13-19 January, 2025 – Invictus Gymnastics Level Three

Please Note: Mobility and General Information for how to best use this programming can be found below Session Three at the bottom of this page.

For full tutorials, click the movement link at the bottom of each section (if applicable).

Session One
A.
Pistol Squat Progressions –

Every 30 seconds, for 60 seconds (1 set) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Squat Balance x 15 seconds (right leg)
Interval 2 – Pistol Squat Balance x 15 seconds (left leg)

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Weighted Pistol Balance Pulses x 8-10 reps (right leg)
Interval 2 – Weighted Pistol Balance Pulses x 8-10 reps (left leg)
*Use a medium/heavy weight. The goal is to reach parallel, pause momentarily, then descend with control for each rep.

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 set) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Squat x max reps (right leg)
Interval 2 – Pistol Squat x max reps (left leg)

B.
Pull-Up Progressions –

Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Strict Narrow Grip Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups x 5 reps
Interval 2 – Butterfly Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups x 6-10 reps (unbroken)

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pull-Up Pulses x 15 reps
Interval 2 – Butterfly Pull-Ups x 6-10 reps (unbroken)

Additional information and tutorials –

Kipping Pull-Up Tutorial
Butterfly 4 Step
The Lazy L Bar Mount
Starting from a Dead Hang

C.
L-Sit Progressions –

Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – L-Sit Hold on Parallettes or Kettlebells x 30-45 seconds
Interval 2 – Hand Plank Arch/Hollows x 15 reps

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Elbow Jacks x 15 reps
Interval 2 – Straight Body Ceiling-Reaching Crunches x 20 reps

Session Two
A.
Handstand Walk Progressions –

Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Handstand Marching x 30-40 reps (unbroken)

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Back-To-Wall Donkey Kicks (with hands turned out) x 6 reps
Interval 2 – Handstand Walk (forward) x 3 meters + Reverse Handstand Walk x 3 meters
*Attempt to walk both directions before landing on your feet.

Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets), repeat the complex:
3 contiguous sets of: Handstand Marching x 10 reps + Handstand Walk x 2 meters (for a total of 6 meters, unbroken)

Followed by. . .

Every 2 minutes, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of complex:
Nose-To-Wall Handstand Hold x 60 seconds + Handstand Walk x 5 meters + Donkey Kick x 10 reps

Immediately followed by. . .

For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Single Leg Thigh Taps on Wall x max reps

Additional information and tutorials –

Breaking Down the Handstand Walk
Proper Hand Positioning for Handstand Work
Gas Pedal/Brake Pedal for the Ramp
Rocking Vs. Waddling for Handstand Walk and Marching

B.
Ring Handstand Push-Up Progressions –

Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Ring Handstand Push-Up Negative x 4 reps @ 51A1
*The descent speed should be performed as consistently as possible to avoid “dropping” at the bottom of the negative. Use your legs on the ring straps to assist the descent.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Downward Dog Ring Handstand Push-Up x 4-6 reps
*Attempt to get your hips as vertical over your head as much as possible.
– – – – – – – –
Option 3 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Ring Handstand Push-Ups x 2-6 reps
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Handstand Hold on Low Rings x 20-30 seconds

Session Three
A.
Rope Climb Progressions –

Every two minutes, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Pull-Up Tap Rope Climb x 1 rep

Rest 60 seconds, then. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of complex:
Legless Rope Climb from L-Sit x 1 rep + V-Ups x 10 reps
*You do not need to hold the L-sit during the rope climb, rather simply start from the L position to increase the distance you need to climb to reach the top of the rope.

Followed by. . .

