Avoid trigger
Left anterior hip / TFL
Upper rectus femoris/TFL irritation followed bent-left-leg cartwheel kick-ups. Avoid the trigger, keep left-leg hip airplanes shallow, and use seated back-supported pressing during flare-ups.
Current training plan
Ravi’s Training Plan
Mobility-first training with hypertrophy lifting, a weekly power microdose, handstand, planche and pulling-skill work, cycling, and a conservative return from left hamstring and anterior-hip irritation.
Updated October 16, 2026 · Ankle strength, balance and staged return to impact
Before you start
Duration: About 90 min on weekdays
Equipment: Full gym, parallettes and mobility supports
Required: Main sets, scheduled power, skill work, abs and mobility
Cut first: Optional Block D finishers
Non-negotiables right now
RequiredConditional substitutionsStop rules
- Ankle return takes priority: the schedule below describes usual training targets. Resume ankle-loading work only when assessed and appropriate for the current stage. Running, jumps, hard bike efforts and skill landings require the return-to-impact progression, not just reduced pain.
- No cartwheels. Every handstand kick-up starts from the right leg.
- Left hip internal rotation: gentle 3–4/10 effort only; pain must stay at or below 2/10.
- Left hamstring: the Aug 9 checkpoint has passed, but keep end-range contractions at 5–6/10 until the response is deliberately reviewed. Left-forward slider negatives wait until Aug 16 or later and require stable symptoms.
- Elbow: pain at or below 2/10 with no next-morning stiffness. Skull crushers remain banned.
- Power work: Saturday at the track is the preferred plyometric slot. A Wednesday sprint workout replaces Saturday plyometrics for that week. Never stack both high-speed sessions; jumps require pain-free landings and no next-day hip or hamstring increase.
- If time runs short: cut Block D first. Protect the main sets, interleaved abs, skill work, and scheduled mobility/rehab.
Status
Current constraints
Review Aug 16+
Left hamstring
Grade 1 strain from approximately July 12. No sprinting until the return sequence is symptom-stable: drills, then 60–70% strides, then gradual speed exposure.
Load gradually
Left triceps tendon
Continue progressive loading. If planche leans irritate it, reduce lean duration before reducing frequency. Stretching and massage are comfort tools, not the rehab stimulus.
Warm up + strengthen
Lower-back tightness
Use gentle wall-supported foam rolling for tissue preparation and controlled bird dogs for trunk strength. Keep the roller off the lumbar bones, keep the spine quiet during the reach, and regress or stop if symptoms spread into the leg or cause numbness or weakness.
Current priorities
Primary goals
Pancake, front split, and active 90/90 rotation; preservation of jumping, sprinting and rapid power; abs hypertrophy three times weekly; handstand push-up and planche progress; muscle-up and assisted one-arm pull-up development; and maintenance of the hypertrophy split.
Structure
Weekly schedule
| Day | Main work | Additional work |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Legs · no planned handstand or planche | Mobility C · Hip rotation + control · nightly rehab |
| Tue | Chest / triceps · Handstand → Planche | Abs interleaved after Blocks A/B/C · optional PM ride |
| Wed | Longer handstand practice → easy planche microdose | Optional sprint workout replaces Saturday track plyometrics · Mobility A · Hamstring focus later |
| Thu | Back · Muscle-up → one-arm pull-up | No handstand or planche · abs interleaved · optional PM ride |
| Fri | Shoulders · 2–3 handstand attempts max · no planche | Mobility A · Pancake + hamstrings |
| Sat | Primary max-effort planche session | Track plyometrics · 15–20 min only when Wednesday had no sprint workout and both sessions can stay high-quality. Separate planche and track by several hours when possible · abs only if fresh |
| Sun | Weak-point lift, optional legs, or long ride | No planned handstand or planche · evening ride must be Zone 2 |
After assessment and initial recovery
Ankle strength + balance
Once comfortable walking and permitted loading are restored, use a 10–12 minute strength and balance block on three nonconsecutive days. Start with gentle ankle glides, supported calf raises, outward ankle presses and supported balance; progress toward single-leg work before impact.
