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
Banded-Assisted Cross-Pull Scap Retraction
Session One
A.
Spend 2 minutes working on proper hand and foot placement for a Kick to Handstand.
Followed by. . .
Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Donkey Kicks x 10 reps
Interval 2 – Kick to Handstand on Wall Scaled x 5 reps (15 second cap)
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Donkey Kicks x 10 reps
Interval 2 – Back-To-Wall Handstand Hold x 15 seconds
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Three-Quarter Handstand on Wall x 15 seconds
*Climb your feet further up the wall to get your hands as close to the wall as possible.
Interval 2 – Wall Climb x 1 rep
Followed by. . .
Spend 3 minutes working on a Forward Roll.
B.
If you are not familiar with the Toes-To-Bar Mount, please watch this VIDEO.
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Kipping Knees-To-Chest x 12 reps
Interval 2 – Seated Piked Double Leg Lift x 10 reps
Followed by. . .
For 60 seconds, perform one set of complex:
Kipping Half Toes-To-Bar x max reps
*Find a rhythm during this set. As you fall into your rhythm begin lifting your legs higher toward the bar in small increments to find how high you can swing your legs while still maintaining rhythm.
C.
Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Chest-To-Bar Pull-Up Negatives x 4 reps @ 30A1
Interval 2 – Chin Hang Hold x 15 seconds (or max effort, whichever is less)
Interval 3 – Half Pull-Up x 4 reps
Interval 4 – Supine Plank Hold x 15 seconds
Session Two
A.
If you are not familiar with the False Grip for Strict Ring Muscle-Ups, please watch this VIDEO.
If you do not know how to tape for a False Grip, please watch this VIDEO.
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Extensor Stretch for False Grip x 30 seconds
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – False Grip Static Hang x 10 seconds
Interval 2 – Ring Pull-Up Negative (with or without False Grip) x 4 reps @ 30A1
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Banded Strict Muscle-Up x 10 reps
*Try to allow more slack in the band each set to increase the difficulty of the movement.
Followed by. . .
Every 10 seconds, for 2 minutes (12 sets) of:
Ring Muscle-Up Negative Scaled x 1 rep
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (4 sets) of:
Ring Dips with Scaling Option x 7 reps
*Insure you are going to full depth in the dip.
B.
For 60 seconds, perform one set of:
Pike Stretch x 60 seconds
Followed by. . .
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Speed Swing x 5-7 reps
Interval 2 – Supine Snap Pulls on Low Rings x 20 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 45 seconds, for 3 minutes (4 sets) of:
Rowing Transition Lifter x 8 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Supine Ring Swings x 5-6 reps
Interval 2 – Rowing Muscle-Up Transition on Low Rings x 5-6 reps
Session Three
A.
If you are not familiar with the process of Handstand Push-Up Negatives, please watch this VIDEO.
Option 1 –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Headstand Hold on Wall x 15 seconds
Interval 2 – Kick to Handstand on Wall Scaled x 15 seconds
Option 2 –
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (3 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Headstand Hold on Wall x 15 seconds
Interval 2 – Back-To-Wall Handstand Hold x 15-20 seconds
Followed by. . .
Every 10 seconds, for 2 minutes (12 sets) of:
Handstand Push-Up Negatives x 1 rep @ 30A2
*Protect your neck. If at any time you hit your head firmly on the floor, your next rep should finish before your head makes contact with the floor by kicking off the wall quickly. Make sure to hold the handstand for 2 seconds before descending.
Followed by. . .
Option 1 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Elevated Knee Handstand Push-Up x 8-12 reps
Interval 2 – Headstand Kipping Pulses x 20 reps
Option 2 –
Every minute, on the minute, for 4 minutes (2 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Elevated Foot Handstand Push-Up x 8-12 reps
Interval 2 – Headstand Kipping Pulses x 20 reps
Followed by. . .
Every 30 seconds, for 3 minutes (6 sets) of:
Handstand Push-Up Depths x 4-5 reps (at chosen depth)
*Choose a depth that you can press out of. If your current depth becomes too difficult then default to a lesser depth.
B.
Every 30 seconds, for 6 minutes (4 sets) of:
Interval 1 – Full Support Hold on Low Rings x 15 seconds
Interval 2 – Ring Dip Negatives x 4 reps @ 40A1
Interval 3 – Catch Position Hold x 5-10 seconds
*Accumulate time as necessary on both the full support and catch position holds.
Followed by. . .
Every 20 seconds, for 2 minutes (6 sets) of:
Ring Dips with Scaling Option x 4 reps @ 10X1