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.
Static Handstand Hold Progressions –
Option 1 –
Every 45 seconds, for 3 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kick to Handstand on Wall Scaled x 20 seconds effort
Interval 2 – Three Quarter Handstand on Wall x 20 second hold
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 45 seconds, for 3 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Back-To-Wall Handstand Hold x 20 seconds effort (tutorial below)
Interval 2 – Wall-Facing Split Handstand Hold x 20 seconds (tutorial below)
– – – – – – – –
Immediately followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Donkey Kicks x max reps
Additional information and tutorials –
Back to Wall Split Handstand Hold Tutorial
Wall Facing Split Handstand Hold Tutorial
Fundamentals of the Kick to Handstand
Proper Hand Placement for Handstand Work
Learning How to Cartwheel from a Handstand
The Finger Bone is Connected to the Hip Bone
The 50 Percent Rule
Don’t Squeeze in Your Handstand
B.
Toes-To-Bar Progressions –
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Pike Stretch x 45 seconds
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kipping Knees-To-Chest x 8-10 reps
*Attempt to find rhythm. Regrip the bar as necessary.
Interval 2 – Seated Piked Double Leg Lifts x 10-15 reps
Immediately followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Kipping Half Toes-To-Bar x max reps
*Use this time to learn your kipping rhythm. Continue to lift your legs higher each rep until you feel your rhythm change, then decrease height to regain rhythm. These do not need to be unbroken.
Additional information and tutorials –
The Value of the Half Toes-To-Bar
Starting from a Dead Hang On Bar
Three Tips for Improving your T2B Sets
Knee Bend and Separation is Okay!
Toes-To-Bar Mount
C.
Chest-To-Bar Pull-Up Progressions –
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups Scaled x 10 reps @ 20X1
Interval 2 – Chest-To-Bar Diagonal Hold x 10-20 seconds
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Lat Insertion Pull-Ups
x 5 reps (tutorial below)
Interval 2 – Kipping Half Pull-Up
x 4-6 reps
*Only attempt to get a slight elbow bend and maintain rhythm. The height of the half pull-up not as important as consistency in the rhythm.
Additional information and tutorials –
Lat Insertion Pull-Ups
How To Butterfly Chest-To-Bar Pull-Up
Adjusting Your Grip Width for Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups
Starting from a Dead Hang
The Butterfly 4 Step
Session Two
A.
Strict Ring Muscle-Up Progressions –
Strict ring muscle-ups require the use of a false grip. Please watch the video at the end of this section for details on the false grip.
If you are not familiar with tempo and how to read it in your programming, please watch this VIDEO before performing this section.
*If you find that you begin to lose tension during the dip negative, please opt to place your feet on the floor or other surface to control the rate of descent of the dip.
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Full Support Hold x 15 seconds (or 15 seconds effort, resulting in 15 seconds rest)
Interval 2 – Catch Position Hold x 10 seconds (accumulate time if necessary)
Interval 3 – Ring Dip Negatives x 3 reps @ 31A1
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Band-Assisted Strict Ring Muscle-Up x 4 reps
Interval 2 – Ring Pull-Ups Scaled x 4 reps
Interval 3 – Squatted Muscle-Up Transition x 4 reps
*The squatted muscle-up transitions are the transition only. Shoulders should be as near to the rings as possible for the duration of the reps (no pull-up nor dip during this movement).
Followed by. . .
Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Strict Ring Muscle-Up Negative Scaled x 5 reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Strict Ring Muscle-Up Negative x 5 reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 3 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Strict Muscle-Up x 1 rep
*If you have never done a strict ring muscle-up, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!
Additional information and tutorials –
Fundamentals of the False Grip for Rings
How to Tape for the False Grip
How to Cheat a Strict Ring Muscle-Up
B.
Kipping Ring Muscle-Up Progressions –
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Snap Pulls x 8 reps (no swing)
Interval 2 – Supine Snap Pulls on Low Rings x 8 reps
Interval 3 – Pop Swing x 6 reps (tiny swing)
Interval 4 – Rowing Transition Lifter on Low Rings x 6 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 45 seconds, for 3 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Ring Swings x 5 reps
*Arms should remain behind the ears while feet are forward. Try to keep a straight line from your wrists to your mid back.
Interval 2 – Rowing Muscle-Up Transitions on Low Rings x 5 reps
Followed by. . .
Option 1 –
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Rings-To-Shoulders Transitions x max reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Muscle-Up Transitions with Feet on Box x max reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 3 –
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Kipping Ring Muscle-Up x 1 rep
*If you have never completed a full muscle-up, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!
Additional information and tutorials –
The Value of Ring Swings and Ring Swing Tutorial
The Mounting Ring Muscle-Up Tutorial
Pop Swing Tutorial
The No Zone
Session Three
A.
Handstand Push-Up Progressions –
Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kick to Handstand on Wall Scaled x 30 seconds effort
Interval 2 – Headstand Hold on Wall x 20-30 seconds
*If you feel any pain or discomfort at all, please come down and rest. The goal of this exercise is to find a safe and comfortable position on your head to build strength in the neck and muscle memory and proprioception to know where your head should make contact with the floor during the handstand push-up.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kick to Handstand on Wall x 6-8 reps
Interval 2 – Headstand Kipping Pulses x 16-20 reps
*If you feel any pain or discomfort at all, please come down and rest. The goal of this exercise is to find a safe and comfortable position on your head to build strength in the neck for kipping handstand push-ups. The movement will change the angle of the neck slightly and thus help build familiarity of the movement and strength in the neck.
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .
Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Elevated Knee Handstand Push-Up x 8-10 reps
Interval 2 – Nose-To-Wall Handstand Hold x 20-30 seconds
*If this is difficult for you, walk your hands as close to the wall as possible and disregard the “nose-to-wall”. Please make sure your hands are parallel to each other and that both hands are at matching angles.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Box Bridged Handstand Push-Up x 8-10 reps
*Set box on highest side and add plates to the top of the box as necessary to decrease the amount of arch in your back.
Interval 2 – Back-To-Wall Handstand Hold x 30 seconds
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .
One set of each:
Interval 1 – Reverse Snow Angels x 10 reps @ 2021
Interval 2 – Wall Slide x 10 reps @ 3030
Additional information and tutorials –
Handstand Push-Up Negatives and Tempo
Breaking Down the Handstand Push-Up
B.
Ring Dip Progressions –
If you are not familiar with tempo and how to read it in your programming, please watch this VIDEO before performing this section.
*If you find that you begin to lose tension during the dip negative, please opt to place your feet on the floor or other surface to control the rate of descent of the dip.
Every 30 seconds for 3 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Full Support Hold on Low Rings x 15 seconds
Interval 2 – Box Shoulder Shrugs x 10 reps
Interval 3 – Ring Dip Negative x 4 reps @ 40A1
*Dip as deeply as absolutely possible without falling out of the catch (low dip) position.
Followed by. . .
Option 1 –
Every 15 seconds, for 2 minutes (8 sets) of:
Catch Position Hold on Low Rings x 5 seconds
*Please keep your torso vertical by pressing your hips forward and bending your knees to lift your feet behind you.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 15 seconds, for 2 minutes (8 sets) of:
Catch Position Dips on Rings x 5 reps
*Please keep your torso vertical by pressing your hips forward and bending your knees to lift your feet behind you.
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Ring Dips with Scaling Option x max reps
__________________________________________________________________________
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)
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
Single Arm Hang from Bar (Lat and Pec Stretch)
Over the Shoulder Barbell Stretch
Calf and Hamstring Combo Stretch