Readiness before progression
Build → control → return
Monday, Thursday and Saturday after training or separately. This replaces the optional calf/tibialis finisher; it is not extra HIIT. Use the guide for starting criteria, doses and running/landing checks.
Every night
8-minute left hip routine
- TFL / upper-quad ball release · 1–2 min. Stay on the muscle, not the joint.
- Half-kneeling hip-flexor stretch with TFL bias · 2 × 30–45 sec.
- Prone internal-rotation drops · 1 × 8 easy reps.
- 90/90 left-leg-rear sink · 45–60 sec, controlled and pain-free.
- Seated IR windshield wipers · 10 total reps.
Guided rehabilitation page
How to perform all five movements
Use the dedicated guide for equipment placement, setup, movement cues, pain limits, and 3D start/end demonstrations.
Primary goal
Mobility overview
Current contract-relax rule: move under control to the edge of the stretch. Contract out against the position for 3–5 sec, then contract in toward deeper active range for 3–5 sec. Normal effort is 7–9/10. The left hamstring remains capped at 5–6/10 until symptom-stable and deliberately reviewed.
Muscle pull is acceptable; joint pinch is a stop signal. No bouncing. Progress contraction quality first, then reps, then depth or load. Mobility work happens after lifting or standalone, never before heavy lifts.
Canonical exercise guide
Mobility A, B and C
Use the dedicated guide for the canonical exercise names, setup instructions, dosage, key cues, warnings, and animated demonstrations.
Saturday track preferred · once weekly · quality before fatigue
Weekend track power + plyometrics
Ankle return: this full track session is a later target. Complete the staged return to impact first, then begin below the listed volume. Do not use jumps or sprints to test a fresh injury; the bike fallback also requires tolerated ankle loading.
The consistency goal is one weekly high-speed power exposure—not both a sprint workout and a full plyometric session. Saturday at the track supplies the true jump, rebound and landing work that is difficult to perform at Equinox. Wednesday remains available for occasional sprint workouts.
Weekly choice: if you complete a Wednesday sprint workout and the hamstring is ready for that stage, it counts as the week’s power exposure and Saturday plyometrics are skipped. Otherwise, perform Track A at the track on Saturday. Do not move it to Sunday before Monday legs.
Track A · Saturday track plyometrics
- 0:00–5:00 · Prepare: brisk walk or easy jog, ankle rocks, marching and two gradual skips. Everything must be pain-free.
- 5:00–7:00 · Snap-down to stick: 2 × 3. Rise tall, drop quickly into a shallow athletic stance, and freeze with quiet feet and knees tracking over the middle toes.
- 7:00–11:00 · Low pogo hops: 2 × 8 with 45–60 sec rest. Stay tall, rebound from the ankles and keep every contact quiet and low.
- 11:00–17:00 · Vertical jump to stick: 3 × 3 with 60–75 sec rest. Jump explosively without chasing maximum height; land softly and hold for two seconds.
- Finish there. Do not add bounds, depth jumps or conditioning intervals to fill the clock.
Track B · Occasional Wednesday sprint workout
- Use only after pain-free jogging and all preceding submaximal running stages are stable during the session and the following morning.
- 0:00–6:00 · Prepare: easy jog or bike, leg-cycle drills, A-skips and B-skips—all pain-free.
- 6:00–9:00 · Jump primer: snap-down to stick 1 × 3, then vertical jump to stick 2 × 3.
- 9:00–18:00 · Accelerations: 4–6 × 10–20 m with a full 90–120 sec walk-back. Begin at 60–70%; do not turn these into all-out sprints.
- Track B replaces Saturday’s Track A that week. Do not add extra jumps after sprinting.
Progression and stop rules
- Start once weekly. Add repetitions only while every take-off and landing remains crisp.
- Progress jump intent before adding jump count. Do not add depth jumps, repeated broad jumps or bounds yet.
