USA Ninja Challenge

CONCORD, N.H. —&nbsp;<a href="https://usaninjachallenge.com/franchising/ninja-franchising?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=usa-ninja-challenge-ends-2025-with-20-units-awarded-expanded-leadership-team-and-a-strong-foundation-for-a-landmark-2026-2731003" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">USA Ninja Challenge</a>, the nation’s leading children’s ninja fitness franchise, is closing out 2025 with record momentum, marking a pivotal year of growth, franchise expansion and strategic investment that positions the brand for a “breakout” 2026.“Big picture, 2025 was really our breakthrough year in terms of organization and growth,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge/how-dale-grant-used-three-decades-of-gymnastics-expertise-to-build-usa-ninja-challenge-2728886">Dale Grant</a>, president of&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge/info">USA Ninja Challenge</a>. “This is the year where we set the foundation for everything that 2026 is going to bring. We spent a lot of time strengthening our programs, our training and the support structures that allow our franchisees to thrive.”USA Ninja Challenge’s growth outpaced many other family- and fitness-focused franchise brands in 2025. The company will finish the year with 20 new unit sales and 11 new openings, bringing the system to 46 open locations nationwide.“We opened up California for the first time this year, and we now have four locations open there,” Grant said. “That milestone officially makes us a coast-to-coast brand.”Other key openings included Kansas City, Missouri — a move that Grant says will “start to open up more of the Midwest” — along with continued expansion across Texas and the Northeast.The brand also has six additional locations set to open in the first quarter of 2026, part of a strategic rollout that reflects stronger, more proactive territory planning thanks to new data tools and market insights.One of the most transformative stories of 2025 for USA Ninja Challenge was its investment in building out a robust, scalable corporate team. The brand added key leadership roles and expanded its operational infrastructure — moves designed to dramatically enhance franchisee support.“We took on some investment this year, which allowed us to create the staff we really needed,” Grant said. “In the last five months alone, we put a new COO in place, built our own in-house IT and software development team, expanded our site search and buildout department and just this week added a CMO with many years of franchise experience.”USA Ninja Challenge also expanded its training organization by adding a new team member specializing in Learning Management System (LMS) development and technical training.“Getting these people in place helps us stop wearing so many hats,” Grant said. “It allows us to provide better support to franchisees and brings more consistency to our overall growth rhythm.”In early 2026, the team will continue to strengthen with the addition of a new controller.To deepen franchisee capabilities, USA Ninja Challenge rolled out several new initiatives this year — most notably&nbsp;<a href="https://profitsoup.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=usa-ninja-challenge-ends-2025-with-20-units-awarded-expanded-leadership-team-and-a-strong-foundation-for-a-landmark-2026-2731003" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ProfitSoup</a>, a financial training program designed for franchisees with little to no business background. “It’s based on helping franchisees understand their business better and truly understand their numbers,” Grant said. “It’s one of the most important tools we introduced this year.”The brand also launched its first franchise advisory council, composed of a blend of new and experienced owners, giving franchisees a stronger voice in operational decision-making. “We have a great group involved,” Grant said. “This level of collaboration is going to help us improve the business as a whole.”In October, USA Ninja Challenge celebrated these milestones with its first annual franchisee conference, drawing nearly half the system — including locations not yet open. “The turnout was fantastic,” Grant said. “We rolled out all of our new initiatives, invited key vendors and had incredible feedback from owners.”With its infrastructure strengthened and foundational work completed, USA Ninja Challenge enters 2026 with its sights set on major expansion.“We’re currently on track to install and open two locations per month,” Grant said. “We already have the first four months scheduled. Our goal is to open 24 locations next year and award between 30 and 35 new units.”The brand is also increasing its presence in youth athletics, particularly as the sport of ninja prepares for its debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. “As an Olympic sport, Ninja is going to need a roadmap,” Grant said. “The level system in which we train athletes is going to have to be universalized — and we’re going to be part of shaping that future.”With youth fitness on the rise, enrollment surpassing 8,000 nationwide and the brand’s top athletes continuing to compete at elite events, USA Ninja Challenge is positioned to lead the category into a defining decade.“2025 was about building,” Grant said. “2026 will be about implementing. We now have the people, tools and structure to elevate this brand to an entirely new level.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge">https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge</a>.About USA Ninja ChallengeNinja Challenge is the leading kids’ Ninja franchise, offering an exciting obstacle-based fitness experience for children across the United States. Since its founding nearly a decade ago, USA Ninja Challenge has grown into a trusted brand nearing 40 gyms and more in development. The franchise combines fun and fitness by teaching kids agility, balance, and problem-solving through a series of structured obstacle courses. As the only Ninja franchise partnered with the USA Pentathlon Multisport Olympic Team, USA Ninja Challenge is helping raise awareness for Ninja as an official sport, set to debut in the 2028 Olympics. With low initial investment, high margins, and rapid ROI, USA Ninja Challenge offers franchisees the opportunity to build profitable businesses while making a lasting impact on children's physical fitness and confidence. For more information on USA Ninja Challenge or to learn about franchise opportunities, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usaninjachallenge.com/franchising/ninja-franchising?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=usa-ninja-challenge-ends-2025-with-20-units-awarded-expanded-leadership-team-and-a-strong-foundation-for-a-landmark-2026-2731003" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.usaninjachallenge.com/franchising/ninja-franchising</a>.

