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
Banded-Assisted Cross-Pull Scap Retraction
Session One
A.
One set of:
Kettlebell Ankle Pulses x 20 reps (each leg)
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Weighted Pistol Balance Pulses x 5 reps (right leg, 1 second pause at parallel)
Interval 2 – Weighted Pistol Balance Pulses x 5 reps (left leg, 1 second pause at parallel)
*Please aim for quality with heavy weight. The goal is to reach parallel, pause for 1 second, then descend with control for each rep.
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 60 seconds (1 set) of:
Interval 1 – Single Leg Pistol Squat x max reps (right leg)
Interval 2 – Single Leg Pistol Squat x max reps (left leg)
B.
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Strict Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups x 7 reps
Interval 2 – Bar Muscle-Up x 7 reps
*Use minimal swing on the muscle-ups, utilizing pulling power more than swing.
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Chest-To-Bar Pull-Up Pulses x 5 reps
Interval 2 – Kipping Front Lever x 5 reps
Interval 3 – Butterfly Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups x 8-10 reps
C.
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Straight Leg Bottom Balance x 50 seconds
Interval 2 – Elbow Jacks x 40 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – V-Up to V-Sit x 10 reps
Interval 2 – Straight Body Ceiling-Reaching Crunches x 15 reps
Interval 3 – L-Sit Hold on Parallettes (or kettlebells) x 20 seconds
Session Two
A.
Every minute, on the minute, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Rocking Box Bridges x 15 reps
Interval 2 – Handstand Marching x 50 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 4 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Hand Plank Shoulder Taps x 40 reps + Hand Plank (until interval is finished)
immediately followed by. . .
Interval 2 – Donkey Kick to Handstand Walk x 4 meters
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Handstand Walk (max effort, 40 second time cap) x 1 rep
*If you run out of space for your handstand walk, you can either try to turn around to continue or perform handstand marching.
B.
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Push-Up to 8″ Deficit x 20 reps
Interval 2 – Kettlebell Push-Ups x 15 reps
C.
Every 30 seconds for three minutes (6 sets) of:
Downward Dog Ring Handstand Push-Ups x 4-6 reps
Session Three
A.
Every minute, on the minute, for 5 minutes (5 sets) of complex:
Pull-Up Tap Rope Climb x 1 rep
immediately followed by. . .
Strict Handstand Push-Ups with 8″ Deficit x 8 reps
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 5 minutes (5 sets) of:
Legless Rope Climb x 1 rep
immediately followed by. . .
V-Ups x 10 reps
Followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Rope Climb (with legs) x max reps
B.
Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (4 sets) of complexes:
Interval 1 – Butterfly Chest-To Bar x 3 reps + Bar Muscle-Up x 1 rep
Interval 2 – Toes-To-Bar x 3 reps + Bar Muscle-Up x 1 rep
Interval 3 – Bar Muscle-Up x 3 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 15 seconds, for 2 minutes (8 sets) of:
Kipping Pull-Up Hops x 2 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 45 seconds, for 3 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Toes-To-Bar Candlestick Press x 5 reps (slow and controlled)
Interval 2 – Bouncing Knees-To-Chest x 30 reps