Most people watch American Ninja Warrior to see top-tier athletes do things that don't seem physically possible. You know the drill: gravity-defying leaps, finger-strength that could crush a walnut, and that iconic sprint up the Warped Wall. But when Jimmy Choi stepped onto the course in 2017, the stakes weren't just about a buzzer or a trophy.
He was shaking. Not from nerves—though those were there—but because of a brain that doesn't always send the right signals to his muscles.
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Jimmy Choi is a name that has become synonymous with "no excuses." Diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD) at just 27 years old, Jimmy spent the better part of a decade in a dark place of denial. Fast forward to today, and he’s a multi-year Ninja veteran, a world-record holder, and a guy who has raised over half a million dollars for research.
Honestly, his story isn't just about a TV show. It’s about what happens when you decide that a diagnosis isn't a life sentence, but a pivot point.
The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything
It’s easy to look at Jimmy now—ripped, agile, and doing burpees like a machine—and assume he’s always been this way. He wasn't. For about eight years after his diagnosis in 2003, Jimmy basically gave up. He ignored the doctors. He hid his condition from his family for years. By 2010, he weighed 250 pounds, used a cane to get around, and was spiraling into deep depression.
Then came the stairs.
Jimmy was carrying his infant son, Mason, down a flight of stairs when his leg simply didn't respond. He fell. Both were okay, thank God, but that moment of terror was the catalyst. He realized he wasn't just a danger to himself; he was a danger to the people he loved most.
He started small. Kinda like, "can I walk to the mailbox today?" small. Then it was a block. Then a mile. By 2012, the guy who needed a cane was running the Chicago Marathon. It’s a wild transformation when you think about it. He traded the cane for running shoes and never looked back.
Becoming the Fox Ninja on American Ninja Warrior
The jump from "marathon runner" to "ninja" wasn't actually Jimmy’s idea. It was his daughter, Karina. They were watching the show, and she basically called him out. She asked why he wasn't out there competing.
When Jimmy Choi first appeared on American Ninja Warrior Season 9, the world stopped to watch. Here was a man with a progressive neurological disorder tackling the "Broken Pipes" and "Ring Swing." He wasn't there as a novelty act; he was there to compete.
Breaking Barriers on the Course
The "Fox Ninja" (a nod to his work with the Michael J. Fox Foundation) didn't just show up once. He kept coming back. Across five seasons—from 2017 through 2021—he proved that Parkinson's doesn't have to mean the end of athleticism.
One of his most legendary moments actually happened off the "main" course. During the ANW Family Championship, Jimmy became the first person with Parkinson’s to conquer the Warped Wall. If you’ve ever tried to run up a 14-foot curved wall, you know it requires perfect timing and explosive power. For someone whose disease actively fights against coordination, that’s essentially a miracle in motion.
- Season 9 (2017): His debut in Kansas City. He made it past the first two obstacles before falling on the Broken Pipes.
- Season 12 (2020): This was a tough one. He fell on the very first obstacle, the Shrinking Steps. Most people would have quit.
- Season 17 (2025): The comeback. After a "retirement" that didn't stick, Jimmy returned at age 50 to compete alongside Karina. He had the best run of his life, blazing through the first three obstacles and making it further than he ever had on a standard qualifying course.
The Science of "Exercise as Medicine"
Jimmy isn't just doing this for the cameras. He’s basically a walking science experiment. He’s participated in numerous clinical trials that explore how high-intensity exercise affects Parkinson’s symptoms.
It turns out, for Jimmy, movement is a literal drug.
He often talks about "forced exercise"—pushing the body harder than it wants to go. This kind of training helps with neuroplasticity, essentially teaching the brain to find new pathways to move muscles when the old ones are damaged. On his TikTok and Instagram (@jcfoxninja), you’ll see him doing things that would break a 20-year-old: muscle-ups, weighted lunges, and those famous burpees.
Speaking of burpees, Jimmy actually holds Guinness World Records. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, he smashed the record for the most chest-to-ground burpees in one minute (he did 30). He also tied the record for side-to-side plyometric pushups.
That Viral TikTok Pill Bottle
If you follow Jimmy on social media, you probably saw the video that went viral for reasons having nothing to do with ninjas. He posted a clip showing how incredibly difficult it was for him to get a tiny pill out of a standard prescription bottle while his hands were shaking.
The internet did its thing.
A videographer named Brian Alldridge saw the struggle and 3D-printed a specialized bottle that would dispense one pill at a time. It was a beautiful moment of human connection and innovation. It also highlighted a side of the Jimmy Choi Ninja Warrior story that people often miss: the daily, grueling reality of living with a degenerative disease. The "ninja" stuff is the highlight reel, but the pill bottle is the real life.
Why Jimmy Choi Still Matters
Jimmy’s impact isn't just about his stats on a TV show. It’s about the shift in perspective for the Parkinson’s community. For decades, the image of Parkinson’s was an elderly person sitting still. Jimmy (and others like him) flipped that script.
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He serves on the Patient Council for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. He’s raised over $600,000 for research. He’s a motivational speaker. But honestly? He’s mostly a dad who wanted to make sure he could still play with his kids.
There’s a nuance here that often gets lost in the "inspiration porn" of sports television. Jimmy still has Parkinson's. He still has days where he can't move well. He still deals with the side effects of medications, like dyskinesia (uncontrolled movements). He hasn't "cured" himself through exercise—he’s managed his condition with a level of discipline that is, frankly, terrifying.
Actionable Takeaways from Jimmy's Journey
If you're looking for a way to apply the "Choi Mindset" to your own life—whether you're dealing with a health struggle or just a rut—here is how he does it:
- The "Better Than Yesterday" Rule: Jimmy’s goal was never to be a Ninja Warrior on day one. It was to walk one more step today than he did yesterday. Small, incremental wins build the foundation for massive transformations.
- Radical Acceptance: You can't fix what you won't acknowledge. Jimmy’s "denial years" cost him his health and time. Facing the reality of your situation is the only way to gain the power to change it.
- Exercise is Non-Negotiable: For brain health, movement isn't a "nice to have." It's essential. High-intensity training, specifically, has shown the most promise in managing neurological decline.
- Community Matters: Whether it’s Team Fox or the Ninja community, Jimmy didn't do this alone. Finding people who push you and understand your struggle is the ultimate "cheat code" for resilience.
Jimmy Choi’s story on American Ninja Warrior isn't finished yet. Even as he ages and the disease progresses, he continues to show up. He shows up for himself, for his family, and for the millions of people who have been told that their best days are behind them. He’s not just a ninja; he’s a reminder that we have a lot more control over our lives than we think.