of four competitors in Repechage Heat who attempted it.
Later, on Ninja Warrior Israel 4, the Floating Monkey Bars was combined with the Inclined Cylinder as the fifth obstacle in Heat 7. Due to Heat 7 being the heat for women competitors only, the obstacle was modified compared to the one used during Heat 6 and Heat 10 of the previous season:
- The first laché was removed, leaving only a rope as a medium to reach the obstacle,
- The number of trays were reduced to three, and
- After placing the bar on the final tray, competitor must reach to the resting bar, which gave competitors the chance to rest before attempting the Inclined Cylinder.
This modification made the obstacle very easy for women competitors, as it only eliminated 2 out of 8 competitors who attempted it.
On Ninja Warrior Israel 5, the Floating Monkey Bars appeared as the first obstacle in Finals' Stage Three, with a similar configuration to its appearance in Ninja Warrior Israel 2, except that there was a rope placed after the second laché as a medium to dismount to the landing platform. Both Yogev Malka and Shneor Sameach attempted and cleared this obstacle.
Ninja Warrior Spain[]
Floating Monkey Bars was the 4th obstacle of Heat 4 semifinals of Ninja Warrior Spain 1.
Competitors' Success Rate[]
- All results based on the NBC/Keshet 12 broadcast and external information found
American Ninja Warrior[]
ANW | Clears | Attempts | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|
ANW7 | 7 | 18 | 38.89% |
ANW8 | 7 | 16 | 43.75% |
ANW9 | 2 | 9 | 22.22% |
ANW11 | 3 | 14 | 21.43% |
Total | 19 | 57 | 33.33% |
Ninja Israel[]
NWI | Clears | Attempts | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|
NWI2 (Heat 6) | 5 | 8 | 62.5% |
NWI2 (Heat 11) | 1 | 4 | 25% |
NWI2 (Against The Route Heat) | 0 | 0 | N/A |
NWI3 (Heat 6) | 2 | 2 | 100% |
NWI3 (Heat 10) | 2 | 4 | 50% |
NWI3 (Repechage Heat) | 2 | 4 | 50% |
NWI4 | 6 | 8 | 75% |
NWI5 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
Total | 20 | 32 | 62.5% |