Muscles worked
What the hollow body hold trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Lie on a mat. Lie flat on your back with your legs together and your arms by your sides. A mat makes the hold easier on your tailbone and shoulder blades.
- 02
Flatten your lower back. Tilt your pelvis back so your tailbone curls slightly toward the ceiling and your lower back presses into the floor. You should not be able to slide a hand under it.
- 03
Pull your ribs down. Exhale and let your bottom ribs drop toward your hips. This is the brace you keep for the whole hold.
- 04
Tuck your chin. Bring your chin a little toward your chest, as if holding a small ball under it, with your eyes looking toward your toes.
Step by step
How to do the hollow body hold
- 01
Lift your shoulders. Using your abs, curl your head and shoulder blades a few inches off the floor. Your lower back stays down.
- 02
Lift your legs. Keep your legs straight and together with toes pointed, and raise your heels a few inches off the floor. If your lower back lifts, bend your knees toward your chest instead.
- 03
Reach your arms overhead. Bring your arms up by your ears with your hands just off the floor behind you. If this is too hard, keep your arms by your sides, reaching toward your feet.
- 04
Hold and breathe. Hold the banana shape with your lower back pressed down. Take short, steady breaths into your belly without letting your ribs flare up.
- 05
Find your level. Lower your legs and arms only as far as you can keep your lower back flat. The moment it starts to lift, raise your legs higher or bend your knees.
- 06
Come down. At the end of the hold, lower your arms, legs and head to the floor under control, then rest before the next set.
Cues to say in your head
- Lower back into the floor
- Ribs down to hips
- Squeeze legs together
- Point your toes
- Arms by your ears
- Short breaths, stay tight
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Lower back arching off the floor
Raise your legs higher or bend your knees until your back stays flat. A hollow hold with an arched back trains the wrong thing.
Pulling with your head and neck
Keep a small chin tuck and lift your shoulder blades with your abs. If your neck tires first, lower your head between sets and shorten the hold.
Holding your breath
Breathe in short, shallow breaths behind the brace. If you cannot breathe, the position is too hard for you right now.
Going to the full version too soon
Start with the tuck hold and lengthen your legs and arms only when you can hold each stage for about 30 seconds with your back down.
Legs drifting apart or knees bending
Squeeze your inner thighs together and lock your knees. If your knees keep bending, use a deliberate tuck instead.
Arms resting on the floor overhead
Keep your hands a few inches off the floor. Letting them rest takes away the lever that makes the hold work.
Stay safe
Stop the hold as soon as your lower back lifts off the floor; that is the normal end of a set, and you simply lower your arms and legs to the mat. Use a mat, keep your neck relaxed with a small chin tuck, and shorten the hold if your neck aches. Stop and get advice from a doctor or physical therapist if you feel sharp or radiating pain in your back, or if you are pregnant or recovering from abdominal surgery.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technique | 3 to 5 | 15 to 20 sec holds | 40–55% 1RM | 30 to 60 sec |
| Endurance | 3 to 4 | 30 to 60 sec holds | 50–65% 1RM | 45 to 90 sec |
| Strength | 4 to 6 | 10 to 20 sec holds | 75–85% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Endurance sets
108–140lb
3 to 4 sets of 30 to 60 sec holds reps, 45 to 90 sec rest. Pick the hardest version you can hold the full time with your back flat.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Hollow Body Hold questions
What muscles does the hollow body hold work?
Mainly the abs, including the deep transverse abdominis, with the obliques helping to brace. Your hip flexors and quads hold your legs up with your knees straight, and your lats hold your arms overhead.
What is the hollow hold progression?
Start with a tuck hold, knees bent toward your chest and arms by your sides. Next reach your arms overhead, then extend one leg, then both legs straight and high, and finally lower your legs a few inches off the floor with arms overhead. A common rule of thumb is to move up a stage once you can hold about 30 seconds with your lower back flat.
How long should you hold a hollow body hold?
Most people work in sets of 15 to 60 seconds. A shorter hold with your back flat is worth more than a long one with it arched, so end the set when your back starts to lift.
Why does my lower back come off the floor?
The lever is too long for your abs right now. Raise your legs, bend your knees or bring your arms to your sides until you can keep your back pressed down, then lengthen the position gradually.
Why do I feel the hollow hold in my hip flexors?
Your hip flexors hold your legs up, so some work there is normal. If it is mostly hip flexors, curl your pelvis back harder to press your lower back down, and raise your legs a little so your abs do more of the work.
Is the hollow body hold good for beginners?
Yes, as long as you start with the tuck version. It teaches the flat back brace used in planks, push-ups and overhead work, and you can make it harder in small steps.
Train in Protocol
Log your hollow body hold by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.