Handstands – Invictus Fitness https://www.crossfitinvictus.com Mon, 16 Sep 2019 23:09:06 -0700 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.3 Handstand Walking Tips for Competition https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/handstand-walking-tips-competition/ https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/handstand-walking-tips-competition/#respond Fri, 20 Sep 2019 03:00:22 +0000 https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/?post_type=blog_posts&p=78681 Handstand Walking Tips for Competition
Video by Ricky Moore

Handstand walking is already hard enough for most people without having it thrown into a workout for time. Here are some tips to keep you moving forward as efficiently as possible when handstand walking comes up in competition. Practice them now so they are cues when it comes down to 3, 2, 1…Go!

Tips for Handstand Walking
Head position for Handstand Walking

Don’t crane your neck or try to look too far out in front of you. Instead, look 2-3 inches in front of your fingertips.

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Handstand Walking Tips for Competition
Video by Ricky Moore

Handstand walking is already hard enough for most people without having it thrown into a workout for time. Here are some tips to keep you moving forward as efficiently as possible when handstand walking comes up in competition. Practice them now so they are cues when it comes down to 3, 2, 1…Go!

Tips for Handstand Walking

Head position for Handstand Walking

Don’t crane your neck or try to look too far out in front of you. Instead, look 2-3 inches in front of your fingertips.

Let the Finish Line Come to You

Don’t rush to the finish line or look for it. When you are there, it will appear within your line of vision. If you reach to look or rush, you will likely fall and have to repeat that segment.

Take it One Segment at a Time

This goes for ANY workout. Only think about the portion you are on and how to make that the most efficient as possible. Don’t worry about all the other portions ahead of you. Be present and keep your focus on where you currently are.

How to Fall from a Handstand

While you’re at it, make sure you know how to properly fall. It’s amazing how much more confidence you’ll have with this movement when you know you are able to safely return to the floor if you lose your balance while upside down. Check out this video where Invictus Gymnastics Coach, Travis Ewart, demonstrates the importance of learning to properly fall out of a handstand so that you have the confidence to go for handstand holds and handstand walks and have the ability to save your inverted position all while preventing injury.

Start working on this now – we have seen handstand walking in the Open previously and there’s a good chance some sort of handstand walking, or even obstacle crossing, will appear again this year!

How to Prepare for the 2020 CrossFit Open

Check out our variety of online programs – we offer complete Open prep for all athletes plus supplemental programs for gymnastics, weightlifting, strength, your engine, and more!

 

Check Out More on Handstand Walking…

Breaking Down Handstand Walks
Handstand Walk Progressions
Handstand Tip: Don’t Squeeze!

 

 

 

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Handstand Tip: Don’t Squeeze! https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/handstand-tip-dont-squeeze/ https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/handstand-tip-dont-squeeze/#respond Mon, 19 Aug 2019 01:00:59 +0000 https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/?post_type=blog_posts&p=77540 Handstand Tip: Don’t Squeeze!
Video by Travis Ewart

Tight!” You hear that cue used when coaching pretty much every movement in the gym whether it be clenching the midline for the deadlift, pressing up on the bar when receiving the snatch, or when you’re inverted in the handstand…Wait, NOT the handstand too!

Although it might seem counterintuitive at first, Invictus Gymnastics Coach, Travis Ewart, explains why it is actually more beneficial to be less tight when walking on your hands and how that little bit of slack in your body can be harnessed and used to keep you in position and moving forward without fear of crashing heavily to the floor.

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Handstand Tip: Don’t Squeeze!
Video by Travis Ewart

Tight!” You hear that cue used when coaching pretty much every movement in the gym whether it be clenching the midline for the deadlift, pressing up on the bar when receiving the snatch, or when you’re inverted in the handstand…Wait, NOT the handstand too!

Although it might seem counterintuitive at first, Invictus Gymnastics Coach, Travis Ewart, explains why it is actually more beneficial to be less tight when walking on your hands and how that little bit of slack in your body can be harnessed and used to keep you in position and moving forward without fear of crashing heavily to the floor.

For more drills and progressions and to get personal feedback from Coach Travis, join our Invictus Gymnastics online program. It doesn’t matter what level your skills are, we have a way to customize your programming to be just right for you. You get tutorials, video analysis, and an amazing online community, all for helping yourself prepare for what is definitely coming! Sure, you’re going to have to work for it, but you do CrossFit (thus you’re a badass), and this is the step you have to take to being even more badass.

Twenty minutes of actual work, three times a week – start now! The Open is closer than you think!

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Breaking Down Handstand Walks https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/breaking-handstand-walks/ https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/breaking-handstand-walks/#respond Wed, 07 Aug 2019 03:00:09 +0000 https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/?post_type=blog_posts&p=77158 Breaking Down Handstand Walks
Video by Travis Ewart

In this video, Invictus Gymnastics Coach, Travis Ewart, breaks down handstand walks from hand placement to the kick-up and taking that first of many steps – he has tips for both beginners and competitive athletes to make sure you keep moving forward.

For more drills and progressions and to get personal feedback from Coach Travis, join our Invictus Gymnastics online program. It doesn’t matter what level your skills are, we have a way to customize your programming to be just right for you.

