Alyssa Rives, DPT ’21, has always been driven by a passion for movement—one that shapes both her clinical philosophy and her personal pursuits. So, when the chance to compete on American Ninja Warrior arose in 2019, she knew she had to seize it. Today, she combines her training from the show with her education from PCOM to deliver mobile, specialized physical therapy designed to help women restore their physical health.
From an early age, movement has been central to Dr. Rives’s life. A gymnast since age eight, she found her calling in physical therapy after tearing her ACL at 16. “My physical therapist was instrumental in my recovery,” she recalled. “With PCOM Georgia offering a physical therapy program close to home, it was the perfect fit.” The program was still new at the time, but she was immediately drawn to the warmth and support of the faculty. “You were more than just a student to them,” she said.
In 2019, after recovering from her fifth knee surgery, Dr. Rives discovered one of the three American Ninja Warrior training gyms in the state of Georgia at the time. Restless and looking for a new challenge, she decided to give it a try. “I’d torn my ACL repeatedly and needed something active. I was watching the show and thought, ‘That looks like fun,’” she shared.
The application process required a video submission and a detailed questionnaire, but with thousands of applicants, she didn’t expect to hear back. Each region selected only 80 to 100 competitors. To her surprise, she earned a spot and competed twice, the first time in 2019 and the second in 2021.
To prepare, she trained three times a week in the American Ninja Warrior gym, focusing on grip strength and overall conditioning, on top of strength training the other two days. “It’s a mental game,” she emphasized. “The show films overnight, so you have to train not just your body, but your mind to stay alert until it’s your turn to compete.”
Among about one hundred competitors in the qualifier round, Dr. Rives placed among the top five women, finishing second in 2019 and first in 2021, advancing to the semifinals both times. “Not making it to the finals was tough,” she admitted. “But that’s the nature of the sport. You don’t know the obstacles until you’re seeing them for yourself.”
Despite the intensity of the competition, she described the Ninja community as deeply supportive. “Everyone shares tips, even competitors who already ran the course. It isn’t cutthroat—it’s truly a community.”
Now entering the next chapter of her career, Dr. Rives is taking her practice on the road with a renewed focus on women’s health, including women-centered services such as pelvic floor therapy, pregnancy, and postpartum care. “As a mom, therapist, and movement-driven individual, I know how much moms struggle with staying active during pregnancy and postpartum,” she shared. “That six-week appointment just isn’t enough to truly assess and support women in feeling strong and optimally healthy after giving birth.”
Through her mobile practice, she hopes to empower women and guide them through restorative therapies designed specifically for their needs. “It’s a very vulnerable sector, women’s health,” she noted. “My goal is to take everything I’ve learned—from my clinical experience, education, and passion for movement—and help women feel confident, healthy, and strong again.”
