6-12 July, 2020 – Invictus Gymnastics Level Two

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 (each leg)

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (6 sets) of complex:
Interval 1 – (Candlestick Roll to Pistol Squat + Pistol Squat) x 2-4 reps (right leg)
Interval 2 – (Candlestick Roll to Pistol Squat + Pistol Squat) x 2-4 reps (left leg)

Rest 60 seconds, then. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Balance Pulses x 5 reps (right leg)
Interval 2 – Pistol Balance Pulses x 5 reps (left leg)
*From the bottom of the squat, attempt to press to parallel. Control the descent to avoid bouncing at the bottom of the pulse.

B.
Pull-Up Progressions –

Every 45 seconds, for 6 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pull-Up Pulses

x 8 reps
Interval 2 – Half Pull-Up Pulses x 8 reps
Interval 3 – Lat Insertion Pull-Ups x 8 reps @ 20X1
*Keep hands wide on the lat insertion pull-ups and pull elbows to the side, directly beneath the bar. Your head should go straight up toward the bar, not back like it would for a regular pull-up.

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 –

One set of:
L-Sit on Parallettes x max effort

Immediately followed by. . .

One set of:
Elbow Jacks x 60 reps (unbroken)

Session Two
A.
Handstand Walk Progressions –

Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Freestanding Handstand Marching x 30 reps
*Attempt to perform unbroken, but accumulate reps if necessary.
Interval 2 – Reverse Handstand Walk x 5 meters
*Accumulate distance as necessary.

Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (6 sets) of complex:
Nose-To-Wall Handstand + Yoyo Walk x 1-2 meters

Followed by. . .

Every 10 seconds, for 2 minutes (12 sets) of:
Wall Climb x 1 rep
*Start prone, push-up, climb until you touch your nose on the wall, climb down and lay down quietly (slow and controlled descent).

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 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Narrow Grip Push-Ups x 6-8 reps
Interval 2 – Wide Grip Push-Ups x 6-8 reps

Followed by. . .

One set of:
Incline Push-Ups on 30″ Box x 60 reps @ 1010
*This is going to be a struggle, but try to push through unbroken and without letting your belly sag or your head to rise while pushing up.

Session Three
A.
Rope Climb Progressions –

One set of:
Rope Climb Mount x 6 reps

Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 9 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Rope Climb (with or without legs) x 2-3 reps
Interval 2 – Rope Pull-Up Taps x 4-6 reps (2-3 reps each arm)
*Do not touch the floor until you have completed three reps on one arm)
Interval 3 – Rope Hang Knees-To-Armpits x 15 reps

Followed by. . .

For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Legless Rope Hang Hold x max effort

Additional information and tutorials –

Rope Foot Hold Tutorial

B.
Bar Muscle-Up Progressions –

Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Arch Under Bar Jump to Support x 6-8 reps
*Challenge yourself by moving your feet further forward on the box in front of the bar.
Interval 2 – Swinging Knees-To-Bar x 3 reps (singles; drop between reps)

Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Bar Muscle-Up x 2 reps OR bar muscle-up x 4 attempts
Interval 2 – Full Support Descend to Air Chair Swing x 3 reps (contiguous)
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Three sets of:
Toes-To-Bar x 3 reps + Bar Muscle-Up x 1-3 reps
*Rest 30-45 seconds between sets.

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