The Flying Bar (フライングバー) was the final obstacle of SASUKE's new Third Stage from SASUKE 25 and 26. It is a hybrid of the Jumping Bars and Pipe Slider (or referred on American Ninja Warrior as a horizontal version of the Salmon Ladder), where the competitor must negotiate down a track by jumping from one rung to another while holding onto a pipe. There are five rungs, with each jump approximately 11 feet from one to the next. In SASUKE 27, the obstacle was placed second on the stage, while the new Bar Glider takes its previous spot. In addition, the obstacle was shortened from five rungs to three. This version did not prove to be too difficult, only eliminating 2 competitors out of the 10 who attempted it that day. It was removed after Urushihara Yuuji's second Kanzenseiha, being replaced by the Iron Paddler, but would later return in its SASUKE 27 version in SASUKE 32 replacing its former successor. Upon its return, the obstacle proved brutal, eliminating 4 out of the 8 competitors who attempted it, including former finalists Nagasaki Shunsuke and Kawaguchi Tomohiro.
For SASUKE 33, the obstacle directly led into the Sidewinder R without any rests, while also having a wire installed to secure the obstacle to an upper track much like the Pipe Slider, so that competitors would not drag the bar down with them if they failed. While no one failed the transition between obstacles, the obstacle itself eliminated most of the competitors who attempted the Third Stage, including SASUKE champion Morimoto Yūsuke (who completed the obstacle on USA vs. The World and USA vs. The World II). Only Drew Drechsel managed to clear the obstacle.
The Flying Bar was in its usual eighth position in the Third Stage on American Ninja Warrior 4, but it was unattempted. But it was attempted on American Ninja Warrior 5 by Brian Arnold but was undefeated. It reappeared on American Ninja Warrior 6, but was un-attempted again. On American Ninja Warrior 7, Isaac Caldiero became the first to clear it in regular season, Geoff Britten became the second, while Ian Dory couldn't get past it. On American Ninja Warrior 8, it was once again unattempted.
Despite only three competitors so far to complete this obstacle on American Ninja Warrior's regular season, more competitors completed it on American Ninja Warrior's international tournament. On USA vs. Japan, two competitors (Matachi Ryo and Brian Arnold) reached this obstacle. However, both of them failed to complete it. On USA vs. The World, five competitors (Morimoto Yusuke, Stefano Ghisolfi, Matachi Ryo, Sean McColl, and Brian Arnold) reached this obstacle, and four of them (except Sean McColl) completed it (with Morimoto Yusuke becoming the first to do it). On USA vs. The World 2, five competitors (Ian Dory, Stefano Ghisolfi, Morimoto Yusuke, Sean McColl, and Isaac Caldiero ) reached this obstacle, and three of them (except Ian Dory and Stefano Ghisolfi) completed it. On USA vs. The World 3, only two competitors (Josh Levin and Drew Drechsel) reached this obstacle, and both of them completed it.
Flying Bar as the last obstacle in Stage Three on American Ninja Warrior 4.
Competitors' Success Rate
- All results based on the TBS broadcast and external information found
| SASUKE | Clears | Attempts | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 8 | 10 | 80% |
| 32 | 4 | 8 | 50% |
| 33 | 1 | 5 | 20% |
| Total | 13 | 23 | 56.52% |
American Ninja Warrior Results
| ANW | Clears | Attempts | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANW5 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| ANW6 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| ANW7 | 2 | 3 | 66.67% |
| UVJ | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| UVTW | 4 | 5 | 80% |
| UVTW2016 | 3 | 5 | 60% |
| Total | 9 | 16 | 56.25% |