- For running above 80% speed, use small increases of about 5% rather than jumping directly to maximal sprinting.
- Sprinting requires zero hamstring pain. Stop for a pull, pinch, sharp pain, protective stride change, unstable landing, or symptoms above baseline later that day or the next morning.
- If the left hip or hamstring is irritable during the warm-up, omit the track work. A short seated Assault Bike session may be used another day only if it is symptom-free.
Power-quality rule: this is neural and technical practice, not a calorie challenge. End the block when speed, jump height, landing quality or bike cadence meaningfully drops—even if the planned repetitions are unfinished.
Background: ACSM describes gradually progressed jump and power training as useful for older adults. A Journal of Athletic Training hamstring-rehabilitation review supports completing progressive submaximal running before sprint exposure and using especially small speed increases above 80%.
Handstand Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday · Planche Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday · Pull skill Thursday
Weekly skill priorities
Ankle return: handstands, planche setups and pull-skill dismounts require comfortable foot loading and safe landings. Defer kick-ups, jumps to the bar and uncontrolled step-downs until ready. Keep the no-cartwheel/right-leg entry rule; do not switch to the restricted left-leg entry as a workaround.
Handstand · 5–8 min
- All kick-ups use the right leg only.
- 2–3 wall kick-ups, 2–3 chest-to-wall holds of 10–20 sec, then 3–5 crisp freestanding attempts.
- Push tall, ribs down, glutes tight, use fingertip pressure, and stop before shaking.
- Tuesday: perform handstands before planche. Wednesday: keep the longer handstand-practice day.
- Friday: 2–3 attempts total before lifting to protect military press performance and preserve freshness for Saturday planche.
- Monday and Sunday have no planned handstand work. If a Saturday class includes meaningful handstand practice, it replaces Friday’s exposure rather than adding a fourth day.
Parallette planche · Tuesday, Wednesday + Saturday
- Tuesday technique: slow planche walks · 2 passes; planche leans · 2 × 10–15 sec; band-assisted tuck planche · 2 × 10–15 sec. Keep every set submaximal.
- Wednesday microdose: after handstands, complete 2 easy planche leans of 8–10 sec and 2 band-assisted tuck holds of 8–10 sec at no more than 6/10 effort. This is practice, not a second hard session.
- Saturday max effort: use the established serious planche session with full recovery between hard attempts. End the session when body line, elbow position, or scapular protraction clearly deteriorates.
- Skip Wednesday’s microdose if Tuesday causes wrist or elbow stiffness. Do not train planche on Friday; Monday remains legs-only, and Thursday is reserved for pulling skills.
- If wrists ache, cut walk passes first. If the elbow reacts, cut lean duration first.
Thursday pulling · 15–20 min
- Muscle-up emphasis week: 4–6 crisp singles, then 2 light assisted one-arm pull-up sets per arm.
- One-arm emphasis week: assisted one-arm pull-ups · 3–4 × 2–4 per arm, then 3 easy muscle-up singles.
- Use enough assistance to keep the scapula controlled and both sides technically consistent. Rest 2–3 min between demanding sets.
- Do not add maximal one-arm negatives. Stop for pain above 2/10, increased nerve symptoms, or next-morning elbow stiffness.
Block D cut rule: when the skill block expands the session, finishers are the first and official cut. Do not steal time from the heavy main lift, interleaved abs, or mobility and rehab blocks.
Weekday target · about 90 min
Lifting split
Session map: 0:00–0:10 warm-up · 0:10–0:25 skill block · 0:25–0:45 Block A · 0:45–1:05 Block B · 1:05–1:20 Block C · final 10 min for Block D or scheduled mobility. Monday omits the skill block; use that time for full recovery between leg sets instead of adding more work.
Leg day Monday
Ankle return: these are the usual targets, not mandatory volume during recovery. Restore comfortable walking and progressively tolerated range/load before hack squats, split squats or foot-loaded hip thrusts; use clinician-approved modifications meanwhile.
