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 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Front-Weighted Pistol Balance (right leg) x 10 seconds
*Use rig post if necessary.
Interval 2 – Pistol Half Squat (right leg) x 6 reps @ 2020
*Get your knee and hip crease as close to parallel as possible.
Interval 3 – Front-Weighted Pistol Balance (left leg) x 10 seconds
*Use rig post if necessary.
Interval 4 – Pistol Half Squat (left leg) x 6 reps @ 2020
*Get your knee and hip crease as close to parallel as possible.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Squat Balance (right leg) x 15-20 seconds
*Use rig post if necessary.
Interval 2 – Pistol Half Squat (right leg) x 6 reps @ 2020
*Get your knee and hip crease as close to parallel as possible.
Interval 3 – Pistol Squat Balance (left leg) x 15-20 seconds
*Use rig post if necessary.
Interval 4 – Pistol Half Squat (left leg) x 6 reps @ 2020
*Get your knee and hip crease as close to parallel as possible.
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Candlestick Roll to Pistol Balance x max effort/reps (alternate legs)
*This will be much more difficult if you are wearing lifters or shoes with a thick sole (like running shoes). If you find that it’s too difficult to get into position, try removing your shoes as it will make it easier to roll to your foot.
B.
Pull-Up Progressions –
Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Chin Hang Toe Taps
x 10 seconds effort
Interval 2 – Lat Insertion Pull-Ups x 6 reps
Interval 3 – Pull-Up Scaled x 5 reps @ 2020
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Chin Hang Hold x 10-15 seconds
Interval 2 – Lat Insertion Pull-Ups x 10 reps
Interval 3 – Pull-Up Negatives x 4-5 reps @ 30A0
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Supine Banded Lat Pull-Down x 10 reps @ 2030
Interval 2 – Kipping Half Toes-To-Bar x 6-10 reps
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-Hang Lifts from Bar x 6 reps @ 2020
*If your legs don’t quite lift to horizontal that is okay. Just lift your legs as high as you can, keeping the tempo as prescribed, but please keep your legs as straight as possible.
Interval 2 – Seated Piked Double Leg Lift x 10-15 reps
Rest as needed, then. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
L-Sit Lifts on Box x max reps
Session Two
A.
Handstand Walk Progressions –
Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kick to Handstand on Wall Scaled x 10 reps (or 30 seconds, whichever happens first)
*Reps count as you lift your back foot as high as you can, each time you hop, or each time your back foot touches the wall.
Interval 2 – Donkey Kicks x 10 reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kick to Handstand on Wall with Hands Turned Out x 4-6 reps
Interval 2 – Donkey Kicks x 15 reps
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Handstand Marching with Feet on Box x max reps
Rest 60 seconds, then. . .
Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Single Leg Thigh Taps on Box x 10 reps
Interval 2 – Hand Plank to Press Lean x 5 reps (slow and controlled)
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Single Leg Thigh Taps on Wall x 6-10 reps
Interval 2 – Hand Plank to Press Lean x 5 reps (slow and controlled)
– – – – – – – –
Rest 30 seconds, then. . .
For 90 seconds, perform one set of:
Hand Plank Shoulder Taps x max reps
*These will get hard, but keep at it and keep your body straight!
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 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Low Push-Up Pulses x 10 reps
Interval 2 – Hand Plank Hold x 20 seconds
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Incline Push-Ups on 30″ Box
x 10-20 reps
Interval 2 – Reverse Snow Angels x 15 reps (FAST)
Session Three
A.
Rope Climb Progressions –
Every 15 seconds, for 2 minutes (8 sets) of:
Rope Climb Mount x 1 rep
Rest 60-90 seconds, then. . .
Spend 3 minutes working on Rope Climb x max effort
*Rest as needed between climb attempts.
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Towel Hang x 10 seconds
*Accumulate time as necessary.
Interval 2 – Rope Pull-Ups from Box or Floor x 6-8 reps (alternate hands)
Interval 3 – Rope Hang Hold x 10 seconds
Interval 4 – Hanging Knees-To-Armpits on Bar x 4-6 reps
*Lift your knees only as high as you can.
Additional information and tutorials –
B.
Bar Muscle-Up Progressions –
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kipping Knees-To-Chest x 6-10 reps
Interval 2 – Kipping Back Slide x 10-15 reps
Interval 3 – Bouncing Knees-To-Chest x 20 reps
Rest 30 seconds, then. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 90 seconds (1 set) of:
Interval 1 – Box Jump-Up to Front Support x max reps
Interval 2 – Rest
Interval 3 – Box Jump-Up to Front Support x max reps
*Choose a box and bar that allows you to jump up without without missing 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)
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