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Breaking Down Handstand Walks
Video by Travis Ewart

In this video, Invictus Gymnastics Coach, Travis Ewart, breaks down handstand walks from hand placement to the kick-up and taking that first of many steps – he has tips for both beginners and competitive athletes to make sure you keep moving forward.

For more drills and progressions and to get personal feedback from Coach Travis, join our Invictus Gymnastics online program. It doesn’t matter what level your skills are, we have a way to customize your programming to be just right for you. You get tutorials, video analysis, and an amazing online community, all for helping yourself prepare for what is definitely coming! Sure, you’re going to have to work for it, but you do CrossFit (thus you’re a badass), and this is the step you have to take to being even more badass.

Twenty minutes of actual work, three times a week – start now! The Open is closer than you think!

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The Athlete, the Goal & the Plan: Post-Open Check-In with Haider https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/athlete-goal-plan-post-open-check-haider/ https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/athlete-goal-plan-post-open-check-haider/#respond Thu, 28 Mar 2019 03:00:10 +0000 https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/?post_type=blog_posts&p=73027

The Athlete, the Goal & the Plan: Post-Open Check-In with Haider
Written by Michele Vieux

It’s time to check in again with our friend, Haider, who has followed our Performance Program online from Saudi Arabia, since July of 2018, and has volunteered to take part in this series called, “The Athlete, The Goal & The Plan”. Meet Haider and learn about his SMART goals in these previous articles.

Today we are checking in with Haider to see how he’s coming along with the mini-milestones we set up together,

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The Athlete, the Goal & the Plan: Post-Open Check-In with Haider
Written by Michele Vieux

It’s time to check in again with our friend, Haider, who has followed our Performance Program online from Saudi Arabia, since July of 2018, and has volunteered to take part in this series called, “The Athlete, The Goal & The Plan”. Meet Haider and learn about his SMART goals in these previous articles.

Today we are checking in with Haider to see how he’s coming along with the mini-milestones we set up together, how he enjoyed the Open, and any take-aways he has so far. We will continue to check back with him throughout the year to see where he is with each goal, if he’s hit any plateaus, or other things that need to be addressed, and to watch him check each goal off the list.

So far, there are only a few “concerns” or limiting factors that have come up, so in this phase of the plan, we will find out what those are, decide how to address them, and make any necessary adjustments to the mini-milestone timelines.

#1 -The Open

This is not necessarily a “concern”, according to Haider, but it did replace some of the goal work so a couple of the timelines might need to be adjusted. Haider is ok with this because he wanted to have fun with the Open workouts and test his improvements from last year – which he did!

Q: What was your goal with the Open?
A: My main goal was to be able to do better than last year in overall ranking and to be able to perform certain exercises I could not have done before. These movements were Double-Unders, Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups and Toes-to-Bar.

Q: What have you gained/learned from doing it?
A: I’ve gained more confidence in my capabilities, learned that my efforts spent working out are not for nothing, and learned that I can do better than I think I can (pushing the limits).

Q: How have you improved from last year’s Open?
A: So far, it seems I have improved my ranking by a lot, I survived all Open WODs RX’d, and I was able to perform DU’s, C2B & T2B in an Open at last!

Q: Any other thoughts?
A: I do believe I have the strength and muscle mass to perform better than I should, however, my main constraint is my weight. Once I reduce my fat, I am sure I will see a lot of improvement overall.

#2 – HSPU

Haider has been able to keep up on the static handstand holds throughout the Open but not much else of the supplemental work for this goal except for using the appropriate modifications/substitutions when HSPU come up in workouts.

There are two “limiting factors” for Haider with the HSPU goal. The first is painful pressure on butt of thumb. To address this, he is going to check out this article by Invictus Gymnastics Coach, Travis Ewart, and see if hand position is to blame. If it is not, then we will continue to examine the cause so that we can find a good solution.

Due to a previous injury, he also experiences painful elbow pain/tendonitis on one side. Because of this, I asked him to monitor his volume on his static holds, pressing movements and also on the pull-up negatives in order to mitigate this as much as possible. I recommended him these suggestions for how to care for it when it does get flared up.

I also gave him some new things to try for HSPU progress:

Q: Do you feel like you are still on track with each of the mini-milestones for HSPU?
A: I am on track with the Handstand Hold against the wall, I managed to get 74s which is close to the 90s mini-goal. However, due to the concerns above, I might be off-track with the other two mini-goals.

Mini-Milestones for HSPU

1) Mini-Milestone: Hold a supported handstand for 90 seconds by April 2019
– On track!

2) Mini-Milestone: 5 Wall Climbs with less than 5 seconds rest in between reps by July 2019
– Test, then consider if timeline adjustment is needed.

3) Mini-Milestone: 3 reps of HSPU negatives @ 51A1 tempo by September 2019
– Test, then consider if timeline adjustment is needed.

#3 – PULL-UPS

Sadly, the one thing that is holding him back in this area has been hard to improve upon in just a couple of months, but we are hopeful that we are able to find a good solution for the painful tearing (both feeling and actual) that occurs on his palms whenever he does longer than a 45-second static hold or on high-volume pull-ups, toes-to-bar or any kipping movement. You should have seen his poor hands after 19.2 and 19.5! He has tried a number of taping methods and wraps with no luck. Maybe one of our readers has a pro tip for Haider?

