Out of all the different forms of training, you can put your body through, calisthenics is perhaps the most physically demanding form you can do. It not only involves extremely demanding exercises but the exercises themselves target a very large number of different muscle groups.
Because of this, to be extremely skilled in this area requires a multitude of things; one, a basic knowledge of all the movements, two, a firm level of experience, three, a strong level of fitness and last but not least, a strong core!
For those of you who don’t know, your core strength is the strength of your body’s stabilizer muscles. These muscles are typically centralised and are responsible for the stability of your pelvis and spine.
Since calisthenics is very physically demanding and usually involves a large number of muscle groups, having a strong core is absolutely vital if you want to thrive in this area. So, with that being said, let’s take a closer look at the importance of your core strength in calisthenics
The core stabilises your holds
If you have been doing calisthenics for long enough, you will certainly be aware of the number of static holds this form of training accompanies. You’ve got the front lever negatives, the dragon flag, tuck front lever and many more!
While these holds may look different when performed, they all have something in common. that being they require an extremely strong core to maintain!
Not only will your core be needed to place yourself into the hold but you will require even more strength to maintain these holds. All in all, to effectively attempt and complete any static hold, you will require a strong core!
Your core will help you break your PR
For some, calisthenics is about more than just training and getting stronger, it is sometimes also about striving to keep getting better!
In this case, we are talking about personal records!
Listen, not everyone cares about breaking their own records and that is completely okay. However, for those that do, you will not be able to continuously break your personal records with a lagging core strength…
In fact, continuously getting stronger at any form of calisthenics with a weak core would be a challenge. In conclusion, if your main goal at this point is to try and break your personal records, prioritise improving your core strength.
Your core is the foundation of your strength
A perhaps controversial topic in the world of fitness is the act of trying to determine what lift, hold and or movement determines your overall strength. In bodybuilding, it is believed that your grip strength determines your overall raw strength and power.
This is precisely why in bodybuilding, the ultimate test of strength usually involves the deadlift or some other variation. Can the same be said for calisthenics? Is your grip strength the true test of your raw power? I wouldn’t say so.
Don’t get me wrong, having a strong grip is necessary for mostly all calisthenic movements and holds. However, an even greater demand is placed on not your grip but your core.
Regardless of the movement you are doing, your core typically takes the bulk of the stress. Because of this, the strength of your core absolutely determines how well you will do in the art of calisthenics!
To summerize the importance your core in calisthenics
If you didn’t know before, you will certainly know now. Your core strength is without a doubt, the best way to determine how well you will perform and calisthenic movement.
As mentioned earlier, your core is the most affected during most, if not all calisthenic movements/holds. Because of this, your core will have to be able to put up with the extra stress it will surely receive, otherwise, you will not be able to keep up with the most common of movements.
Luckily for you, since the core is the most worked group of muscles with these workouts, simply taking part in any calisthenic exercise will surely train your core and help you to get stronger.
Before we end it here, do keep in mind that the static holds are absolutely vital for developing and maximising your core strength. If you wish to develop a stronger core, prioritise these holds!