Block A · 3 working rounds
- A1Hack Squat Machine · 50–60% effort, strict 3-1-1 tempo. Compare left/right drive honestly.
- A2Between-set ankle mobility · easy knee-to-wall ankle glides, 6–8 per side, only when the ankle guide's starting criteria are met. No forced range or pain above the joint. Mobility does not replace the separate strength/balance block.
Block B · 3 rounds
- B1Bulgarian split squat · bilateral full ROM, 8–10 per leg; watch left asymmetry.
- B2Low-fatigue core option · use only if it does not duplicate the main ab circuit.
Block C · 3 rounds
- C1Seated hamstring curl · 12 reps with a slow eccentric.
- C2Single-leg hip thrust · 10–12 per leg with control.
Chest day Tuesday
Block A · 3–4 rounds
- A1Barbell bench press · 6–8 at RPE 7–8.
- A2Feet-elevated pike push-ups · 5–8 at ≤6/10 effort, 2 sec down + 1 sec pause. Keep the elbows fixed in one tracking path over the wrists; they bend and straighten without flaring outward.
Then Abs circuit · Round 1 of 3
Block B · 3 rounds
- B1Incline DB press · 8–10 with a 2-sec descent.
- B2Rope overhead extension or pressdown · 10–12; no skull crushers.
Then Abs circuit · Round 2 of 3
Block C · 3 rounds
- C1Low-to-high cable fly · 12–15 at 3-1-1.
- C2Rope overhead triceps extension · 12–15; use a pressdown if the elbows are cranky.
Then Abs circuit · Round 3 of 3
Back day Thursday
Fresh pulling-skill block: complete the 15–20-minute muscle-up / assisted one-arm pull-up rotation before Block A. Skip handstands and planche today.
Block A · 3 working rounds
- A1Weighted or neutral-grip pull-ups · 3–5 at RPE 7. Use only 2 back-off sets on a demanding one-arm-emphasis week.
- A2Slider pike pulls · 4–6 slow reps at ≤6/10 effort.
Then Abs circuit · Round 1 of 3
Block B · 3 rounds
- B1Chest-supported one-arm machine row · 8–12 per arm with a 1-sec squeeze. Let the scapula glide forward under control, then draw it back and slightly down without shrugging or rotating the torso.
This row replaces both the lat pulldown and seated cable row. The skill work and weighted pull-ups already supply enough vertical pulling.
Then Abs circuit · Round 2 of 3
Block C · 3 rounds
- C1Straight-arm cable press-down · 10–15 controlled reps for 2–3 sets.
- C2Seated pike compression lifts · 8–10 strict reps; keep for pancake and press carryover.
Then Abs circuit · Round 3 of 3
Shoulder day Friday
Block A · 3–4 rounds
- A1Standing military press · 5–6 at RPE 6–7. During a hip flare, use a seated back-supported DB overhead press or seated Arnold press.
- A2Feet-elevated pike push-ups · 5–8 at ≤6/10 effort. Keep the elbows fixed in one tracking path over the wrists; they bend and straighten without flaring outward.
Block B · 3 rounds
- B1Cable lateral raise · 10–12/arm.
- B2Reverse fly · 12–15 with a 1-sec squeeze.
Block C · 3 rounds
- C1Straight-arm cable press-down · 12 controlled reps.
- C2Half-kneeling landmine press · 8–10 per side only when the position is comfortable; otherwise use an Arnold press.
- C3Seated pike compression lifts · 8–10 strict reps.
Tuesday · Thursday · Saturday
Abs hypertrophy circuit
Complete three rounds. On Tuesday and Thursday, place one round after each of Blocks A, B, and C. Saturday is standalone with 60–90 sec between rounds, but it becomes optional when track plyometrics or calisthenics class makes Saturday demanding.
- Weighted knee crunches · primary progressive-overload movement.
- Leg lifts · if the front left hip pinches, use bent-knee reverse crunches.
- Single-leg marches · same hip rule; replace with bent-knee reverse crunches when needed.