Q: How long can you static hang now? Did you time it recently?
A: I always time my static hang in both positions. I have not improved much on the time but I feel better grip and stronger forearms. However, due to the concern above, it limits me from holding for longer than 40-50s.

Q: Do you feel like you are still on track with each of the mini-milestones for pull-ups?
A: I think I am on track with the static hold and the chin-over-bar hold mini-goals, but not the pull-up negatives @ the prescribed tempo. I would need to retest to see how I feel about these.

Mini-Milestones for Pull-Ups

1) Mini-Milestone: 60-second static hang by April 2019
– On Track!

2) Mini-Milestone: 5 reps of pull-up negatives @ 51A1 tempo by April 2019
– Test, then consider if timeline adjustment is needed.

3) Mini-Milestone: 30-second chin-over-bar hold by July 2019
– On Track!

#4 – Body Comp & Lifestyle

Great news on this front! One of the previous concerns in this area was not getting enough sleep each night. But because of his commitment to his goals, Haider changed gyms so that he would have less of a commute before and after his workout. By doing this, he has been able to get an additional 1-1.5 hours of sleep each night!

And actually, he addressed another previous concern – overtraining – by implementing a rest/maintenance day once a week, even though he was initially resistant to the idea. Even crazier…he just let me know that he’s going to take a couple days off after the Open to let his hands recover, to mentally refresh and to prepare for his upcoming L1. He would have NEVER considered doing this when we first chatted back in January but now sees the value in taking some time off every now and then.

Something he was proactive about addressing is to create a plan for how to eat during Ramadan, since he is living in a country where the holiday is strictly adhered to. Two options we came up with that he’s certain he can implement are below. I am waiting to hear which he chooses.

  • Keto (he has experience with this). Normally people don’t feel too hungry when in ketosis so eating this way will not only help him survive through the daylight hours more comfortably, it will likely also kickstart that last bit of fat loss he’s looking for.
  • Intermittent Fasting

Q: How has your mindset changed around taking a “maintenance” day on Thursdays?
A: I was so skeptical and worried it might negatively impact me, now I wait happily for it and try to improvise it. I call it maintenance day as it is the day where I do full body mobility targeting certain tired muscles the most.

Q: What benefits have you seen from the maintenance day?
A: It gave me better balance into my workouts, more focus and refreshed mindset, and allowed me to perform a little better during the following two days than I used to.

Q: Have you noticed any difference from the extra sleep each night?
A: On the short run, not much difference. However, I did feel I have slightly recovered better in muscle tissue. Also, it did give me more focus and stronger mentality.

What a great start, for Haider! Much progress has already been made and he’s on the path toward each of his goals. Our next step is to have him retest some of of the mini-milestone measurements so that we can make sure the dates for each of the goals and mini-milestones is still feasible. Check back with us to see how close Haider is to that HSPU!

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How to Do Handstand Push-Ups: A Quick Guide for Beginners https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/the-handstand-push-up/ https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/the-handstand-push-up/#comments Mon, 11 Mar 2019 03:00:39 +0000 http://staging.silent-garden.flywheelsites.com/?p=17279 Do you have a hard time doing a proper handstand push-up? Just follow these tips from the coaches at Invictus Fitness to learn how to do them correctly.

Don’t Have Strict Handstand Pushups? Here’s the Plan…
Written by Nichole DeHart, Brittany Weiss & Michele Vieux

Most of our readers would probably have thought, if asked about a year before they began CrossFit, that they would never do a handstand push-up, let alone even think about doing more than one! You’ve probably seen some athletes in the gym knocking out a few handstand push-ups,

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Do you have a hard time doing a proper handstand push-up? Just follow these tips from the coaches at Invictus Fitness to learn how to do them correctly.

fitness coach shows how to do a handstand push-up against wall

Don’t Have Strict Handstand Pushups? Here’s the Plan…
Written by Nichole DeHart, Brittany Weiss & Michele Vieux

Most of our readers would probably have thought, if asked about a year before they began CrossFit, that they would never do a handstand push-up, let alone even think about doing more than one! You’ve probably seen some athletes in the gym knocking out a few handstand push-ups, have seen athletes every year completing these at the CrossFit Games and saw Ryan Gosling (or at least his double) crank out effortless handstand push-ups in Crazy, Stupid Love. So, you might be asking, how can I attain a handstand push-up? Or, if you already have one, how can I improve my technique?

To start, let’s establish a few things you should have before you look to build your Handstand Push-Up (HSPU) prowess. First, you should be comfortable kicking into a handstand against the wall. Become comfortable with being upside down and maintaining a stable position. This stable position should look like the photo above…a straight, rigid line from wrists to ankles.

To obtain a good stable handstand push-up position, think about squeezing your butt and gut tight to maintain a firm midline. Once you have established this position, then you can move forward to the first training phase.

Why is the Strict Handstand Push-up so Important?

We are going to first work on developing a strict handstand push-up. There are many benefits to obtaining a strict handstand push-up. Not only are you making your shoulders stronger and more stable, but you are also forced to maintain a tight, braced midline/core throughout the movement. This piece transfers over to many other CrossFit movements where a strong midline is required to perform the movement efficiently.

