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Strength & Conditioning – Pamela Gagnon: Week 4

Follow this four-week cycle to achieve better handstands, freestanding handstand push ups, press handstands, and handstand walking.

Pamela Gagnon

Written by Last updated on Nov 22, 2021

EDITOR’S NOTE: Pamela Gagnon was introduced to CrossFit in 2010 andrecently finished eighth at the CrossFit Games Masters Division. Pamela has made Regionals as an individual for four consecutive years. She coaches at Rising CrossFit Ballantyne in Charlotte, North Carolina and travels the world as a Lead Coach for CrossFit Gymnastics Certifications with Jeff Tucker. As a busy mother and wife, she feels lucky to be able to coach, train, and do gymnastics into her forties.

Four Weeks of Handstands and Handstand-Based Skills and Strength

Throughout the next four weeks, I will be programming essential movements to help with your balance, shoulder and core strength, and coordination – all essential components of handstands, freestanding handstand push ups, press handstands, and handstand walking.

Focus on these four things when doing handstand work:

  1. Form matters! Pointed toes, tight core, and active shoulders are all important.
  2. Keep the majority of your weight mid palm but use your fingers to “grip” the floor to find balance.
  3. Gaze your eyes in-between your thumbs (without moving your head too much). This will help you find your balance.
  4. Spread your fingers for more surface area.

*** Always ask for a spot when needed or scale the movement.

Click on a week to go directly to any of the four weeks of programming:

Or, click here to download the PDF including a link to the YouTube playlist.

Week Four – Putting it all Together

Day One

Strict Diane with a “rocky” twist
21-15-9
Deadlift (225/155)
Hollow rocks (tuck position for scaled version)
Strict HSPU

Day Two

Rest as needed between sets.

Rx’d work:

3 rounds for quality

  • 20 box shoulder shrugs off rings (keep arms straight)
  • 15 HSPU
  • 60-second handstand hold

Scaled work:

3 rounds for quality

  • 20 box shoulder shrugs off box (keep arms straight)
  • 15 HSPU on box
  • 60-second handstand hold
Video: Pamela Gagnon - Box Shoulder Shrugs

Day Three

Skill: 3 x max-effort handstand hold (against wall or freestanding) rest as needed between sets

Then:

12 minute AMRAP of:

  • 10 V-ups
  • 12 shoulder touches
  • 12 squat to ½ jump turn
  • 12 inchworm with pushup
Pamela Gagnon

About Pamela Gagnon

Pamela discovered gymnastics by happenstance. She was six years old and loved playing around the empty living room in her house. Her mom saw her doing splits and signed her up for a local gymnastics class the following week. After the first class, the teacher told her mother to send her to a “real” gymnastics club - and so it began. Pamela reached the national level in high school and continued her endeavors as a scholarship gymnast at a Division I university.

After college, Pamela continued coaching gymnastics at night and received her Masters in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She began her career in New Jersey as a fourth grade teacher and continued teaching sixth grade in North Carolina until she had her own family. While raising her two boys, and going to countless tennis and spinning classes, her sister introduced her to CrossFit in 2010, knowing Pamela would love the thought of competition each day and being on her hands again - in handstands.

Pamela recently finished eighth at the CrossFit Games Masters Division and has made Regionals as an individual for four consecutive years. She is currently a coach at Rising CrossFit Ballantyne in Charlotte, North Carolina and travels the world as a Lead Coach for CrossFit Gymnastics Certifications with Jeff Tucker. As a busy mother and wife, she feels lucky to be able to coach, train and do gymnastics into her forties.

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