USA Ninja Challenge: 2025 Growth & 2026 Expansion for Kids' Ninja Fitness Franchise

1851 Franchise

The kids’ ninja fitness franchise celebrates a transformative year of development, organizational investment and coast-to-coast expansion as the sport prepares for its Olympic future.

This brand page has been paid for by USA NINJA CHALLENGE. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

USA Ninja Challenge Ends 2025 With 20 Units Awarded, Expanded Leadership Team and a Strong Foundation for a Landmark 2026

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Where Passion Meets Purpose: USA Ninja Challenge Gives Franchisees the Power to Change Lives

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USA Ninja Challenge Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

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USA Ninja Challenge - Midyear Momentum 2025 - 1851 Franchise

USA Ninja Challenge Hits New Strides in 2025 With Record Growth, Olympic Momentum

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When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-umpa-pmp/">Dan Umpa</a> talks about his path to business ownership, it’s clear the story starts long before he ever heard of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usaninjachallenge.com/franchising/ninja-franchising">USA Ninja Challenge</a>. It traces back to Long Island, where he grew up watching the Coast Guard pilots stationed near Robert Moses and Jones Beach. Those early memories shaped his sense of purpose.“I always used to look up to those guys,” Umpa said. “They were there in people’s times of need… their whole point of being there is to save lives and help people.”That instinct to serve stuck. After high school, Umpa set his sights on the U.S. Naval Academy, drawn to what he described as a “leadership laboratory” where he could immerse himself in both academics and military training. He graduated in 2009 with a degree in robotics and engineering — a foundation that would later make&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge/info">USA Ninja Challenge</a> feel surprisingly familiar.He went on to become a naval aviator, flying search-and-rescue helicopters — “the Swiss Army knife of the Navy,” as he calls them — where adaptability, readiness and problem-solving weren’t just professional expectations, but survival tools.<h3>Leading From the Front</h3>Umpa says his military experience is woven into the culture of his Ninja gym. One lesson stands above the rest: “Never tell somebody to do anything you're not willing to do yourself.”It’s a principle that guides how he leads employees, works with families and inspires students. Whether it’s cleaning, fixing equipment or moving obstacles, he makes sure his team sees him doing the work too. “I'm leading from the front,” he said. “I am just as willing and able to do it as they are.”That consistency sets the tone. “If you're not willing to do it yourself, how can you possibly ask somebody else to do it?” he said.<h3>Semper Gumby: “Always Flexible”</h3>Umpa jokes that his gym operates under its own motto — a twist on the Marine Corps’ Semper Fidelis. “We call it Semper Gumby, always flexible,” he said.Working with kids means no two days look the same. The military prepared him for exactly that. As a pilot, he trained for endless scenarios and learned how to adjust in real time while still keeping the mission at the center.“You have to maintain that flexible mindset with the overall mission goal still in mind,” he said. “If you're not… and you're just staying rigid where you're at, it's not going to work.”That approach translates directly to his role as a franchise owner: navigating parent expectations, staff needs, facility operations, class flow and the emotional dynamics of young athletes.<h3>Why USA Ninja Challenge Was the Right Fit</h3>While reviewing franchise opportunities, Umpa kept coming back to his engineering background. USA Ninja Challenge allowed him to build — not just a business, but the environment itself.“I always enjoyed building things,” he said. “This looked like an amazing opportunity to not just build a business but to have a business where I get to build things.”That includes designing obstacles, shaping class progression, developing coaches and strengthening the community inside his gym. He also saw strong brand health and momentum.&nbsp;But most importantly, he loved the structured, skill-based curriculum. “That’s what differentiates us from any other kids' activity,” Umpa said. “They're not going to get the same experience as if they had our expert coaches actually guiding them through a skill progression program.”<h3>Why Veterans Excel as Franchise Owners</h3>Umpa believes veterans bring natural strengths to franchise ownership — especially leadership, composure and adaptability.“People who have served have leadership experience under stressful situations,” he said. “Their ability to handle those stressful situations and think calmly sets the veteran community a little bit apart.”But he returns again to the concept of flexibility. Veterans are trained to understand a mission, recognize a changing situation and adjust intelligently.“You have that knowledge to say, ‘All right, well, I recognize the situation now. I need to change and do something different to be able to complete this mission,’” he said.That mindset isn’t only useful at USA Ninja Challenge — it’s foundational to entrepreneurship itself. “Not every day is going to be a bed of roses,” he said. “I love having the easy days but I'm always ready for the hard ones.”<h3>His Advice to Fellow Veterans</h3>For veterans considering franchising, Umpa offers one central reminder: “Remember your training.”Military service doesn’t just prepare service members to follow steps — it prepares them to think, lead and problem-solve.“It was a framework that taught you how to learn,” he said. “It taught you the principles of leadership. Try to keep that flexible mindset and remember the framework your training led you through.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge.">https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge.</a>&nbsp;

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USA Ninja Challenge Ends 2025 With 20 Units Awarded, Expanded Leadership Team and a Strong Foundation for a Landmark 2026

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