Developing Elite Gymnastic Strength: Upper Body and Core

Week 1

Day 1

Handstand balance work – 15 minutes

3 Sets of:

Day 2

4 sets of 1:00 holds:

• Left split
• Right split
• Middle split/pancake

Day 3

3 x 10-20 tap swing on rings

Week 1

Day 1

Handstand balance work – 15 minutes

3 Sets of:

Day 2

4 sets of 1:00 holds:

• Left split
• Right split
• Middle split/pancake

Day 3

3 x 10-20 tap swing on rings

5 x 5 ice cream maker

Tabata jumping switch lunge

Day 4

4 sets of:

Day 5

3 x 5-10 candlestick pulls

As Quickly As Possible (AQAP):

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 2

Day 1

Headstand and handstand balance work – 15 minutes

3 sets of:

• 10 wide grip behind neck pull up
• 10 ring push up with :30 hold in support
• :30 L-sit

Day 2

4 sets of:

• 3-5 skin the cat
• 10-20 scarecrow stretch
• :30 weighted standing pike stretch

Day 3

5 x 5 forward roll to vertical jump

5 x 5 candlestick roll to vertical jump

5 x 5 pistol

Day 4

4 sets of:

• :30-1:00 ankle stretch
• :10-:30 wrist support
• :30 bridge

Day 5

3 x ME strict muscle up

5 x 1 legless rope climb

3 x 3-5 L-sit stoop-through to front support

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 3

Day 1

Balance work – shoulderstand on parallettes – 15 minutes

3 sets of:

• 10-20 supine ring row
• 10-20 handstand push up
• 10 piked leg raise

Day 2

4 sets of:

• 5 bridge up
• 10 pass-through
• 1:00 couch stretch

Day 3

5 x 3 tap swing + 1 front uprise (muscle up)

5 x 5 ice cream scoops

Tabata squat + jump

Day 4

4 sets of 1:00 holds:

• Left split
• Right split
• Middle split/pancake

Day 5

5 x ME (no longer than :30) back lever

AQAP: 100 V-Ups

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 4

Day 1

Balance work – handstand on paralletes

3 sets of:

• 5 chin up to pull over
• 10 plyo push up
• 20 russian twists

Day 2

4 sets of:

• :30-1:00 ankle stretch
• :10-:30 wrist support
• :30 bridge

Day 3

5 x 6 (3 per leg) forward roll to lunge

5 x 6 (3 per leg) candlestick roll to lunge

5 x 5 pistol

Day 4

4 sets of:

• 3-5 skin the cat
• 10-20 scarecrow stretch
• :30 weighted standing pike stretch

Day 5

3 x ME strict muscle up + 2 dips

5 x 1 tucked legless rope climb

3 x 1:00 under grip plank hold on hands

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 5

Day 1

10 x 1 controlled forward roll to hang (rings)

3 sets of:

• 5 weighted pull up
• 5 weighted dip
• 5 high box jump

Day 2

4 sets of 1:00 holds:

• L-split
• right split
• middle split/pancake

Day 3

10 x 1 swing to skin the cat dismount

5 x 2-4 ice cream scoop to support

Tabata jumping switch lunge + squat

Day 4

4 sets of:

• 5 bridge Up
• 10 pass through
• 1:00 couch stretch

Day 5

3 x 5-10 candlestick pulls

As unbroken as possible:

• 10 V-ups
• log roll
• 10 superman

*Goal = feet and shoulders don’t touch down

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 6

Day 1

7 x 1-3 forward roll to support (rings)

3 sets of:

• 10 wide grip behind the neck pull up
• 10-20 handstand push up
• 5-10 L-hang to leg raise

Day 2

4 sets of:

• 3-5 skin the cat
• 10-20 scarecrow stretch
• :30 weighted standing pike stretch

Day 3

5 x 6 alternating forward roll to pistol

5 x 6 alternating candlestick roll to pistol

3 x 10 step up (no push off bottom leg)

Day 4

4 sets of:

