The Elbow Hold

How to do the exercise

The Elbow Hold is a fundamental static skill in calisthenics that helps you build balance, coordination, and control on your hands. It’s an excellent entry exercise for beginners to learn body control and for advanced athletes to refine stability. Here’s how to perform the Elbow Hold correctly:

1. Starting Position

Place your hands slightly closer than shoulder-width on the floor or on parallettes. Keep your arms extended and lean your torso slightly forward. Your elbows should be positioned around hip level, ready to support your weight.

2. Finding Balance

Shift your bodyweight slowly forward until your hips rest lightly on your elbows. Engage your core and keep your body tight. The goal is to find the exact position where your body is in balance without excessive pressure on the elbows.

3. Holding the Position

Once balanced, maintain tension in your arms, shoulders, and core. Keep your gaze slightly forward to stabilize the posture. Avoid collapsing into your elbows—aim for an active, controlled hold.

4. Reset and Repeat

Hold the position for a few seconds, then come back to the starting position. With consistent practice, gradually increase the hold time to improve balance and strength.

Recommended Equipment for Elbow Hold

Parallettes – For better wrist positioning and deeper range of motion.

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Liquid Chalk – For grip and security during holds.

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Elbow Sleeves – For elbow security and stability.

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Wrist Wraps – To stabilize your wrists, especially during longer sessions.

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Benefits of the exercise

The Elbow Hold is perfect for building balance and control in calisthenics training:

• Improves hand balance and overall body control

• Strengthens shoulders, triceps, and core muscles

• Teaches weight shifting and proper body alignment

• Builds confidence for advanced static skills like the Planche

This makes the Elbow Hold an excellent entry exercise for beginners and a valuable accessory drill for advanced athletes to refine balance and control.

Main muscles used

The Elbow Hold mainly targets:

• Shoulders

• Triceps

• Core muscles (for balance and stabilization)

• Forearms and wrists (for grip and support)

By practicing this position, you improve coordination between upper body strength and core stability, which carries over to many other calisthenics skills.

If you're looking for other static exercises, check out our Youtube video:

Mistakes to avoid

Common mistakes when performing the Elbow Hold include:

• Hands too wide: Keep them slightly narrower than shoulder-width to maintain balance.

• Collapsing into the elbows: Don’t rest all your weight passively; stay active with shoulder and core engagement.

• Not finding the balance point: Shift forward slowly until you feel stable instead of rushing into the position.

• Neglecting core tension: A weak core leads to instability and falling out of position.

• Looking down: Keep your gaze slightly forward to improve posture and balance.

Progress by increasing hold time step by step and focusing on clean, controlled form.

Discover more Exercises

Looking for more ways to level up your training? Check out our full exercise overview or try these effective exercises that perfectly complement your training:

Please read our legal disclaimer before starting your workout.

Phil

Hi, I’m Phil, the founder of GORNATION. I brought the brand to life in 2015 with a clear mission: to create a premium brand for Calisthenics, something that didn’t exist before. I live and breathe this sport, doing calisthenics myself since 2013. My vision is to unite 1 million people around the world through calisthenics, building a strong, supportive community. I'm happy that you're part of that!