Just like you wouldn’t want someone performing a ton of kipping pull-ups when they don’t have the strength to do one strict pull-up, we don’t want someone doing a ton of kipping handstand push-ups if they don’t have the strength to do a strict handstand push-up. The shoulder strength required to complete a handstand push-up is great, and some may not have that strength just yet. Have no fear, we have created a simple training program to help you build your upper body strength to reach the goal of obtaining a strict handstand push-up. With dedication, patience and hard work, you too can successfully attain a strict handstand push-up!

How to DO A Strict Handstand Push-Up:

  1. Hand placement: place hands about 6-12 inches away from the wall and slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Make sure palms are facing forward, or slightly turned out 5-10 degrees.
  2. Kick up into a handstand, with your heels touching the wall. If you have trouble kicking up into the handstand, try practicing this donkey kick drill.
  3. Once you have kicked up, establish a strong, rigid midline position. (see above photo)
  4. While maintaining this position, lower yourself until the top of your head touches the floor/mat. Try to keep your elbows at a 45 degree angle as you lower.
  5. Once your head touches the floor, press up with the same tightness you had lowering yourself, until your elbows reach full extension.

The 3 training phases for developing a strict HSPU is listed below. Follow this precisely and do not move onto the next training phase until you are able to complete all the reps and sets at the proper tempo.

First, the exercises:

HSUP Negatives: Kick up into your handstand position. Ensure that your hand placement is approximately 6-12 inches away from the wall and your midline/core is in a tight, stable position. Lower yourself at the assigned tempo until your head touches the floor. Kick off the wall and reset. Make sure to control the descent throughout the entire movement. The tempo should be the same from the start of the negative to the end of the negative. If you are hesitant about the distance you are traveling to the floor, then place an abmat underneath your head to lessen the distance of the descent. As you feel more confident with the negative, remove the abmat(s) until you are reaching the full range of motion.


Handstand Hold: Kick up into your handstand position. Hold for a specific amount of time, maintaining a neutral spine and stable midline/core. Once you feel yourself relax from that tight position, kick off the wall. You can also try a wall-facing hold, which is a little more challenging.


Handstand Push Up with Assist: This is best done with a partner. Have your partner hold onto your ankles. Lower yourself at the assigned tempo and press yourself up. The partner is there to help assist you as you press up, giving as much assistance as needed for you to press out of the handstand.


Wall Walks: Lay flat on the floor with your feet against the wall, hands by your side. Press up to the top of your push up position and take a big step up the wall. Take your other foot and step up the wall so that both feet are pressed into the wall. Ensure that you have a tight midline and, if a tight midline is established, walk your hands and feet up the wall until you make contact with your chest. Maintaining control, begin walking your hands out in front of you while simultaneously walking down the wall until your chest is on the floor. Common mistakes with this movement are generally lose of control on the way down from the wall walk and relaxing the midline. Only walk as far up the wall as your mechanics will allow. Increase the height of your wall climb as strength and mechanics improve.


Wall Runs: Wall runs are alternating, single-arm handstand holds and the time held with each arm can vary depending on the athlete’s ability. Wall runs can be performed facing either toward or away from the wall with the latter being the most difficult. Start in the handstand facing the wall. Keep your glutes and gut tight. You should be in a hollow position with your toes touching the wall, your wrists stacked below your shoulders and your shoulders packed tight into the joint. Slightly shift your weight to your right side and pick up your left hand. Your goal should be to touch your chest and put your hand back down on the ground with control. If you cannot maintain control, walk yourself away from the walk, even as far down as a plank or a pike. If you get to the point where you can easily perform 20 wall runs while facing the wall, you are ready to kick up into the handstand and face the world. 


woman learns how to do a handstand push-up during a CrossFit workout

Training Phase 1

  • Day 1 – Five Sets of: Handstand Push-Up Negatives x 5 reps @ 30A1; Rest 90 seconds
  • Day 2: Four Sets of: Handstand Hold x Max Seconds; Rest 60-90 seconds
  • Day 3: Five Sets of: Handstand Push-Up Negatives x 5 reps @ 30A1; Rest 90 seconds

Training Phase 2

  • Day 1: Five Sets: Handstand Push-Up Negatives x 5 reps @ 40A1; Rest 90 seconds
  • Day 2: Five Sets: Wall Climbs x 3 reps; Rest 90 seconds
  • Day 3: Five Sets of: Handstand Push-Up Negatives w/partner assist x 5 reps @ 40A1

Training Phase 3

  • Day 1: Five Sets of: Handstand Push-Up Negatives x 5 reps @ 50A1; Rest 90 seconds
  • Day 2: Four Sets of: Wall Runs x 5-6 reps; Rest as needed
  • Day 3: Five Sets of: Handstand Push-Ups w/partner assist x 5 reps @ 50A1

Be patient with yourself as you work towards your goal of a handstand push-up, and stay consistent on this program!


How to Modify the Handstand Push-up in Workouts

Bottom line, this is a movement you either have or you don’t. The only way to get them is modifying in ways that are putting you in a strict motion, instead of just always reverting to kipping as a scaling option when they come up in workouts.

