Sam Goodall
Tom recently caught up with friend and local celebrity Sam Goodall AKA the Tradie Ninja from Australian Ninja Warrior at his home and training ground for a chat about the life of The Tradie Ninja.
You aren’t always The Tradie Ninja are you? Its not actually your day job is it?
No, I am actually a qualified chippy or carpenter, that’s my actual day job. I work for myself working on a range of jobs from home renovations, extensions and shed building. The Tradie Ninja is something on the side. I got involved in Ninja Warrior when a friend of mine sent me the online application form and information saying we should both try out. So, I thought why not and applied. The funny thing is I applied, and he never did.
What does a day in the life of The Tradie Ninja look like?
A typical day for me will be a full day on the tools working on a range of jobs. After work I make sure to get family time in with my wife Rachel and our daughter Abby then try to get at least 30 minutes of training in. My training will usually consist of upper body strength building, cardio, grip work and tower climbs. I will train most days of the week. It sounds like a lot but my motivation for pushing myself and doing what I do is my faith, without that I wouldn’t be able to do any of this.
How did The Tradie Ninja brand come to exist?
It sort of naturally occurred, I didn’t set out to be The Tradie Ninja. I just rocked up at trials in tradie clothes as they were comfortable, and I was used to moving around in them and it developed from there. I think it also helped the show becoming The Tradie Ninja as it allowed me to stand out.
What has competing in Ninja Warrior taught you and what lessons have you learnt from and other contestants?
It has opened my eyes up to how different people can be. You get a bit caught up in your own little corner of the world, you become used to your own city and its people and forget that we live in a big country full of different cultures, beliefs and ideas. It caused me to change the way I looked at people who are different and to look at what their strengths were and how I can learn from these.
The other thing I learnt was that I am not as young as I thought I was. I have learnt a lot about how much my body can and cannot handle, especially while I had ross river virus during season 2. After the first season where I went in with no real training or practice I learnt I needed to be more focused on my training and place a big focus on recovery. You can get strong muscles fast but you need to allow time for your tendons and ligaments to develop as well otherwise you get injured and the recovery takes a long time.
I have noticed you have taken to social media a lot more since season 1, was this a planned effort?
The social media stuff didn’t come naturally to me, its not my strong suit or something I am comfortable with, but I thought I would show those who were interested some of the aspects of my life and what I do. Around the airing of the show the momentum greatly increases, and you need to put a lot more effort into crafting content that will be different, interesting and funny for your audience. I try to show off this beautiful place we live to those in the city and be myself in what I put up.
What moment has had a lasting effect on you so far from all this?
I was deeply encouraged and moved by the support of fans online and in person after season 2. Random people who I had never meet before would come up to me in the street and see how I was going with my health and wish me well, it really encouraged me to keep going and get better for season 3.
What is next on the cards for The Tradie Ninja?
I am looking forward to getting back into training and getting ready for another season with another attempt at getting to the top of that tower.
