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.
Session One
A.
Every minute, on the minute, for 2 minutes (1 set) of:
Interval 1 – Kettlebell Ankle Pulse x 50 seconds (right leg)
Interval 2 – Kettlebell Ankle Pulse x 50 seconds (left leg)
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Weighted Pistol Squat Negative (medium/heavy) x 6-8 reps @ 40A0 (right leg)
Interval 2 – Weighted Pistol Squat Negative (medium/heavy) x 6-8 reps @ 40A0 (left leg)
*Focus your efforts while nearing parallel and controlling all the way to the bottom of the squat.
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 60 seconds (1 set) of:
Interval 1 – Pistol Balance Pulse x 15 reps (right leg)
Interval 2 – Pistol Balance Pulse x 15 reps (left leg)
*From the bottom of the squat, bring your hip to parallel with your knee and control the descent to the bottom of the squat.
B
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Strict Pull-Up x max reps (unbroken) + Kipping Pull-Up x 3 reps
Interval 2 – Hand Plank Shoulder Taps x 30 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Half Pull-Up x 6 reps
*Insure that you are going to full arm and scapular extension at the bottom of the pull-up.
Interval 2 – Lat Insertion Pull-Ups x 10 reps
*Keep your elbows pulling to the sides and away from your body (laterally).
C.
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – L-Sit Flutter Kicks on Kettlebells x 20 seconds
Interval 2 – Straight Leg Bottom Balance x 20 seconds
Interval 3 – Hand Plank Cross Knee-To-Elbow (hold) x 20 seconds (10 seconds each side)
Interval 4 – Backward Straddled Scoots x 10 reps
Followed by. . .
One set of:
Banded Two-Handed Triceps Extension x 60 reps
Session Two
A.
If you are not familiar with the three most important hand placements for handstand work, please watch this VIDEO.
For 60 seconds perform one set of:
Kick to Handstand on Wall (with hands turned out) x 6 reps
*Goal is to make contact with the wall with your feet together and softly as possible.
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Wall-Facing Handstand Marching x 20 reps
Interval 2 – Back-To-Wall Handstand Marching x 10 reps
Followed by. . .
Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of complex:
Handstand Marching x 30 reps + Straight Body Ceiling-Reaching Crunches x 15 reps
– – – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of complex:
Handstand Walk x 5 meters + Straight Body Ceiling-Reaching Crunches x 15 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 20 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Reverse Handstand Walk x 3 meters
Interval 2 – Wall Crouch Planche x 5 reps
Interval 3 – Back-To-Wall Donkey Kicks x 5 reps
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Side Plank with Hip Circles x 8 reps (each side)
Interval 2 – Wall Slides x 8 reps @ 2121
B.
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of complex:
Hand Plank Shoulder Taps x 40 reps + Push-Up x 10 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Single Arm Hand Plank x 20 seconds (10 seconds each arm)
*Insure your shoulders are parallel to the floor.
Interval 2 – Narrow Grip Push-Ups on 24″ Box x 15 reps
*Video is normal grip push-ups on 30″ box. Bring hands together until fingers and thumbs are overlapping.
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 60 seconds (2 sets) of:
Reverse Grip Hand Plank x 20 seconds
*Arms should be completely straight and shoulders should lean forward past hands as far as possible. If this causes elbow pain, begin the exercise with bent arms and keep them bent throughout the interval but still leaning past your hands as far as possible without falling.
Session Three
A.
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of complex:
Rope Pull-Up Taps x 6 reps (3 reps each hand) + Rope Climb x 1 rep
*Feel free to kip these if necessary but make sure to get your tapping hand back to the rope for support on the descent.
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of complex:
Toes-To-Rope x 6 reps + Rope Climb x 1 rep
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Rope Pull-Up with Scaling Option x 16 reps @ 20X0 (switch top hand every 4 reps)
B.
If you are not aware of the value of knee height during the bar muscle-up, please watch this VIDEO.
Every 10 seconds, for 60 seconds (6 sets) of:
Target Reach Swing x 2 reps (contiguous)
Followed by. . .
Every 15 seconds, for 2 minutes (8 sets) of complex:
Target Reach Swing + Toes-To-Bar x 2 reps
*Make these toes-to-bar reps as fast as possible. Under the circumstances of producing hast reps, you will not bend your knees in the loading position as much as you would for larger sets.
Followed by. . .
Every 20 seconds, for 3 minutes (9 sets) of complex:
Target Reach Swing + Air Chair Swing x 1 rep
*It’s better to get your knees too close to the bar than it is to have them too far from the bar.
Followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Kipping Back Slide x 10-20 reps
Followed by. . .
Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (6 sets) of:
Air Chair Swing x 3 reps
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (6 sets) of complex:
Air Chair Swing x 1 rep + Bar Muscle-Up x 1 rep
– – – – – – – –
Followed by. . .
Option 1 –
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Bar Muscle-Up (singles) x max reps
*Drop and reset on the floor between reps.
– – – – – – – –
Option 2 –
Rest 30 seconds, then. . .
For 30 seconds, perform one set of:
Kipping Bar Muscle-Up x max (unbroken) reps
*If or when you fail your Bar Muscle-Up, for every second remaining in your time frame, perform two V-Ups. Your goal should be 5 Bar Muscle-Ups.
___________________________________________________________
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