Here are some modifications you can incorporate in your training/workouts to help build the strength and muscle endurance to start knocking these out like a champ.

HSPU NegativesKick up into your handstand position. Ensure that your hand placement is approximately 6-12 inches away from the wall and your midline/core is in a tight, stable position. Lower yourself at the assigned tempo until your head touches the floor. Kick off the wall and reset. Make sure to control the descent throughout the entire movement. The tempo should be the same from the start of the negative to the end of the negative. If you are hesitant about the distance you are traveling to the floor, then place an abmat underneath your head to lessen the distance of the descent. As you feel more confident with the negative, remove the abmat(s) until you are reaching the full range of motion.

When to use them: Since we are working on a slow and controlled tempo with negatives, they are best NOT used in workouts for “time” rather in gymnastics skill sessions or if HSPU come up in the strength part (usually Part A) of the workout. You might need to start by scaling the number of reps by half, or even more, until you can accumulate longer time under tension and a higher number of reps per set. A goal is HSPU Negatives x 5 @ 51A1 tempo. So that’s a 5-second negative descent; touch your head to the ground for 1 second while maintaining control and not dropping to the head; (A)ssist up which will be either a kick up or a partner assist; and a 1-second hold in the handstand position, maintaining control.


Seated Dumbbell or Barbell PressSit yourself down in a “L” position. Your legs should be straight, chest proud, and back is flat. Place the dumbbells in each hand with the top of the bell on the shoulder and palms facing each other. If you are using a barbell, take the same seated position but hold a barbell in a front rack position. From here you fill your belly with air and engage your midline then begin to press. Your finishing position should be arms locked out overhead with bicep by the ear. If mobility is an issue try placing a 25-45lb plate underneath your butt. This will help you find more of a neutral position of you are tight in your hamstrings, hips, T-spine, etc. You can even play around with doing the barbell press with the hands out front – the same position they would be in at the bottom of the HSPU.

When to use them: This modification is great for both strength AND conditioning workouts because they can safely be done at tempo and for speed without getting too sloppy. Either way, pick a weight that you can do for the prescribed number of reps. When deciding how much weight to use, think about a fairly high-level athlete and how many HSPU they might be able to knock out in a row for the workout (usually anywhere from 5-15 reps for most top level athletes in a group coaching class). Pick a weight that allows you to do sets with that number of reps. For example, if the workout calls for 15 HSPU, pick a DB weight that will allow you to do 3 sets of 5 reps with you just squeezing out that 5th rep which will look similar to what someone doing that number of HSPU is doing.


Pike HSPU/ Box HSPUPlace your body in a pike position either with your feet on the floor or with your feet on top of a box. The closer your hands are to your feet the more challenging it is going to be and the further they are away the easier it will feel. As you go for your HSPU, think about creating a tripod position. Your head should land in front of the fingertips which creates a triangle in the bottom. Keeping your elbows in and not letting them flare out, you will then press your head off the floor, drive your head through your shoulders finishing with the chest and head through at the top of the rep. You can modify this even further by putting your knees on the box instead of your feet.

When to use them: This is another modification that is great for both strength AND conditioning workouts. Just take caution when doing it for “time” so that you don’t get sloppy and fall off your box. Another thing that tends to happen when doing this modification for time is that the reps start to look more like a decline push-up rather than a HSPU. If you get partway through your workout and find that you are struggling to maintain the upside down “overhead” position, then switch to the seated press for the rest of the workout.


Place A Mat Underneath Your HeadPlacing a mat underneath your head to shorten your range of motion is always an option. That being said, if you are using a mat that is only allowing your elbows to move an inch, consider choosing a different modification option from above that is going to let you achieve more range of motion. The goal here is to continue decreasing the height of the mat, over time, until you can lower your head to the floor with control.

When to use them: This modification can be mixed in at times, but shouldn’t be your go-to due it not allowing you to train the full range of motion for the HSPU. If you just want to practice lowering yourself in a negative and you can’t quite make it all the way down with control, this is a good option for you to use in the strength portion of the workout. Or, if you can lower all the way with control but can’t quite press out of the bottom, this will give you that stimulus while taking out some of the difficult range of motion. Please note though, you are TAKING OUT range of motion which means you are not getting stronger in that area which is why you should mostly focus on other modifications and use this as more of a test to see how close you are to performing HSPU with full ROM. That way, you set yourself up for success instead of injury. 


The more confident you feel upside-down, the easier high volume handstand push-ups will feel as long as you have the strength. If being upside-down is something you struggle with try incorporating more handstand work in your everyday training. All of the above options will help your transition in being upside down for long periods of time easier. 

If you want to learn how to get better at other CrossFit Gymnastics movements like handstand push-ups, handstand walks and more check out our Gymnastics Program.

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19.3 Strategy for All Levels https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/19-3-strategy-for-all-levels/ https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/19-3-strategy-for-all-levels/#respond Fri, 08 Mar 2019 14:03:19 +0000 https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/?post_type=blog_posts&p=72395

19.3 Strategy for All Levels

What’s your approach for 19.3? How do you plan to go through those strict handstand push-ups and on to the handstand walk? Below we have two different videos with strategies for all levels of athletes. No matter if this is your first Open or if you are shooting for a spot at the CrossFit Games, we have something to help you reach your goals with this workout. In addition to the strategy videos, we’ve also included some progressions for your handstand walking – the arch nemesis of many CrossFitters.

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19.3 Strategy for All Levels

What’s your approach for 19.3? How do you plan to go through those strict handstand push-ups and on to the handstand walk? Below we have two different videos with strategies for all levels of athletes. No matter if this is your first Open or if you are shooting for a spot at the CrossFit Games, we have something to help you reach your goals with this workout. In addition to the strategy videos, we’ve also included some progressions for your handstand walking – the arch nemesis of many CrossFitters.

Tips & Strategy for Beginner & Intermediate Athletes

Invictus Boston Coaches, Bern and Justin to get the tips you need to help you CRUSH CrossFit Games Open 19.3.

Tips & Strategy for Competitors

Lauren Fisher, Rasmus Anderson, Alessandra Pichelli and Tino Marini discuss their tips and strategy for CrossFit Games Open 19.3. Hear what they have to say about approaching the workout, and where they think they could have saved some time. Find out how they wish they’d approached 19.3!

Handstand Walking Hints

Handstand walking can be a fun and impressive skill to master. Many athletes work for years to develop the skill, and yet still have not mastered it. When you are a novice handstand walker and see that handstand walks come up in the Open, it can be frustrating (and sometimes embarrassing) to try to figure out the skill on the fly with time ticking down.

Please watch our Handstand Walk Progressions video and find where you can comfortably challenge yourself time and time again to work your way to success by moving through the progressions to achieve your handstand walking goals, whether it’s to do it for the first time in 19.3 or to do it faster than ever before.

Looking to take your training to the next level? Check out Invictus Athlete where there is an online program that suits your needs whether that be supplemental work for your gymnastics or Olympic lifting, or personalized training to help you reach your competitive goal.

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Handstand Walk Progressions https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/handstand-walk-progressions/ https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/handstand-walk-progressions/#respond Fri, 08 Mar 2019 02:00:58 +0000 https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/?post_type=blog_posts&p=56665 Handstand Walk Progressions
Video by Travis Ewart

Handstand walking can be a fun and impressive skill to master. Many athletes work for years to develop the skill, and yet still have not mastered it. When you are a novice handstand walker and see that handstand walks come up in the Open, it can be frustrating (and sometimes embarrassing) to try to figure out the skill on the fly with time ticking down.

Please watch our Handstand Walk Progressions video and find where you can comfortably challenge yourself time and time again to work your way to success by moving through the progressions to achieve your handstand walking goals,

The post Handstand Walk Progressions appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

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Handstand Walk Progressions
Video by Travis Ewart

Handstand walking can be a fun and impressive skill to master. Many athletes work for years to develop the skill, and yet still have not mastered it. When you are a novice handstand walker and see that handstand walks come up in the Open, it can be frustrating (and sometimes embarrassing) to try to figure out the skill on the fly with time ticking down.

Please watch our Handstand Walk Progressions video and find where you can comfortably challenge yourself time and time again to work your way to success by moving through the progressions to achieve your handstand walking goals, whether it’s to do it for the first time in 19.3 or to do it faster than ever before.

At Invictus Gymnastics we aim to point you toward PR City with skills such as the handstand walk. In our video you will learn some progressions that are relatively safe and challenging, but not so challenging that you will feel discouraged. We believe firmly that overwhelming an athlete will only damage one’s ego and confidence – neither one of which are mindsets that lead to success.

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The Athlete, The Goal & The Plan: Haider’s Plan of Action https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/athlete-goal-plan-haiders-plan-action/ https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/athlete-goal-plan-haiders-plan-action/#respond Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:00:08 +0000 https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/?post_type=blog_posts&p=71083

The Athlete, The Goal & The Plan: Haider’s Plan of Action
Written by Michele Vieux

Haider has followed our Performance Program online from Saudi Arabia, since July of 2018, and has volunteered to take part in this series called, “The Athlete, The Goal & The Plan”, where the person being profiled will write the Athlete & Goal parts and the coach (in this case, me) will help come up with the Plan part. You can learn more about Haider and his SMART goals in the previous article.

This article is his “plan” –

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The Athlete, The Goal & The Plan: Haider’s Plan of Action
Written by Michele Vieux

Haider has followed our Performance Program online from Saudi Arabia, since July of 2018, and has volunteered to take part in this series called, “The Athlete, The Goal & The Plan”, where the person being profiled will write the Athlete & Goal parts and the coach (in this case, me) will help come up with the Plan part. You can learn more about Haider and his SMART goals in the previous article.

This article is his “plan” – how he is going to make progress toward his goals. We will check back with him throughout the year to see where he is with each goal, if he’s hit any plateaus, or other things that need to be addressed, and to watch him check each goal off the list.

Haider has a number of mini-milestones to pass on his way to his three, ultimate goals. Based on the timeline for each mini-milestone, we have selected a few to work on for now, the rest will come with time (from doing this plan) and we will add some other action steps in as he progresses toward each goal.

For Haider’s plan, it is important to note that he leads a very busy lifestyle with long workdays. He doesn’t have any extra time in his day, outside of when he normally trains, to add additional work so the pieces of his plan must fit into the time he is already in the gym.

