23-29 September, 2024 – Invictus Gymnastics Level One

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 –

One set of:
Kettlebell Ankle Pulse x 20 reps

Followed by. . .

Option 1 (If you have trouble balancing at the bottom of the pistol squat) –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Front Weighted Pistol Squat Negative x 3 reps @ 41A0 (right leg)
Interval 2 – Front Weighted Pistol Squat Negative x 3 reps @ 41A0 (left leg)
*Place yourself near a squat rack if you feel like you may need help to avoid falling. The rig should be as far away from you as possible while still able to reach it with your hands or dumbbells.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 (If you can balance at the bottom of your pistol squat but cannot yet press up out of the squat unassisted) –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Squat Negative x 3 reps @ 41A0 (right leg)
Interval 2 – Pistol Squat Negative x 3 reps @ 41A0 (left leg)
*It is most important to control the speed of the descent at and below parallel until the bottom of the squat.
– – – – – – – –
Option 3 (If you can complete full pistol squat reps but have trouble with volume) –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Squat x 1-3 reps (right leg)
*Rest 5 seconds between reps
Interval 2 – Pistol Squat x 1-3 reps (left leg
*Rest 5 seconds between reps

B.
Pull-Up Progressions –

Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds, for 8 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups with Scaling Option x 4-6 reps
Interval 2 – Bar Hang x 10-15 seconds (no video, just hang from a bar without your feet)
Interval 3 – Push-Up Negatives x 3 reps @40A0
*Control your descent all the way down to the floor to softly make contact with the floor.
Interval 4 – Lat Insertion Pull-Ups x 4-6 reps
*Keep your elbows pulling to the sides and away from your body (laterally).
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds, for 8 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups with Scaling Option x 6-8 reps
Interval 2 – Lat Insertion Pull-Ups x 6-8 reps
*Keep your elbows pulling to the sides and away from your body (laterally).
Interval 3 – Elbow Drops x 4-6 reps
Interval 4 – C2B Elbow Drivers x 10 reps @ 0101

Additional information and tutorials –

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

C.
L-Sit Progressions –

Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – L-Sit Flutter Kicks from Box (high or low legs) x 10 seconds effort
Interval 2 – Straight Leg Bottom Balance x 10 seconds
Interval 3 – Hand Plank Cross Knee-To-Elbow x 10 reps
Interval 4 – Elbow Jack x 10 reps
*Your thighs should make contact with the floor twice per rep (legs together + legs apart = 1 rep).

Followed by. . .

One set of:
Banded Triceps Extension x 30 reps (each arm) @ 1010
*You may break these up as needed.

Session Two
A.
Handstand Walk Progressions –

Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of complex:
Wall Climb x 1 rep + Hand Plank x 20 seconds
*Walk your hands as close to the wall as you feel comfortable. You do NOT need to get your nose to the wall, but DO place your hands side-by-side once you have reached your highest point, pause, breathe, then walk down with control into the plank position.

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Hand Plank Shoulder Taps x 16-20 reps
Interval 2 – Donkey Kick x 4-6 reps
*Land as softly and quietly as possible.

Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds,for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Single Leg Thigh Taps on Box x 10 reps
Interval 2 – Reverse Snow Angel x 10 reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Single Leg Thigh Taps on Wall x 6-8 reps
Interval 2 – Kick to Handstand on Wall Scaled x 15 seconds effort
– – – – – – – –
Option 3 –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Single Leg Thigh Taps on Wall x 6-8 reps
Interval 2 – Kick to Handstand on Wall x 15 seconds effort
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Three Quarter Handstand Hold on Wall x 20-30 seconds
Interval 2 – Tuck Rock x 20 reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Wall-Facing Handstand Marching x 15-20 reps
Interval 2 – Tuck Rock x 20 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.
Push-Up Progressions –

Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Half Burpee x 8 reps
Interval 2 – Incline Push-Ups on 30″ Box x 10 reps
Interval 3 – Hand Plank x 20 seconds

Session Three
A.
Rope Climb Progressions –

Option One (If you do not yet know how to climb a rope) –
Every 30 seconds for 5 minutes (5 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Rope Hang Hold x 20 seconds (10 seconds each hand on top)
Interval 2 – Rope Pull-Ups with Scaling Option x 4 reps (switch top hand each rep)
– – – – – – – –
Option Two (If you can already climb rope but fatigue easily) –
Every minute, on the minute, for 5 minutes (five sets) of complex:
Three Quarter Rope Climb x 1 rep + Rope Pull-Ups with Scaling Option x 6-8 reps
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Option One –
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Hanging Knee-To-Chest Rope Pinch x 3-4 reps (make sure you are alternating hands with spacing at equal distances between them every time)
Interval 2 – Tuck-Up x 8-10 reps
– – – – – – – –
Option Two –
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Rope Pinch to Stand x 4-6 reps (make sure you are alternating hands at equal distances every time)
Interval 2 – Tuck-Up x 8-10 reps

Additional information and tutorials –

Rope Foot Hold Tutorial

B.
Bar Muscle-Up Progressions –

For 60 seconds, practice the Bad Cheerleader Jump to bar. Use this approach to the bar for all following movements.

Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every 10 seconds, for 2 minutes (12 sets) of complex:
Target Reach Swing + Kipping Half Toes-To-Bar x 1 rep
*Don’t allow your body to go limp during the extension of the target reach swing. Releasing from the target reach swing into the loading swing should be controlled and exercised with patience.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 10 seconds, for 2 minutes (12 sets) of complex:
Swinging Knees-To-Bar x 1 rep
*Don’t allow your body to go limp during the extension of the target reach swing. Releasing from the target reach swing into the loading swing should be controlled and exercised with patience.
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kipping Swing x 4-6 reps
*Start from a dead hang (not the bad cheerleader jump). Focus is on regripping your hands at the same time.
Interval 2 – Air Chair Swing x 1.1.1 reps (rest 5 seconds between reps)
*Use the Bad Cheerleader Jump to start.

**Optional**
Spend 60 seconds attempting your first Bar Muscle-Up!

Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Strict Knees-To-Chest x 10 reps
*Knees to the chest is the goal, but just lift as high as you can without kipping.
Interval 2 – Box Jump-Up to Full Support on Bar x 6-8 reps
Interval 3 – Supine Overhead Plate Lifts (15#/25#) x 10-12 reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kipping Knees-To-Chest x 10-15 reps
Interval 2 – Arch Under Bar Jump to Support x 6-8 reps
Interval 3 – Supine Overhead Plate Lifts (15#/25#) x 10-12 reps
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 its 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