Exercise Guide

Hollow Body Hold

A held banana shape on your back with the lower back pressed flat. The gymnastics staple, and the position every other core exercise borrows from.

BeginnerStrengthStaticIsolation
Form
Hollow Body Hold - Start position
Start
Hollow Body Hold - Mid position
Mid
Hollow Body Hold - End position
End

Illustrations by Bryl Lim for Workout Guide, after Everkinetic. Used unchanged under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Details

Primary Muscle

Core

Equipment

Bodyweight

Difficulty

Beginner

Category

Strength

Force

Static

Mechanic

Isolation

Secondary Muscles

Quads
How to Perform
  1. 1

    Lie on your back and press your lower back firmly into the floor.

  2. 2

    Lift your shoulder blades and your legs off the ground, keeping the back flat.

  3. 3

    Extend your arms overhead by your ears and point your toes.

  4. 4

    Hold, breathing shallowly, without letting your lower back lift.

Tips
  • The instant your lower back peels off the floor, the hold is over - stop the clock there.
  • Tuck your knees or keep your arms by your sides to scale it down.
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