Another cool thing to note about his plan is that, since he is a project manager and an engineer, he has created a spreadsheet to help him make sure he gets all his prescribed work for these goals done each week. Check it out!

We will check back in on Haider in a few months, to see where he is with the following…

The Goal: One, Unassisted/Unmodified Strict HSPU by January 2020

Attacking Mini-Milestones for HSPU
– Mini-Milestone: Hold a supported handstand for 90 seconds by April 2019 Mini-Milestone: 5 Wall Climbs with less than 5 seconds rest in between reps by July 2019
– Mini-Milestone: 3 reps of HSPU negatives @ 51A1 tempo by September 2019

Currently Able to Do
– Handstand Hold: 64 seconds (Because of this pleasant surprise when he tested last week, we moved the 90-second hold goal from July to April)
– Wall Climbs: 2 unbroken reps
– HSPU Negatives @ 51A1: 5 reps with AbMat

HSPU Plan of Action
– Every time you workout, either as part of your warm-up or part of your supplemental work after the workout, accumulate 3 minutes in a wall-supported handstand hold in as few attempts as possible.
– On gymnastics days, one of your stations should always be either HSPU negatives (might need to be piked from a box at first) -or- Wall Climbs.
– When HSPU comes up in the conditioning part of the workout, please perform Seated DB Press AHAP -or- Wall Climbs (1 climb = 3 HSPU)
– When HSPU is in the strength portion of the workout, please perform negatives @ 51A1 tempo (or as close to that tempo as possible with the goal of completing all reps at that tempo)

The Goal: 10 Unbroken, Strict Pull-Ups by January 2020

Attacking Mini-Milestones for Pull-Ups
– Mini-Milestone: 60-second static hang by April 2019
– Mini-Milestone: 5 reps of pull-up negatives @ 51A1 tempo by April 2019
– Mini-Milestone: 30-second chin-over-bar hold by July 2019

Currently Able to Do
– Static Hang: 43 seconds
– Chin-Over-Bar Hold: 14 seconds
– Pull-Up Negatives @ 51A1 tempo: 4 with assist from green band

Pull-Up Plan of Action
– Every time you workout, as part of your warm-up, complete two, max hold attempts at a static hang (one in pronated grip and one in supinated grip).
– Every time you workout, as part of your warm-up, complete 10-15 reps of Scapular Pull-Ups without swinging your body (tight hollow body).
– One to two times per week, either as part of your warm-up or part of your supplemental work after the workout, complete two, max hold attempts at a chin-over-bar hold (one in pronated grip and one in supinated grip).
– Two to three times per week, either as part of your warm-up or part of your supplemental work after the workout, complete at least one set of scapular work like Reverse Snow Angels, Bat Wings, Band Pull-Aparts, Y’s, T’s, W’s, etc. This would be best if you do it before your workout on “upper body day” and after your workout if upper body was not the focus of the day.
– Any time there is a single strength movement that is not upper body (for example: only Back Squats) in Part A, add in one of these during your rests: 5 reps of pull-up negatives @ 51A1 tempo (you can start with a lesser tempo like 21A1 and work your way to 51A1); 30 seconds (accumulated) chin-over-bar hold; 6-8 DB Rows per side @ 2111 tempo; 5 reps of Floor-to-Feet Rope Climbs; CrossOver Symmetry; or any other pulling exercise you like.

The Goal: Body Fat Under 22 kg by October 24, 2019

Attacking Mini-Milestones for Weight Loss
– Mini-Milestone: Lose 2.5 kg of body fat by April 24, 2019

Currently Able to Do
– 6 hours per night of sleep, sometimes interrupted (He’s figuring out how to address this by looking at the time it takes him to get to the gym and complete his workout in the evenings. We’ll find out what he figures out at our next check-in!)
– In “maintenance” mode with his nutrition plan. Meaning, he is trying to maintain his current weight. He will take the next step toward making changes in a few weeks and we’ll check back to see where he is.

Weight Loss Plan of Action
– Measure your body fat once per week.
– Report your body fat to your coach and one other person in your support network each week.
– Get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
– At the end of each week, report to your coach the number of nights you got at least 7 hours of sleep.
– Continue to follow your current nutrition plan. Reach out to your coach if you do not continue to see weight loss like you have been seeing.

Sample Week of Training

Since Haider follows the Performance Program, we found ways to incorporate the items from his plan into his warm-ups, within the workout by either super-setting strength movements or subbing movements in the conditioning, and by adding a quick finisher each day that takes less than five minutes to complete. Since we are adding a lot more volume, we will stay in communication about how he’s feeling and recovering so that he doesn’t become injured – so this plan could change slightly depending on those things. Here is what this week’s training looks like.


MONDAY

WARM-UP (Include these things):
Dead Hang x 2 sets of 60 seconds + (one pronated + one supinated)
Scapular Pull-Ups x 10-15 reps

A.
Back Squat
*Set 1 – 5 reps
*Set 2 – 3 reps
*Set 3 – 1 rep
*Set 4 – 5 reps
*Set 5 – 3 reps
*Set 6 – 1 rep
Rest 2-3 minutes between sets
(During Rests: Perform Pull-Ups x 3 @ 51A1 tempo (or x 5 @ 21A1) for at least 3 of the sets – Do clusters if you need to break them up.)

