Hollow Body Hold

See it in motion

How to do it

Lie on your back with your arms extended overhead and legs straight. Press your lower back into the floor and engage your core. Lift your head, shoulders, arms and legs a few inches off the ground so your body forms a shallow dish shape. Hold this position, keeping your lower back pressed down and breathing steadily for the prescribed time. For a less challenging variation, bend your knees or bring your arms down by your sides.

1. 1Lie on your back, lift your shoulders and legs off the ground, and press your lower back into the floor; you should feel deep core engagement
2. 2Extend your arms overhead or keep them by your sides, maintaining a hollow shape from head to toe
3. 3Hold the position while breathing steadily, feeling constant tension in your abs and hip flexors

Common mistakes

• ×Don't let your lower back arch off the ground or your ribs flare
• ×Avoid raising your legs too high or lowering them so far that your form breaks
• ×Don't hold your breath; breathe through the hold to support endurance

Muscles worked

The hollow body hold mainly works the upper abs and lower abs, with the obliques, glutes, and hip flexors assisting.

• Upper AbsPrimary
• Lower AbsPrimary
• ObliquesSupport
• GlutesSupport
• Hip FlexorsSupport
• QuadsMinor