Jun 10 • Training 💪
🪨 Core Is More Than “Abs”
Since we are doing the Core Every Day Challenge this week, let’s do a real breakdown on core training.
Because core is one of the most misunderstood parts of fitness.
A lot of people train core like it is only supposed to burn.
Or only supposed to be high reps.
Or only supposed to be endurance.
But your core is still muscle.
That means it can be trained for:
• strength
• control
• endurance
• skill
• body tension
• movement
Just like anything else.
🤔 Why core training gets misunderstood
For some reason, people will train:
• back for strength
• chest for strength
• legs for strength
…but then when it comes to core, they suddenly think it should only be:
• long planks
• endless crunches
• random circuits
• “feel the burn” workouts
That is not wrong all the time.
But it is incomplete.
You can train your back for endurance or for strength.
You can train your legs for endurance or for strength.
You can train your shoulders for endurance or for strength.
The core is exactly the same.
💪 Core should often be trained like strength
If your goal is hybrid calisthenics, skills, and body control, then a lot of your core work should be trained more like strength.
That means:
• using progressions
• overloading the position
• making the skill harder over time
• focusing on quality
• not just surviving high reps
That is why things like these are so valuable:
• hollow body hold
• dragon flag progressions
• human flag progressions
• hanging leg raises
• L-sit progressions
These are not just “ab exercises.”
They are strength skills.
⚡ Why core can often be trained more often
One reason people do core more often is that it usually recovers faster than bigger muscle groups.
That is similar to other smaller muscles.
For example:
• biceps often recover faster
• calves often recover faster
• forearms can recover faster
So yes, core can often be worked more frequently.
But that does not mean:
• max it out every day
• destroy it every day
• recovery does not matter
It just means the core often tolerates more frequent practice.
Not the same for every person, but usually more often than heavy lower body or full upper body strength work.
🧠 What people get wrong about “tight core”
This is a huge one.
A lot of people think that “tight core” just means:
• squeeze abs
• brace stomach
• pull ribs in
That helps, but it is not enough by itself.
Because you can stand up, squeeze your abs, and still bend over to touch your feet.
So clearly that alone does not create the full body line we want.
The missing piece is usually:
• squeezing the glutes
• driving the hips into position
• connecting the whole body together
Try this:
Stand tall and just squeeze your abs.
You can probably still fold forward.
Now stand tall and really squeeze your glutes hard.
If you do it properly, bending forward becomes a lot harder.
That is the difference.
So when we talk about a straight line in gymnastics, handstands, hollow body, flags, and body tension, it is not just abs.
It is:
• glutes
• hips
• ribs
• shoulders
• legs
• everything working together
That is why good core training for hybrid calisthenics should include that kind of body tension.
🐉 Dragon Flag Progressions
The dragon flag is one of the best straight body core strength skills.
Why?
Because it teaches:
• full body tension
• anti-extension strength
• glute squeeze
• control through the whole line
Good dragon flag progression path
• Hollow body hold
• Hollow rocks
• Tuck dragon flag negatives
• Tuck dragon flag holds
• Advanced tuck dragon flag
• One leg dragon flag
• Straddle dragon flag
• Full dragon flag
What to focus on
• ribs down
• glutes squeezed hard
• body staying as one piece
• slow lowering
• control, not momentum
Common mistake
A lot of people try dragon flags and just hinge at the hips.
That is not the goal.
The point is to keep the body connected and strong like one straight unit.
🚩 Human Flag Progressions
The human flag is one of the coolest core skills there is.
It is also not just core.
It needs:
• side body strength
• shoulder strength
• lat strength
• glute tension
• body line control
Still, it is one of the best core-based skills to work toward.
Good human flag progression path
Start with the side core work first:
• Side plank
• Copenhagen plank
• Star plank
Then move toward the actual flag pattern:
• Flag position holds with feet supported
• 45 degree human flag
• Tuck human flag
• Advanced tuck human flag
• Straddle human flag
• Full human flag
What to focus on
• top arm pushing
• bottom arm pulling
• hips staying lifted
• glutes tight
• side body active
• full body tension
Common mistake
Most people think the human flag is just about hanging on.
It is not.
You need active tension through the whole body.
If the hips sag and the glutes are off, the flag falls apart immediately.
🦵 Leg Raises and Hip Flexor Strength
Leg raises are another one of the best core exercises in hybrid calisthenics.
And this one matters because it is different.
Unlike dragon flags and some plank holds, leg raises are not just about holding.
They are about action.
They teach:
• active hip flexion
• compression strength
• lower core control
• lifting the legs with control
Most people are weaker in the hip flexors than they realize.
That is one reason leg raises are so useful.
Good leg raise progression path
• Bent knee raises
• Tuck leg raise holds
• Alternating leg raises
• Full hanging knee raises
• Straight leg raises
• Toes to bar later
What to focus on
• lifting with control
• not swinging
• pausing when possible
• controlling the lowering
• ribs and glutes still active
Common mistake
People turn leg raises into momentum.
That makes it way easier and way less useful.
The goal is not just to get the feet up.
The goal is to own the movement.
🔲 L-Sit: The Holding Version
The L-sit is like the holding version of that same compression and hip flexor strength.
It takes:
• support strength
• compression
• hip flexors
• core tension
• some flexibility
It is one of the best first skills because it teaches so many useful things at once.
Good L-sit progression path
• Support hold
• Tuck hold
• One leg out L-sit
• Alternating leg lifts
• Seated compression lifts
• Full L-sit
• Higher L-sit
• V-sit later
What to focus on
• hips lifted
• arms straight
• shoulders pushed down
• legs active
• glutes engaged
• not collapsing in the chest
Common mistake
A lot of people only focus on the legs.
But if the hips are not lifted and the shoulders are not active, the whole skill gets much harder.
🧱 The 3 Big Core Categories for Hybrid Calisthenics
If you want to simplify core work for hybrid calisthenics, think of 3 main categories:
1. Straight body tension
Examples:
• Hollow body hold
• Dragon flag
• Handstand body line work
2. Side tension and lateral control
Examples:
• Side plank
• Copenhagen plank
• Human flag progressions
3. Compression and hip flexion
Examples:
• Leg raises
• L-sit
• Seated compression lifts
If you train those 3 areas, your core training will be way more complete.
📅 How to train core better
Instead of always doing random ab circuits, try this:
Pick one category each day
For example:
• Day 1 = hollow body or dragon flag work
• Day 2 = side plank or human flag work
• Day 3 = leg raises or L-sit work
That way you are still doing core often, but with more purpose.
Use progression and overload
That means:
• longer hold
• harder variation
• cleaner line
• slower negative
• more control
• more range
That is how you get stronger.
Not just by adding more random reps forever.
🔥 Final thought
Core is misunderstood because people often train it differently than every other muscle.
But if your goal is hybrid calisthenics, your core should be trained with:
• progressions
• overload
• tension
• control
• skill carryover
Yes, endurance has its place.
But if you want strong skills, better body control, and real movement strength, core has to be trained like strength too.
And if you want all the progressions and videos mapped out, the Skill Tree App is one of the best ways to do that, especially for things like:
• L-sit
• human flag
• dragon flag
• handstand progressions
That is available when you upgrade to Premium, which also gives you access to the Workout App.
👇 Question
Which core goal sounds most exciting to you right now?
• Dragon Flag
• Human Flag
• L-Sit
• Better overall core strength
10
20 comments
🪨 Core Is More Than “Abs”
skool.com/awesome-ninja-fitness
THE Beginner Calisthenics hub → 💪🔥 Master pull-ups, handstands & more with step-by-step progressions + coaching. Build strength, control & skills.
Leaderboard (30-day)
1
🔥
+495
2
+326
3
+274
4
🔥
+243
5
+227
Powered by