• :30-1:00 ankle stretch
• :10-:30 wrist support
• :30 bridge

Day 5

3 x ME ring pull up + MU + dip

50 *shoot through
*Front support stoop to rear support

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 7

Day 1

Tucked shoulder stand on rings – 15 minutes practice

3 sets of:

• 5-10 strict chest to bar pull up
• 10 lateral raise
• :30 L-sit

Day 2

Day 3

10 x 1 swing to back roll dismount

5 x max effort strict muscle up

Tabata squat jump + tuck

Day 4

4 sets of 1:00 holds:

• L-split
• Right split
• Middle split/pancake

Day 5

5 x max effort (no longer than :30) back lever

3 sets of 1:00 max distance plank walks

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 8

Day 1

Shoulder stand on rings – 15 minutes practice

3 sets of:

• 3-7 quick kip bar muscle up
• 7 high box jumps
• 15 weighted sit ups

Day 2

4 sets of:

• :30-1:00 ankle stretch
• :10-:30 wrist support
• :30 bridge

Day 3

5 x 4 alternating forward roll to pistol + jump

5 x 4 candlestick roll to pistol + jump

3 x 6 weighted step up (no push off with bottom leg)

Day 4

4 sets of:
3-5 skin the cat
10-20 scarecrow stretch
:30 weighted standing pike stretch

Day 5

3 x max effort strict muscle up + max effirt kipping muscle up

100 hollow rock
100 superman rock
*Partition the work any way you want.

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 9

Day 1

7 x shoulder stand on rings – bail to forward roll to hang

3 sets of:

• 5 weighted chest to bar pull up
• 5 weighted ring dip
• 10-15 piked leg raise

Day 2

4 sets of 1:00 holds:

• Left split
• Right split
• Middle split/pancake

Day 3

10 x 1 back flip tucked dismount from rings

5 x 2 legless rope climb

100 hip height box jumps AQAP (as quickly as possible)

Day 4

4 sets of:

• 5 bridge up
• 10 pass through
• 1:00 couch stretch

Day 5

3 x 5-10 candlestick pulls

4 sets of:

• 60ft plank walk
• 60ft hip shoots

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 10

Day 1

7 x 1 shoulder stand on rings – forward roll to support

3 sets of:

• 10 chin up pull over
• Rest as needed

Day 2

4 sets of:

• 3-5 skin the cat
• 10-20 scarecrow stretch
• :30 weighted standing pike stretch

Day 3

Handstand forward roll work – 15 minutes

5 x 2 tucked rope climb

3 x 10 weighted step up without pushing off with the bottom leg

Day 4

4 sets of:

• :30-1:00 ankle stretch
• :10-:30 wrist support
• :30 bridge

Day 5

3 x max effort strict muscle up + max effort kipping muscle up

As unbroken as possible:*

• 20 hollow rock
• Log roll
• 20 superman
• Log roll

*Goal = feet & shoulders don’t touch down

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 11

Day 1

On rings – 7 x tuck shoulder stand – roll to tuck shoulder stand

3 sets of:

• 3-6 weighted muscle up
• Rest as needed

Day 2

4 sets of:

• 5 bridge up
• 10 pass through
• 1:00 couch stretch

Day 3

On rings – back roll to support work – 15 minutes

7 x 1 straddle L rope climb

100 air squat AQAP

Day 4

4 sets of 1:00 holds:

• Left split
• Right split
• Middle split/pancake

Day 5

5 x max effort back lever (no longer than :30)

5 x max effort front lever

3 x 1:00 undergrip plank hold on hands

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 12

Day 1

On rings – 7 x shoulder stand – roll to shoulder stand

3 x

• Max effort muscle up
• Rest as needed

Day 2

4 sets of:

• :30-1:00 ankle stretch
• :10-:30 wrist support
• :30 bridge

Day 3

10-20 handstand forward roll to pistol

3 x max effort L rope climb with :03 pause on the ground

2:00 max effort alternating leg pistols

Day 4

4 sets of:

• 3-5 skin the cat
• 10-20 scarecrow stretch
• :30 weighted standing pike stretch

Day 5

3 x max effort front uprise (kipping muscle up)

3 x max effort handstand push up (use wall if necessary)

3 x max effort piked leg raise