Duration exercise

Hollow Body Hold form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The hollow body hold is a gymnastics-derived isometric in which the arms and legs hover off the floor while the lower back stays pressed down, creating high sustained tension through the rectus abdominis and deep trunk stabilizers. Lifters and gymnasts use timed holds to build the rigid, dish-shaped trunk position that underpins handstands, pull-up strength, and bracing for barbell lifts, scaling difficulty by extending the limbs further from the body.

Hollow Body Hold illustration

How to do Hollow Body Hold

  1. 1Lie on your back and press your lower back firmly into the floor, tilting your pelvis so no gap remains beneath it.
  2. 2Extend your legs and reach your arms overhead, then lift your shoulders, arms, and legs a few inches off the ground into a shallow dish shape.
  3. 3Brace your abs hard and keep your ribs pulled down toward your pelvis.
  4. 4Do not let your lower back arch off the floor; if it does, bend your knees or raise your legs higher to shorten the lever.
  5. 5Breathe in short, controlled cycles behind the brace and hold the position for the prescribed time without letting the shape collapse.

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