7-13 October, 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 –

Option 1 –
Every 10 seconds, for 2 minutes (6 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Front Weighted Pistol Squat Balance (with or without use of a rig post) x 5 seconds (right leg)
Interval 2 – Front Weighted Pistol Squat Balance (with or without use of a rig post) x 5 seconds (left leg)
*Remember to round your back as much as possible to get your head and torso weight as far forward as possible to help move the balance of your weight away from your heel and toward your toes.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 10 seconds, for 2 minutes ( 6 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Squat Balance x 5 seconds (right leg)
Interval 2 – Pistol Squat Balance x 5 seconds (left leg)
*If your mechanics start breaking down you may opt to hold your toe on the extended leg with the hand on the same side)
*Remember to round your back as much as possible to get your head and torso weight as far forward as possible to help move the balance of your weight away from your heel and toward your toes.
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

For 2 minutes, perform one set of:
Alternating Pistol Squat x max effort
*This is your opportunity to potentially complete your first pistol squat on each leg!
**After 2 minutes, if you did not complete a full pistol squat on each leg, move on to Option 1 (below). If you do in fact complete at least one full pistol squat on each leg, spend this time learning where in your squat your biggest weakness is (usually around parallel and below, or maybe one leg is weaker than the other), then move on to Option 2 (below).

Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every 15 seconds, for 4 minutes (8 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Front-Weighted Pistol Squat Negative x 1 rep @ 61A0 (right leg)
Interval 2 – Front-Weighted Pistol Squat Negative x 1 rep @ 61A0 (left leg)
*Make sure to keep your straight leg and weighted arms out in front of you as far as you can reach so your chin is out past your knee and toes. This is a six second descent and focus should be on spending at least two seconds descending below parallel.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 15 seconds, for 4 minutes (8 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Squat x 1 rep (right leg)
Interval 2 – Pistol Squat x 1 rep (left leg)
*If you fail a rep on either leg, substitute the full pistol squat with pistol squat negative (for the failed leg[s]) @ 51A1

B.
Pull-Up Progressions –

Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pull-Up Negative x 3 reps @ 40A1
If you have trouble controlling the descent without assistance, place your feet on a box and use your legs as necessary to achieve a smooth descent speed from the top of the pull-up to the bottom, finishing at full extension in your elbows and scaps (with shoulders to the backs of your ears).
Interval 2 – Lat Insertion Pull-Up x 8 reps @ 1010
*Keep your elbows pulling to the sides and away from your body (laterally). Please view full tutorial below.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pull-Up Scaled with Zero Assistance Negative x 4 reps @ 2020
Interval 2 – Lat Insertion Pull-Up x 4-6 reps @ 1010
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Jumping Pull-Ups x 15-20 reps
*Be careful with this exercise! At no point should you completely drop to straight arms – land on your feet and lower yourself beneath the bar until your arms are straight before jumping again.
Interval 2 – Chest-To-Bar Diagonal Hold x 30 seconds

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 minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – L-Sit Lifts on Box x 10-20 reps
*Keep legs as straight as possible, and aim for the higher end of the rep scheme.
Interval 2 – Seated Piked Single Leg Lifts x 40 reps (20 reps each leg)

Followed by. . .

For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
L-Sit Flutter Kicks on Box x max reps
*High or low legs are acceptable, but challenge yourself. If you find this exercise to be too difficult, lean your shoulders forward past your hands, lifting your hips behind you and allowing your feet to lower. By doing this you should be able to maintain a hip angle closer to 90 degrees.

Session Two
A.
Handstand Walk Progressions –

Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Handstand Marching on Box x 20 reps
Interval 2 – Med Ball Thoracic Opener x 20 seconds

Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
One set of:
Kick to Handstand on Wall Scaled x 2 minutes effort (rest as needed)
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
One set of:
Kick-Up to Handstand on Wall Practicepractice x 2 minutes (rest as needed)
– – – – – – – –
Option 3 –
One set of:
Wall-Facing Handstand Marching x 2 minutes max effort
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Wall-Facing Handstand Hold x 10-20 seconds
*This is wall-facing, which means that you should only get your upper body as close to the wall as you feel comfortable.
Interval 2 – Reverse Snow Angel x 20 seconds effort
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Side-Pressing Handstand Hold x 40 seconds max effort (or practice)
*If you reel that you are between option one and option two on this, you can scale this option by placing a box against the wall and starting with your feet on the box. Reach the leg nearest the wall as far above you in vertical as you can, find the wall with your foot, then attempt to lift the foot off the box to slowly bring toward the handstand position.
Interval 2 – Reverse Snow Angel x 40 seconds effort for quality and range of motion
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Hand Plank Shoulder Taps x 20 reps
Interval 2 – Straight Body Ceiling-Reaching Crunches x 15 reps
Interval 3 – Wall Climb x 2 reps
*Only climb as high as you feel comfortable, but at your highest point make sure your hands are side-by-side.
Interval 4 – Straight Leg Bottom Balance x 20 seconds

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 10 seconds, for 2 minutes (12 sets) of complex:
Hand Plank x 5 seconds + Push-Up Negative (3 second descent) x 1 rep
*Focus should be on stabilizing the midline and not allowing your belly to reach the floor before your chest. Elbows should be a maximum of 45 degrees away from the body (looking from the top down).

Followed by. . .

Every 20 seconds, for 2 minutes (6 sets) of:
Hand Plank Arch Hollows x 10 seconds
*Movement should occur in the torso, not the hips.

Followed by. . .

For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Incline Push-Up on 30″ Box x max reps

Session Three
A.
Rope Climb Progressions –

One set of:
Spend 2 minutes accumulating as much time on the rope with feet off the ground. Rest as needed.

Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Rope Hang Hold x 10 seconds
Interval 2 – Rope Pull-Ups from Box x 6 reps (switch hands each rep)
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Rope Pinch to Stand x 3-4 reps (switch hands each rep)
Interval 2 – Rope Pull-Ups from Floor x 6 reps (switch hands each rep)
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Rope Hang Knees-To-Armpits x 3-5 reps
Interval 2 – Rope Pull-Ups from Box x 6 reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Rope Climb Mount x 2-3 reps
Interval 2 – Rope Pull-Ups from Floor x 6 reps

Additional information and tutorials –

Rope Foot Hold Tutorial

B.
Bar Muscle-Up Progressions –

Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Box Jump-Up on Bar x 4-6 reps
Interval 2 – Kipping Knees-To-Chest x 6-8 reps

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Banded Bar Muscle-Up Stomps x 5 reps
Interval 2 – Supine Overhead Plate Lift (15#/25#) x 8 reps

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Stem Riser x 3-5 reps
Interval 2 – Straight Bar Dips x 8 reps (Use stem riser bar)

Followed by. . .

Option 1 –
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Bouncing Knees-To-Chest x max reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Spend 60 seconds attempting your first Bar Muscle-Up!

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