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 –
For 60 seconds, perform one set of each:
Movement 1 – Kettlebell Ankle Pulse x 30 seconds (right leg)
Movement 2 – Kettlebell Ankle Pulse x 30 seconds (left leg)
Followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Alternating Pistol Squat x max reps
Rest 60 seconds, then. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Weighted Pistol Squat Negative x 4 reps @ 40A0 (right leg)
*Pause 1 second at parallel, then lower with control to the bottom of the pistol squat.
Interval 2 – Weighted Pistol Squat Negative (1 second pause at horizontal) x 4 reps @ 40A0 (left leg)
*Pause 1 second at parallel, then lower with control to the bottom of the pistol squat.
Interval 3 – Pistol Balance Pulses x 5-8 reps (right leg)
Interval 4 – Pistol Balance Pulses x 5-8 reps (left leg)
*Pistol balance pulses should be controlled and raise the hips to parallel before a controlled descent.
B.
Pull-Up Progressions –
One set of:
Strict Pull-Up x 6 reps
*You may break up this set as necessary.
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Baby Butterfly Pull-Ups x 8 reps
Interval 2 – Kipping Pull-Up x 1.1.1 (Single reps. Please watch full tutorial below)
*Keep chin back behind the bar and feet forward. Do not pull your chin over the bar or allow your feet to drop beneath the bar.
Rest 60 seconds, then. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Butterfly Pull-Ups x max reps
*If you have never been able to string a series of butterfly pull-ups together, this is your opportunity to perform your greatest set!
Additional information and tutorials –
Kipping Pull-Up Tutorial
Butterfly 4 Step
The Lazy L Bar Mount
Starting from a Dead Hang
C.
L-Sit Progressions –
Every 45 seconds, for 6 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – L-Sit Flutter Kicks on Kettlebells x 20 seconds (accumulate time if necessary)
Interval 2 – Seated Piked Double Leg Lifts x 20 reps
Interval 3 – L-Sit Hold on Parallettes or Kettlebells x 10 seconds
Interval 4 – Supine GHD Hold x 20 seconds
Session Two
A.
Handstand Walk Progressions –
Spend 2 minutes working on Freestanding Handstand Marching.
Followed by. . .
Every 10 seconds, for 60 seconds (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – One Arm Handstand Hold on Wall x 10 seconds (right hand)
Interval 2 – One Arm Handstand Hold on Wall x 10 seconds (left hand)
*Simply switch hands without coming off the wall. Don’t forget to breathe!
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kick to Handstand on Wall (with hands turned out) x 5 reps
*Hit the wall as softly as possible with feet together.
Interval 2 – Handstand Walk to Wall x 1-3 meters
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (6 sets) of complex:
Handstand March x 10 reps + Handstand Walk x 1-3 meters
*Attempt to do this unbroken.
Rest 60 seconds, then. . .
Three sets of:
Handstand Walk x 40 seconds (max distance)
Rest 20 seconds between sets.
*Handstand walks do not have to be unbroken. Accumulate as much distance in the minute as possible.
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 minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Wide Grip Push-Ups x 8 reps
Interval 2 – Kettlebell Push-Ups x 8 reps
Interval 3 – Box Bridged Handstand Push-Up to 8″ Deficit x 8 reps.
*Ste the box on it’s highest setting and add additional plates to the top if necessary to alleviate any hyperextension in the lower back.
Session Three
A.
Rope Climb Progressions –
If you graduated to this level from rope on Level One, CONGRATULATIONS, and please start at (**)!
Every 90 seconds, for 3 minutes (2 sets) of:
Rope Climb x 2-3 reps
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Rope Climb x 1-2 reps
Followed by. . .
**Every 10 seconds, for 60 seconds (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Rope Pull-Up Taps x 2 reps (right arm)
Interval 2 – Rope Pull-Up Tabs x 2 reps (left arm)
*These should be two reps unbroken without touching the floor. Attempt to finish the second rep at the bottom of the pull-up by not releasing your hands from the top of the second rep.
Followed by. . .
Every 45 seconds, for 3 minutes (4 sets) of:
Rope Climb x 1 rep
Followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform on set of:
Towel Hang x max time
*Accumulate time as needed.
Additional information and tutorials –
B.
Bar Muscle-Up Progressions –
Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (4 sets) of:
Swinging Knees-To-Bar x 1 rep
*Get your knees close to the bar, but please don’t bang them into the bar 🙂
Followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Bar Muscle-Up x max reps
Immediately followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Air Chair Swing x 2 reps
*This should feel similar to the swinging knees-to-bar but with a shorter kipping swing.
Interval 2 – Target Reach Swing + Toes-To-Bar x 3 reps
*This is just one contiguous set of three toes-to-bar. The target reach swing prior to the toes-to-bar is simply a reminder of how to start into the first rep.
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Bar Muscle-Up x 1-3 reps
Interval 2 – Deep Bar Dips x 3 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
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