David Becker/NBC
The finalists for season 8 of "American Ninja Warrior."
The first time I watched a person hop across a bunch of bright blue pillars before gloriously falling into a pool of water below, my first thought was: how did he get there?
It turned out, "American Ninja Warrior" is really, really popular. In the show, contestants subject themselves to insane-looking obstacle courses, trying to get across a complicated, cartoonish terrain as fast as they can. It's kind of like what Mario has to go through to get past Bowser and save Peach in her castle.
Like many game shows, the behind-the-scenes of "America Ninja Warrior" are just as fascinating as what you see on screen. Here are the answers to all the unexpected and obscure parts of being on "American Ninja Warrior."