30 December-5 January 2025! Invictus Gymnastics Level Three

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 –

Prior to attacking this section, please make sure you fully warm-up your knees, do some air squats or anything else that you may need to mobilize to avoid a shock to your joints and ligaments.

Every 30 seconds, for 60 seconds (1 set) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Squat x max reps (right leg)
Interval 2 – Pistol Squat x max reps (left leg)

Immediately followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 8 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Weighted Pistol Balance Pulses x 6 reps (right leg)
*Rise to parallel before descending.
Interval 2 – Weighted Pistol Balance Pulses x 6 reps (left leg)
*Rise to parallel before descending.
Interval 3 – Weighted Pistol Half Squat x 4 reps (right leg)
Interval 4 – Weighted Pistol Half Squat x 4 reps (left leg)
*Lower to parallel before ascending. Video is not weighted, so just add weight! Don’t overload these. Keep the weight somewhat challenging but focus on correct positioning.

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (1 set) of:
Interval 1 – Straddle Stretch to the middle x 30 seconds
Interval 2 – Straddle Stretch to the right leg x 30 seconds
Interval 3 – Straddle Stretch to the left leg x 30 seconds
Interval 4 – Pike Stretch x 30 seconds

B.
Pull-Up Progressions –

Every minute, on the minute, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Wide Grip Chest-To-Bar Pull-Up (Strict) x 3-6 reps @ 21X1

Followed by. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Narrow Grip Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups (Strict) x 3-6 reps @ 21X1

Followed by. . .

For 30 seconds, perform one set of:
Butterfly Pull-Up x max reps (unbroken)
*Once you break your set, stop and rest for the remainder of the 30 seconds.

Rest 60 seconds, then. . .

For 30 seconds, perform one set of:
Butterfly Pull-Up x max reps (unbroken)

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 –

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

Immediately followed by. . .

One set of:
Elbow Jacks x 60-80 reps (unbroken)

Session Two
A.
Handstand Walk Progressions –

Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Rocking Box Bridges x 10 reps
*Turn the box to its highest side and add plates for more height if necessary to take tension out of your lower back.
Interval 2 – Freestanding Handstand Marching x 30 reps
Interval 3 – Single Leg Thigh Taps on Wall x 10 reps

Followed by. . .

Every 45 seconds, for 6 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Reverse Handstand Walks x 5 meters
Interval 2 – Handstand Walk x 10 meters (30 second cap, rest 15 seconds)

Followed by. . .

For 2 minutes, perform as many rounds and reps as possible of complex:
Handstand March x 10 reps + Handstand Walk x 3 meters

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 – Banded Push-Ups x 10-12 reps
Interval 2 – Low Push-Up Pulses x 20 reps (with or without a band)

Followed by. . .

2 sets of:
Interval 1 – Hand Plank Arch/Hollow x 10 reps
Interval 2 – Straight Leg Bottom Balance x 25 seconds

Session Three
A.
Rope Climb Progressions –

Every 10 seconds, for 60 seconds (6 sets) of complex:
Rope Climb Mount + Rope Pull-Up Taps x 2 reps
*Alternate which hand is performing the pull-up tap for each set.

Rest 60 seconds, then. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Legless Rope Climb from L-Sit x 1 rep
Interval 2 – Legless Rope Climb x 1 rep
*If or when it becomes necessary to use your legs to finish the reps, please do!

Followed by. . .

Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – L-Hang Rope Pull-Ups x 6 reps (3 reps each arm)
Interval 2 – Rope Hang Scissor Kicks x 15 seconds effort

Additional information and tutorials –

Rope Foot Hold Tutorial

B.
Bar Muscle-Up Progressions –

Every 30 seconds, for 60 seconds (2 sets) of:
Bar Muscle-Up x 2-3 reps

Rest 60 seconds, then. . .

Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Muscle-Up Over Bar x 2-4 reps
*You do not need to step on the bar if you have another method to switch sides that you would prefer.

Followed by. . .

One set of:
Strict Knees-To-Bar x 4-8 reps
*Keep these strict. Each descent should be controlled to avoid any arch in the back leading to kipping (or cheating) the movement. Arms should remain straight throughout.
Dragon Flag Negatives x 10 reps @ 50A1
*Buttocks and feet should land on the floor softly and at the exact same time.

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