GYMNASTICS | Week 20
2 Rounds
10 Low Tuck to Standing Pike Extensions
30 Seconds Weighted Wrist Extensions - Palm Down (Right Arm)
30 Seconds Weighted Wrist Extensions - Palm Down (Left Arm)
30 Seconds Bench Tricep Stretch
Low Tuck to Standing Pike Extensions:
1. Begin in a low, tucked position on the ground: Feet together, glutes to heels, hands on the floor near your toes for support. Only your fingers and the balls of your feet will be in contact with the floor.
2. Press your heels to the ground to intensify the stretch through the achilles and calves.
3. Slowly, lift the glutes into the air, beginning to straighten out the legs.
4. Continue rising until you reach straight legs. The goal is to keep your hands on the floor for the entire set, but, if they need to come off in order to lock the knees out, that is fine.
5. Allow the chest to hang towards the floor as much as possible.
6. Hold at the top to maximize the stretch.
7. Return to your low tuck starting position.
Weighted Wrist Extensions:
1. Grab a light dumbbell in one hand, and set your forearm on your box, palm facing the floor. Your wrist will be hanging clear of the edge.
2. Fully relax your wrist to start, allowing the dumbbell to hang towards the floor.
3. Hinging only at the wrist, lift the dumbbell as high as possible, while still keeping your forearm on the box.
4. Hold at the top before slowly lowering back down.
Bench Tricep Stretch:
1. Begin sitting glutes-to-heels on the ground, facing your bench (or, any apparatus you are using: Chair, couch, desk, etc.)
2. Place your hands on the bench, palms down, and slide them forward until your elbows are supported. The goal is to keep the joint as comfortable and safe as possible.
3. Arms should be shoulder width apart.
4. With your knees together, lift your glutes and set your hips directly over your knees. Both legs should be together and creating aa 90 degree angle.
5. Allow your head to fall through your arms, and press your chest towards the floor.
6. Bend your elbows and pull your thumbs to shoulder blades. This will intensify the stretch in the triceps.
7. Engage your core by pulling the belly button into your spine. This will flatten out and protect the lower back. No sagging.
4 Rounds for Max Reps Each Movement:
30 Seconds V-Ups
30 Seconds Dumbbell Push-Up + Alternating Row
30 Seconds Hollow Leg Lifts with Dumbbell
30 Seconds Rest
Sub Options:
Tuck-ups
Use light weight / Push-ups with knees on the ground
No weight
V-Ups:
1. Begin laying on the ground, with arms extended overhead, legs straight, and lower back pressing into the floor.
2. Simultaneously lift your upper and lower body off the floor as high as possible, with the goal of tapping your fingertips to your toes. Only your glutes and tailbone will remain on the ground.
3. Control yourself back down to the floor, returning to your active, starting position.
Dumbbell Push Up + Alternating Row
1. Place your dumbbells on the ground, shoulder width apart and parallel to each other.
2. Set up into your plank position by grabbing the dumbbells (palms should be facing each other), positioning your shoulders directly over your wrists, and feet together.
3. As you squeeze your glutes, tuck your hips under (as if you were a dog with it’s tail between its legs) to engage the core and flatten out the lower back. No sagging allowed.
4. Reinforce shoulder extension at the top each rep by "pushing the dumbbells/floor away", which will slightly round the upper back. At this point, every muscle should be engaged and working to stay tight.
5. Keeping your body in one line, lower yourself to the dumbbells, until your shoulders make contact. Push back up into full extension.
6. Keeping the body tight, press through the right shoulder, and lift the left dumbbell until it makes contact with the rib cage.
7. Return the weight to the ground, and repeat on the right side.
8. The goal is to keep your chest square to the ground as you "row" each dumbbell towards your body.
Hollow Leg Lifts with Dumbbell:
1. Begin laying with your back on the floor, holding your dumbbell with two hands and straight arms.
2. Press your lower back into the floor to engage the core, and bring the dumbbell backwards towards your ears, behind your head as far as possible. The farther backwards you can hold it, the more challenging the drill will be.
3. Keeping the legs tight, lift them until your toes point straight towards the ceiling.
4. Keeping the lower back pressed into the ground, control your legs back towards the floor, but do not let your feet touch the floor at the bottom of the rep. The heels should only come to approximately 2-3 inches above the ground.
5. Lift the legs back up to vertical.
3 Rounds for Quality
5 Box Handstand Inchworm Walks
5 Kick-Up to Handstand Hold
20 Handstand Shoulder Taps Against the wall
Rest as Needed Between Rounds
Buy Out:
5 Min Handstand Walk (Practice)
Sub Options:
Static box handstand hold / Inchworm walks on the ground
Box Progression Shoulder Taps (Feet or knees on a box, couch, chair, etc.) / Plank Shoulder Taps
Box Handstand Shoulder Taps / Plank Shoulder Touches
Practice kicking up to handstand against the wall / Practice pressing to handstand against the wall
Box Handstand Inchworm Walks:
1. Begin in a 90 degree box handstand hold.
2. Taking very small steps, walk your hands forward as far as possible. You will be in more of an extended position, feeling your core light up immediately. Make sure to keep your lower back flat by squeezing the glutes and rounding the hips under.
3. Once you reach your farthest point, walk your hands back in to your starting handstand position.
4. You may separate your feet on the box (approximately 10 inches between each foot), to give you more stability.
Handstand Shoulder Taps Against the Wall:
1. Begin in a Handstand Hold against the wall, with your back facing the wall.
2. To initiate the shift, press your left hand into the ground, with the goal of pushing your left shoulder into your left ear until they make contact. This will shift your body to be centered over your left hand.
3. Carefully lift your right hand off the floor, tap your right shoulder, and return to your normal handstand.
4. Press your right hand into the ground, and push your right shoulder into your right ear.
5. Once your body is centered over the right hand, lift the left hand, tap your left shoulder, and return to your normal handstand.
6. Once you’re comfortable with extending through the shoulders, you can increase speed.
Handstand Walk:
1. Kick-up to a handstand hold, making sure to keep a tight, stacked body position: Your body should be in one line, with your ankles over your hips, hips over your shoulders, and shoulders over your wrists.
2. Allow your body to tip over, producing the forward momentum needed to start walking your hands.
3. Make sure to keep your hips and glutes set over your finger tips for the walk (this will make sure you continue moving forward, rather than falling backwards).
4. To step, plant each hand and extend through the shoulder, getting as tall as possible. It’s this shoulder extension that will naturally shift your bodyweight from side to side, making your handstand walk much easier.