For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Rope Climb (with legs) x max reps

Additional information and tutorials –

Rope Foot Hold Tutorial

B.
Bar Muscle-Up Progressions –

Every 15 seconds, for 2 minutes (8 sets) of complex:
Air Chair Swing x 1 rep + Bar Muscle-Up x 1 rep

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (4 sets) of complexes:
Interval 1 – Butterfly Chest-To Bar x 3 reps + Bar Muscle-Up x 1 rep
*Focus on quickly getting your knees high into the muscle-up.
Interval 2 – Toes-To-Bar x 3 reps + Bar Muscle-Up x 1 rep
Interval 3 – Bar Muscle-Up x 2 reps

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Toes-To-Bar Candlestick Press x 3 reps (slow and controlled)
Interval 2 – Tucked Bar Front Lever Hold x 5-10 seconds

Additional information and tutorials –

Bad Cheerleader Jump to Bar
Target Reach Swing Tutorial
Breaking Down the Bar Muscle-Up
Connecting Bar Muscle-Ups – The Drop
Bar Muscle-Up Tips – Knees Up!
Slack is Bad
Starting from a Dead Hang
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
General Information:

Session Duration:
Each session, for each level, is 20 minutes in duration if all equipment is at hand and the athlete stays on task.

Mixing Levels:
Each section (part “A”, “B” or “C”) of each session is focused on a particular movement. You may need to read the programming to know which movement that section is focused on. Mixing levels to create a somewhat “personalized” program for each athlete is highly recommended. For example: If section “A” is focused on handstand walks, section “B” is focused on bar muscle-ups, and section “C” if focused on ring dips, an athlete can use section “A” from Level Two, section “B” from Level One, and section “C” from Level Three, all while keeping the day’s session at the standard 20 minutes of gymnastics work.

Options:
When “Options” are listed they are in the order of difficulty from easiest to most difficult. For example:
Option 1 – (Easiest)
Option 2 – (More difficult)
Option 3 – (Most difficult)

Choosing the right level for a particular movement:
Level One is focused on building strength and fundamental movement patterns specific to each movement. This level is focused to help you grow the ability to perform the skill in a safe and comfortable manner. You will occasionally be asked to “test” a skill, though you may experience your first completed movement (such as a Bar Muscle-Up) during your regular training or while playing around at the gym. The Invictus Gymnastics Program is focused on helping give an athlete the tools to do their skills, but it is the athlete’s responsibility to test their skills on their own time.

Level Two is for the athlete who can already perform their movements successfully but lack volume, consistency or technique. Level Two will provide useful strength and technique drills along with information to better your skill knowledge base while making sure you are performing your very best during your WOD or competitions.

Level Three is designed around the advanced competitive athlete, ranging from local competitions to Regional level competitions. The athlete following this level should be able to perform the section’s focal movement in high repetitions and with consistency. Level Three may also add skills into the workout that are not the focal movement to better compliment the athlete’s body, add an appropriate amount of fatigue, and demand an athlete to be able to think clearly while performing complicated movements. Not all of the movements in this level are typical of functional fitness competitions but will better prepare an athlete for the unexpected for competition purposes.

Tempo – What does 30X0 mean?
If you are not familiar with tempo and how to read it in your programming, watch this VIDEO. If you would like more in-depth information regarding tempo and it’s benefits, read this great ARTICLE written by Head Coach and Founder of Invictus, C.J. Martin.

Getting Coach’s Feedback:
Join the Invictus Gymnastics Facebook Group. You can ask questions, post video, make friends from around the world and support other athlete’s efforts with the program. Video submission or questions posted while tagging the coach will result in direct help.

Mobility:
Stretching on a daily basis is a necessity for gains in mobility and injury prevention. Please note that the stretches listed below are to be utilized as often as possible even though they aren’t necessarily a part of your daily programming. Additionally, a low-impact and light warm-up is always recommended before stretching, e.g. Assault Bike, a light jog, Bear Crawls, Wall Ball Shots, etc.

Please take a look at the recommended stretches and try to include them in your daily warm-up if at all possible. The stretches/warm-ups are listed in what we would consider order of importance, yet depending on the skills you are working on for the day and your own personal needs the list may (and should) change.

Banded Scarecrow (Upper Anterior Chain Opener)

Med Ball Thoracic Opener

Rocking Box Bridges (Thoracic Mobility)
OR
*Overhead Barbell Underarm Stretch + Wall Bridge

Straddle and Pike Stretch (Adductor and Hamstring Mobility)

Band-Assisted Lat and Hip Flexor Stretch

Wrist Stretches

Twisted Cross

Single Arm Hang from Bar (Lat and Pec Stretch)

Over the Shoulder Barbell Stretch

Calf and Hamstring Combo Stretch

Banded-Assisted Cross-Pull Scap Retraction

Couch Stretch