On average, 5.9 million viewers tune into "American Ninja Warrior" every week, according to Variety. Those viewers got to witness two Chicago firefighters dominate the competition. Brandon Mears and Dan Polizzi, both heavily muscled and well over 6 feet tall, represented the Chicago Fire Department well on the television game show. Participating in challenging events like wall climbing, bar gymnastics and jumping between beams using only their fingertips, Mears and Polizzi advanced to the semifinal rounds.
"I have a lot of people say, 'Oh, I can do that. No problem,'" Polizzi told the Daily Herald, "but then they come in here and try it and realize how hard it is."
Both men train at the Chicago Ninja Academy and are among the five men from that gym selected to participate in the regional competitions for the show. Only 600 of the 50,000 people who submit audition tapes are selected to participate. Out of all those competitors, Mears is one of the few who made it to the final round. Both men, who called themselves the "Tower of Power," stick to a strict diet of lean meats and protein shakes and exercise for two to four hours six days a week. They use their influence to inspire the local kids who come to their gym to live a healthier lifestyle.