- Around the world · 8 reps.
- Crunches · 4 each left, middle, and right.
- Tuck hold · controlled technical failure.
Keep seated pike compression lifts 1 × 8–10 twice weekly for pancake and press carryover. Do not stack the old embedded core blocks on top of this circuit.
Cardio + power coordination
Cardio options and sprint return
Ankle return: easy seated cycling is an option only when getting on/off and pedaling are comfortable and symptoms do not increase afterward or next morning. StairMaster, standing climbs and Assault Bike HIIT wait until progressively harder ankle loading is tolerated. Walk–jog sessions from the ankle guide replace a cardio slot; they do not add another session.
- Target two aerobic sessions per week: Tuesday or Thursday evening plus a weekend session. Cycling remains the default, but one ride may be replaced by the StairMaster option below.
- Until the hamstring is fully symptom-stable, avoid out-of-saddle sprints and hard standing climbs.
- Sunday evening is Zone 2 only because Monday is leg day.
- Saturday at the track is the preferred plyometric window. A Wednesday sprint workout replaces that Saturday session for the week.
- Return to sprinting through pain-free drills, submaximal running, 60–70% accelerations and then gradual speed exposure. Do not skip stages because the bike feels strong.
- Cycling is additive cardio and does not replace leg day or the planned hamstring exposures.
Replacement rule: choose the planned ride, StairMaster Zone 2, or Assault Bike HIIT for that cardio slot—only one. The HIIT option is not recovery work and should not be placed on Friday before Saturday’s max-effort planche and track work.
Plain-language reference
Training glossary
RPE
Rate of perceived exertion on a 1–10 scale.
IR / ER
Hip internal rotation / external rotation.
TFL
Tensor fasciae latae, at the upper outer hip.
HSPU
Handstand push-up progression.
DB
Dumbbell.
ROM
Range of motion.
Tempo 3–1–1
Three sec lowering, one sec pause, one sec lifting.
Zone 2
Easy aerobic work at a sustainable conversational effort.
Plyometric
A rapid jump, hop or bound using a quick loading-and-rebound action. Assault Bike bursts and sprints are power work, but only the jump portion of this plan is plyometric.
Weekly review
Progression checkpoints
- Track ankle pain, swelling, walking comfort, calf-raise quality and balance later the same day and next morning. Regress if symptoms rise; impact readiness needs more than pain relief.
- Track the next-day left-hamstring response to Mobility A, especially the half-kneeling hamstring hinge.
- Track 90/90 lift-off quality and the left hip response to internal-rotation work.
- Track morning-after elbow stiffness following planche leans and pressing.
- Track whether three planned handstand exposures plus Tuesday technique, Wednesday’s easy planche microdose, and Saturday max-effort planche improve hold quality, freshness, and next-morning wrist and elbow response.
- Track Thursday pulling quality: clean muscle-up singles, one-arm assistance level, left/right consistency, and the next-morning elbow and nerve response.
- Track the week’s power quality: Saturday contact quietness and jump consistency, or Wednesday acceleration speed, plus the hip/hamstring response later that day and the next morning.
- The Aug 9 checkpoint is available for review: progress the left hamstring toward 7–9/10 contractions only if pain remains 0–2/10 with no next-day spike.
- After Aug 16, consider left-forward half-split negatives and gradual stride reintroduction if symptom-stable.
- Strength progression requires crisp sets and a quiet next day: add 1–2 reps or the smallest useful load increase, never both at once.
Last content review: October 16, 2026. Added ankle strength/balance work and a staged return to running, jumps and skill landings. Usual lifting rounds and skill frequency remain future targets; ankle readiness takes priority during recovery. Once ready, the ankle block replaces the optional calf/tibialis finisher. Cardio alternatives replace a session rather than adding volume. Planned handstands remain Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; planche remains Tuesday technique, Wednesday easy practice and Saturday's primary session. Friday remains planche-free. Existing hip/TFL, hamstring, elbow and neck limits also apply.