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 Balls 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)https://youtu.be/x-yc6JgVEEA
Straddle and Pike Stretch (Adductor and Hamstring Mobility)
Band-Assisted Lat and Hip Flexor Stretch
Single Arm Hang from Bar (Lat and Pec Stretch)
Calf and Hamstring Combo Stretch
Banded-Assisted Cross-Pull Scap Retraction
Session One
A.
Every minute, on the minute, for 5 minutes (5 sets) of:
Candlestick Roll to Pistol Squat or Pistol Squat Balance x 8 reps (alternate feet)
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 5 minute (5 sets) of:
Alternating Pistol Squat Negative to Pistol Balance x 4 reps @ 45A1
Followed by. . .
2 minutes of:
Banded Alternating Pistol Squat x max reps
Followed by. . .
B.
Every minute, on the minute, for 5 minutes (5 sets) of complex:
Supinated Grip Pull-Up x 2 reps + Pronated Grip Pull-Up x 2 reps + Kipping Swings x 2 reps + Kipping Pull-Up x 2 reps
Followed by. . .
C.
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Hollow Body Sit-Up to L-Sit on Kettlebells x 6 reps
Session Two
A.
Every minute, on the minute, for 5 minutes (5 sets) of:
Wall-Facing Handstand Marching x 20 reps
Immediately followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 5 minutes (5 sets) of:
Back-To-Wall Handstand Marching
x 20 reps
Immediately followed by. . .
Every two minutes, for 6 minutes (3 sets) complete:
Wall Climb + Walk Away and Back x 2 reps
Followed by. . .
B.
2 sets of:
Incline Push-Ups on 30″ Box x 40 reps
Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.
Session Three
A.
Every 90 seconds for 6 minutes (4 sets) of complex:
15′ Rope Climb + Rope Pull-Ups with feet on Floor x 4 reps (alternating hands)
Followed by. . .
B.
Every minute for 12 minutes (4 sets) complete:
Interval 1 – Air Chair Swing x 5 reps
Interval 2 – Jump to Bar from Squat
x 10 reps
Interval 3 – Supine Overhead Plate Lift (10#/15#) x 20 reps
Completed Session 3 yesterday…
Rope Climb + Rope Pullups completed. Is there a video to watch to optimize wrapping the rope around our feet for the climbing??? I’ve never learned proper technique and could use some refining!
Air Swing/Jump Bar Squat/Plate Lift completed. I really think the Air Chair Swings are gonna level up my Bar Muscle Up game!!!
This is awesome. No, there is not (yet) a video about how to wrap your feet on the rope. Yes, there absolutely will be one in the future.
We’re working on the Facebook closed group for this program. I’d love to see your videos and watch your progress. If you ever want to post a video to the blog here, upload to YouTube first and cut and paste your video link. I’m happy you’re on board!
Hey Brandon,
We started a Facebook Group for Invictus Gymnastics! Join here
https://www.facebook.com/groups/578933415644615/
Awesome! Thanks for the invite!
Just finished the 3rd session for this week. Went well other than the ‘Air chair swings’ I just could not do them.
Thank you for bringing my attention to this! I’ll be answering all questions within the next couple hours. I don’t know what is wrong with my blog setting but I did not see any of these until Notre. I’ll be with everybody shortly!
No worries. I only caught it as I was looking through the level 1 programme.
Hey buddy! We started a Facebook Group for Invictus Gymnastics! Join here
https://www.facebook.com/groups/578933415644615/
Feel free to post a video of the Air Chair Swing if you have one and we’ll take a look!
Thanks! I’ll IM it to you as I can’t seem to do it here.
Session 3- Complete. Right elbow is still a little behind on the jump to bar. It’s the same in MUs.
Do you mean Chicken Winging? Are you going left arm up then right?
Yes, it’s not turning over as fast as the other arm. Same issue with my MU where you told me to stretch the pec in the low ring catch position.
…love to have feedback on the air chair, also. felt less dynamic than it looks. I’m curious how the air chair builds into the transition.
https://youtu.be/308HDbgXd-Y
Those actually look quite good. You are overusing your abs in what is supposed to be an arched position while underneath the bar. I’d like to see you relax your abs more and allow your feet to travel behind you (with bent knees) before bringing your knees back up toward the bar. As for how this assists the transition, you are now actively pulling down on the bar using your lats and you knees have build up height and speed. As you may have seen on the video link in the program, from that Air Chair position you quickly kick… Read more »
Travis, your comments are highly appreciated
https://youtu.be/bGlHLuZg_Sw
Hey Brita! Those look good! I would try to keep your feet on the front side of the bar. It will demand more from your abs, but training to keep your feet in front of the bar should help you stay better balanced when doing the bar Muscle-Up. Most failing Muscle-Ups (when the athlete is strong enough) are caused by too much bodyweight behind the bar. Keeping your feet forward will help prevent that.