B.
Complete rounds of 21, 15 and 9 reps for time of:
Dumbbell Thrusters (50/35 lbs)
Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups (Modify by using a band or do Jumping C2B Pull-Ups)

FINISHER: One Set of Max Handstand Hold (either wall facing or facing away)


TUESDAY

WARM-UP (Include these things):
Scapular Pull-Ups x 10-15 reps
Wall Climbs x 5 reps (rest as needed between reps)

Every 2 minutes, for 30 minutes (3 sets of each):
Station 1 – 400/300 Meter Row
Station 2 – 30 Ring Dips (Sub HSPU Negatives x 5 @ 51A1)
Station 3 – 400 Meter Run
Station 4 – 30 Toes to Bar
Station 5 – 10 Renegade Rows (55/35 lbs)
(Push-Up, Row Left, Push-Up, Row Right = 1 rep)

FINISHER: 50 Band Pull-Aparts or 25 Reverse Snow Angels


WEDNESDAY

WARM-UP (include these things):
Accumulate 3 minutes in a handstand hold
Static Hang x 2 sets of 60 seconds or more (pronated + supinated)
Scapular Pull-Ups x 10-15 reps

A.
Every 2 minutes, for 16 minutes (8 sets) of:
Hang Clean + Clean + Jerk
(No changes or additions here today.)

B.
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 12 minutes of:
12 Alternating Single-Arm Dumbbell Snatches (55/35 lbs)
9 Burpee Box Jump-Overs (24″/20″)
6 Bar Muscle-Ups (Sub Strict Pull-Ups – use a band or lower bar like this.)

FINISHER: Accumulate 30 seconds in chin-over-bar hold (Your choice of pronated or supinated)


THURSDAY

Active Recovery Day (This was added into the plan to make sure Haider is resting enough with all of the additional volume in his training so he doesn’t become injured – He previously followed the Performance workouts 6 days per week.)
Mobility Work
Light Rowing or Assault Bike
Possibly some static holding like planking or hanging


FRIDAY (Do Thursday’s Workout)

WARM-UP (include these things):
Accumulate 3 minutes in a handstand hold
Static Hang x 2 sets of 60 seconds or more (pronated + supinated)
Scapular Pull-Ups x 10-15 reps

A.
Every 90 seconds, for 12 minutes (8 sets):
Bench Press x 3 reps @ 21X1

(If you want to add anything to this, do some sort of planking or other midline work.)

B.
Five rounds for time of:
12 Alternating Pistols
9 Dumbbell Push Presses (55/35 lbs)
6 Strict Handstand Push-Ups (Sub seated DB Press x 6 -OR- Wall Climbs x 2-3)

FINISHER: Reverse Snow Angels -OR- Bat Wings


SATURDAY (Do Friday’s Workout)

WARM-UP (Include these things):
Static Hang x 2 sets of 60 seconds or more (pronated + supinated)
Scapular Pull-Ups x 10-15 reps
Banded Pull-Downs x 10-15 focusing on active lats

A.
Take 12-15 minutes and build to a heavy, but not necessarily 3-RM, Deadlift
(Do band pull-aparts -OR- pull-up negatives after first 3 sets)

B.
Every minute, on the minute, for 15 minutes:
30 Double-Unders
3 Deadlifts

FINISHER: Chin-over-bar holds

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Handstand Push-Up Scaling Options https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/handstand-push-scaling-options/ https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/handstand-push-scaling-options/#comments Wed, 02 May 2018 03:00:40 +0000 https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/?post_type=blog_posts&p=62240 Handstand Push-Up Scaling Options
Video by Travis Ewart

Invictus Athlete Gymnastics coach Travis Ewart discusses and demonstrates five different ways to scale a handstand push-up so no matter where you are in your journey, you’ll find the right place to start in order to reach your ultimate goal of either getting your first handstand push-up or becoming more consistent with them in your workouts.

Also Check Out…

What’s The Difference Between Kipping And Butterfly Pull-Ups?

Strict Muscle-Up Progression

The Three Most Important Hand Positions For Successful Handstand Work

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Handstand Push-Up Scaling Options
Video by Travis Ewart

Invictus Athlete Gymnastics coach Travis Ewart discusses and demonstrates five different ways to scale a handstand push-up so no matter where you are in your journey, you’ll find the right place to start in order to reach your ultimate goal of either getting your first handstand push-up or becoming more consistent with them in your workouts.

Also Check Out…

What’s The Difference Between Kipping And Butterfly Pull-Ups?

Strict Muscle-Up Progression

The Three Most Important Hand Positions For Successful Handstand Work

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Handstand Push-Up Scaling Options https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/competitors/blog/handstand-push-scaling-options/ https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/competitors/blog/handstand-push-scaling-options/#respond Wed, 02 May 2018 03:00:31 +0000 https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/?post_type=competitor_post&p=62242 Handstand Push-Up Scaling Options
Video by Travis Ewart

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Handstand Push-Up Scaling Options
Video by Travis Ewart

What’s The Difference Between Kipping And Butterfly Pull-Ups?

Strict Muscle-Up Progression

The Three Most Important Hand Positions For Successful Handstand Work

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