Overview

Introduction

This is the first lesson of the RX Cross-Training Gymnastics Program. The purpose of this program is to bring individuals to the point where they can RX Cross-Training WOD’s that have movements like kipping pull-ups, handstand push-ups, muscle-ups, push-ups, and ring dips.

There is an all too frequent occurrence I see with people who are starting their Cross-Training journey. After months (or even years) of training, these beginners struggle to make progress with gymnastic movements. The result is having to scale WOD’s. The reason this problem exists is that most Cross-Training programming doesn’t account for progressing gymnastic capacity in a disciplined way.
There is a chasm in the standard Cross-Training programming you see at most affiliates. They lack a coherent method to progress individuals to become capable at standard gymnastic movements.
The RX Cross-Training gymnastics program addresses this deficiency by providing a structured program. This program is designed to be done in addition to your current Cross-Training Programming.

How is RX Gymnastics different than other Cross-Training Gymnastic programs?

There are some fantastic resources out there for learning gymnastic skills. Both Cross-Training specific and Gymnastics specific. Let’s look at the differences to see if the RX Cross-Training Gymnastics program is right for you.
  • The other Cross-Training specific resources are helpful for skill acquisition. For example, if you’re on the cusp of a Muscle-Up, you’ll get hints at breaking through and getting your first Muscle-Up. You’ll be able to see the movement performed well by coaches or ex-gymnasts. You’ll also get broad suggestions and programming on improving your overall gymnastics ability.
  • There are also Gymnastics specific resources. These are fantastic if you are primarily focused on gymnastics or calisthenics training. For example, if you want to learn movements like levers, planche, and a handstand press. These are generally taught by coaches who have a gymnastics background. The aim is to teach simple (by Gymnast standards) movements to adults.
Great! Good info. Now, what is the RX Gymnastics Program and how is it different?
The RX Cross-Training Gymnastics Program has a very narrow purpose. It is only for people who are currently training Cross-Training style. The purpose is to get those practitioners to be able to do no scaling of gymnastic movements in the daily WOD. That’s it.
If a workout comes up at your gym with pull-ups, handstand push-ups, ring dips, or muscle-ups you should RX it after this program. We want you to not have to scale WOD’s due to not being able to do those movements. I want you to be able to crush workouts like Angie, Cindy, Diane, and 30 Muscle-Ups for time. These classic WOD’s are some of the standards for gymnastic capacity in Cross-Training. The RX Crossfit Gymnastics Program is an accessory program designed to be in-addition to your current program. It has programming for the following movements:
  • Pull-ups (strict, butterfly, kipping, and chest-to-bar)
  • Ring Dips (strict, weighted, and kipping)
  • Handstand push-ups (strict, deficit, and kipping)
  • Muscle-Ups (strict, ring, bar)
  • Push-Ups
You will notice that this program doesn’t include all bodyweight movements in Cross-Training. For example, rope climbs, handstand walking, and bar muscle-ups. The reason for this is that I view those five movements as the foundational movements for Cross-Training gymnastics capacity. They show up either weekly or monthly in most programming. They are also the pre-requisite to other more exotic yes less programmed movements. This is very much meat and potatoes.
The RX Cross-Training Gymnastics Program uses the Pareto 80/20 principle for Cross-Training Gymnastic development by focusing on only a few bodyweight movements that are programmed most frequently and also have a high carry over to other movements.

Assumptions Before Starting Program

With such a large demographic and a vast variance in abilities of people using this program, I need to go into some specifics about some assumptions I’ve made. I’ve made these assumptions and designed the programming around them. This was necessary for a ‘broadly appealing’ program.
  • Assumption 1: I’m assuming that you currently do not have any orthopedic issues that inhibit range of motion. You should have a healthy shoulder joint to do this program or else the increased volume with shoulder dominant bodyweight movements will likely exasperate existing injuries. I also assume you are cleared for exercise. I’m not a doctor and don’t play one on the internet. Be responsible. This program does not account for individual injuries or mobility limitations.
  • Assumption 2: I’m assuming that this is done in conjunction with a Cross-Training program. This is not a standalone strength program. It is an accessory program for people who are taking Cross-Training classes and want a structured program to develop their gymnastics on the side. If you want to primarily focus on gymnastics movements, this program is not for you.
  • Assumption 3: Exercise selection will be limited by equipment found at most Cross-Training gyms.

How to use this program

The RX Cross-Training Gymnastics program is set up like a course. There are 5 athletic levels for you to progress through. Level 1 being the easiest. Level 5 being the most advanced. On your Course page, you can see a progress bar. This bar shows your overall development for each movement we are developing. As you finish a level, you simply mark it as complete and move to the next level. For example, level 1 pull-ups would mean one wouldn’t be able to do a strict pull-up. That person would follow level 1 programming until they can do a strict pull-up. Once they can do that, they mark the lesson as complete and move to level 2. Pretty simple, right? Your first step is to determine which levels you are on for each movement. Please mark this lesson as complete and read Templates by Athletic level next for instructions on how to get started. If you are not yet subscribed, you can purchase this course by going to Cross-Training gymnastics program overview page.