Hi, how to post videos, is an upload to youtube needed? Thanks
Hey Brita! We started a Facebook Group for Invictus Gymnastics! It’ll be much easier to post video and get coach and athlete feedback. Join here
https://www.facebook.com/groups/578933415644615/
Session 2 Complete after a workout with HSPUs. I feel the most comfortable walking on my hands of all the gymnastic movements although it’s far from technically sound.
B: Wow you weren’t kidding about those push ups! Burned so good!
http://youtu.be/Pxy0dDBV_9A
Hey Corey! I’m seeing a large space beneath your comment about the Incline Push-Ups… did you post a video?
I did. Its showing up in mine
Link is https://youtu.be/Pxy0dDBV_9A
Hey I see it! Handstand Marching looks good. I’d see about moving the hips more from side to side. The Wall Climb and walks look good, and I know I’m being really picky, but I’d like you to make sure that when you get back to the wall you get your hands closer to the wall so you don’t have to crane your head forward to touch your nose on the wall. And also, please walk all the way down the wall slow and controlled to finish in the prone position on the floor. It pains me to see you… Read more »
Session 1 completed
Pistols are a big weakness of mine since I had some bad tendinitis in one of my knees last summer.
Candlestick to Balance completed
Pistol Negatives completed. Really liked these!
Banded Pistols = 0. Pretty sure this was a mental block more than anything else.
Pullup Complex completed unbroken
Hollow Rock to L-Sit completed but challenging!
Great job on everything! For the Banded Pistol just use the rig as much as necessary to get comfortable and full range of motion. It’s okay to scale some of these exercises so they can be completed. One main foundation of Invictus Gymnastics is to make all movements scalable to a difficult, yet doable degree to help promote growth through experience.
Session 1 Done- May of bit off more than I can chew on this one.
Frustrating day as I struggle with pistols. I can do them in Romeleos but still on my toe. Tried all work in Metcons. I work on ankle flexibility daily for about 15 min but still having issues.
Couldn’t do the Pull up complex UB. Strict PUs need some work.
http://youtu.be/cR8FiEWr8GU
Sorry for the length.
I see what you mean about your ankle mobility. I’d like to see of you can do the Candle Roll to P-Squat Balance with a couple of dumbbells in your hands to help offset the tendency to fall backward into your roll so quickly. That should help buy some time in the Squat Balance position. Some of your banded Pistols looked really good. On this video about 2:05 you seemed to have a fully successful Pistol on your left foot! Similar to the comment above, I would try to get some weight in front of your body during these Banded… Read more »
Thanks Travis. It’s a cold rainy day so I’ll go warm up the garage and practice them now.
So took your fixes. The last couple of reds for each. My right ankle was not cooperating with me as much as my left. Even finished the video with a wall walk and HS walk with a finesse finish.
http://youtu.be/r7fIWpcHewc
YES! Everything looked better!!! Great work!!!
Season 2
Wall Facing HS Marching completed
Back Facing Wall Matching completed
Wall Walk + Walk Out & Back
=Struggled with this. Could get 4 steps out, but couldn’t control enough to come back.
Incline Box Pushups completed unbroken
Walking back toward the wall is definitely awkward. It should almost feel like you are holding a vertical handstand until you reach your arm toward the wall whereas the weight of your arm should cause your body to lean that direction. You may want to play with reverse handstand walks in an open space for practice. Draw lines on the floor where you’d like to start and eventually finish to set a specific goal. Do take your time moving backward because if you don’t you will definitely end up with your feet on the ground.
Will do, thanks Travis! I think I just need to spend more time walking short distances on my hands in my day-to-day life 🙂 My wife will love it, haha
The link to the “Hollow Body Sit-Up to L-Sit on Kettlebells” is being uncooperative 🙁
Yeah I found this too…
Hey I’m sorry I didn’t see this till now. I’ve been having some complications with my Blog. The video should be up, though it’s probably too late.
No worries, I figured it out. I definitely could use more work on L-sits. I actually have a comp in 2 weeks where they test L-sit for time, so this work is gonna come in handy!