Hollow hold
A gymnastics isometric that trains a rigid, braced trunk position.
What it is
An isometric hold on your back with the shoulders and legs lifted off the floor and the lower back pressed down. Borrowed from gymnastics, it builds the whole-body tension that underpins pull-ups, handstands and any overhead lifting.
Muscles worked
Primary: Core (rectus abdominis). Secondary: Obliques, Hip flexors, Quadriceps.
How to perform it
- Lie on your back and press your lower back firmly into the floor.
- Lift your shoulder blades off the floor and reach your arms overhead alongside your ears.
- Lift your legs, keeping them straight and together, to a height where your lower back stays flat.
- Hold this dish shape, breathing steadily, then lower under control.
Common form faults
- Lower back lifting away from the floor. Raise the legs higher — the higher they are, the easier the position. Lower them only as your control improves.
- Chin tucked hard to the chest. Keep the neck long and in line with the spine; let the upper back do the lifting.
- Holding until the position collapses. End the set when the shape breaks, not when you fail. Quality holds are the training effect.
Programming
Short holds, several sets. Progress by lowering the arms and legs closer to the floor rather than by extending the time indefinitely. A tucked version is the right starting point for most people.
Plan your training
Variations & substitutions
Frequently asked questions
- How is this different from a plank?
- Both resist extension, but the hollow hold does it against gravity with long levers rather than propped on your elbows, which makes it considerably harder and more transferable to gymnastics and overhead work.
- Where should I start?
- The tuck hold — knees drawn in, arms by your sides. Extend the levers gradually as you can keep the lower back down.
Written and reviewed by Mathew Beale, MSc Biotechnology, University of Reading.
Last reviewed: