30 December-5 January 2025! 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 –

Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds for 60 seconds (one set) of:
Interval 1 – Front Weighted Pistol Squat Balance x 10-15 seconds (right leg)
Interval 2 – Front Weighted Pistol Squat Balance x 10-15 seconds (left leg)
*Use a rig post or similar to help you balance if necessary.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds for 60 seconds (one set) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Squat Balance x 5-10 seconds (right leg)
Interval 2 – Pistol Squat Balance x 5-10 seconds (left leg)

Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Alternating Front-Weighted Pistol Squats Negatives x 4-6 reps @ 41A1
*Place a cushion behind you if you tend to fall to your butt at the bottom of the pistol.

Followed by. . .

One set of:
Pike Stretch x 60 seconds

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Balance Leg Lift x 8 reps (right leg)
Interval 2 – Pistol Balance Leg Lift x 8 reps (left leg)
*Hold on to a rig post (or similar) if necessary to maintain balance.

Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Candlestick Roll to Pistol Squat Balance x 10 reps (alternate legs)
If this is difficult for you, remove your shoes and try barefoot.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
For 60 seconds, attempt or complete:
Candlestick Roll to Pistol Squat x max reps (alternate legs)

B.
Pull-Up Progressions –

For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Hollow Body Hangs x 6 reps @ 2111 (two seconds in the hollow hold position)
*Please note: This is just an exercise for the core and the hollow body is NOT a position that we will be utilizing for kipping or butterfly pull-ups.

Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Lat Insertion Pull-Ups x 10 reps (full tutorial at end of section)
*Be sure that elbows are moving laterally (staying beneath the bar) and not forward (like a pull-up). Your back should move straight upward as if it were sliding up against a wall.
Interval 2 – Pull-Up Negatives x 6 reps @ 41A1
*Place your feet on the floor or sturdy platform if necessary to assist the descent to keep the tempo accurate.

Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Pull-Ups with Scaling Options x 10 reps @ 1111
*Bear in mind that this set should finish at :40 seconds. If you finish your first set before :40 seconds make the appropriate adjustments to your second and third sets to keep your tempo accurate.

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 3 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – L-Sit Lifts on Box x 20 seconds (max reps, straight legs)
Interval 2 – Straight Body Ceiling-Reaching Crunches x 20 seconds (max reps)
Interval 3 – Tuck Rocks x 20 seconds (max reps)

Session Two
A.
Handstand Walk Progressions –

Option 1 (If you do not yet learned how to kick to a handstand on the wall) –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kick-Up to Handstand on Wall Scaled x 10 reps/attempts to reach back foot to the wall
Interval 2 – Donkey Kick x 10 reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kick-Up to Handstand on Wall with Hands Turned Out x 5 reps
*If this is a strength of yours attempt try get your feet together before making contact with the wall.
Interval 2 – Donkey Kick x 10 reps
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Single Leg Thigh Taps with Feet on Box x 10-20 reps
*This is a large rep range so you can challenge yourself. Please rest if or when necessary.
Interval 2 – Reverse Snow Angels x 15 reps @ 1010
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Single Leg Thigh Taps on Wall x 10-20 reps
*Come down if you become fatigued and feel unsafe upside down.
Interval 2 – Reverse Snow Angels x 20 reps @ 1010
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Handstand Marching with Feet on Box x 30 seconds effort
Interval 2 – Straight Leg Bottom Balance x 30 seconds
*Accumulate time if necessary by taking breaks when needed.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Wall-Facing Handstand Marching x 30 seconds effort
Interval 2 – Straight Leg Bottom Balance x 40 seconds
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
For 2 minutes, perform one set of:
Three-Quarter Handstand on Wall x max time (one attempt)
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
For 2 minutes, perform one set of:
Nose-To-Wall Handstand Hold x max effort

Additional information and tutorials:
Proper Hand Positioning for Handstand Work
Breaking Down the Handstand Walk

B.
Push-Up Progressions –

Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes, (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Incline Push-Ups on 30″ Box x 10 reps
Interval 2 – Hand Plank Shoulder Circles x 8 reps (4 reps each direction)

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Hand Plank Shoulder Taps x 20 reps
Interval 2 – Push-Up Negative x 5 reps @ 31A0
*The one second at the bottom of the push-up should be supported off the floor, not laying on the floor.

Session Three
A.
Rope Climb Progressions –

Every 10 seconds, for 60 seconds (6 sets) of:
Rope Hang Hold x 3-5 seconds

Rest 60 seconds, then. . .

Every 10 seconds, for 60 seconds (6 sets) of:
Knees-To-Chest Rope Pinch x 1 rep

Rest 60 seconds, then. . .

Every 20 seconds, for 2 minutes (6 sets) of:
Rope Pinch to Stand x 2 reps (alternating top hand)

Followed by. . .

60 seconds of:
Rope Climb x max effort

Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Rope Pull-Ups with Feet on Floor x 6-8 reps

B.
Bar Muscle-Up Progressions –

Every 30 seconds, for 90 seconds (3 sets) of:
Box Jump-Up to Front Support on Bar x 3-6 reps

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 90 seconds (3 sets) of:
Arch Under Bar Jump to Support x 2-4 reps

Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Kipping Knees-To-Chest x 6-10 reps
*Knees don’t need to actually reach your chest, rather just swing them as high toward your chest as you can safely.

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Tuck-Up x 8-10 reps
Interval 2 – V-Up x 4-6 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