Hollow Body Holds For A Strong And Functional Core

Probably the first thing that comes to mind when someone talks about getting six-pack abs or working their “core” is usually sit-ups and crunches. Maybe some leg raises or twists if you’re feeling adventurous.

That stuff isn’t useless, especially if you’re after a certain look (just don’t forget to fix your diet too!). But if you’re training for functional strength that actually carries over into real life, you could do much better. True core strength means being able to brace yourself well. Think of being able to make yourself steady as a boulder when you need to be. Basically being so stable and rooted that you feel immovable. It’s a very useful skill.

That’s why the Hollow Body Hold is a staple in bodyweight and calisthenics training. It trains your entire midsection to lock down so you can handle strain well, whether you’re balancing, lifting, or just trying to make it up the stairs with a week’s worth of groceries.

In this article, we’ll show you how to do it right and how to make it work for your training.

Hollow Body Hold Tutorial (and why to do it)

Here’s a glimpse of what’s possible when you build up your core strength with Hollow Body Holds.

Verity didn’t get here by doing a bunch of crunches, but by specifically working her full body in a strategic and functional way.

When it comes to core strength, we focus solely on what having a strong core allows you to do. Anyone can do lots of of crunches or side bends and be ‘strong’ but it probably won’t lend to being able to leverage that strength to move your entire body in ways that you want.

So, for us, a better way is to learn the Hollow Body Hold.

Here’s a quick tutorial where Ryan shows you exactly how to do it properly:

Why You Need More Than Just “Strong Abs” For A Hollow Body Hold

What’s happening in other core exercises is they focus on one area at a time, but the Hollow Body Hold teaches you to create tension throughout the “container” of your torso.

• Abs brace to keep your spine flat against the floor.
• Hip flexors and quads fire up to lock your legs in place.
• Obliques pull your ribs down and in tight.
• Low back muscles stabilize from behind.

This is a lot of effort at once! But it’s also teaching you how to coordinate that effort well, something that’s lacking in crunches and raises. Training your body to stay tight and connected while managing leverage and strain carries over to things like push-ups and pull-ups and really, anything where you’re moving your limbs while trying to stay in control.

And because this is an isometric hold, there’s no bouncing or cheating your way through it. You have to create that tension well, or you simply won’t last more than a few seconds.

How To Do The Hollow Body Hold Correctly

Most people try this movement and struggle because it’s deceptively hard.

At first, it doesn’t look too difficult, but if you have a history of sitting a lot, or haven’t worked out much, it’ll reveal some weaknesses pretty quickly.

Here’s an example of what a good hold looks like compared to a hold that needs work:

As you’ll see, on the left, Eduardo has his shoulders back and needs to pull his knees up higher to keep his back flat.

If this is what you experience, it’s because you don’t have the strength yet in your core to keep your back flat. And your hip flexors might be tight from too much sitting.

On the right, he’s doing the hold properly with his back flat on the floor.

Here’s How To Do It:

1. Lie down with your back flat on the floor.
2. Bend your knees up toward your chest.
3. Tuck your chin and bring your shoulders up slightly off the ground.
4. Keep your arms to your sides and straighten them out to be in line with the floor.

Once you’re comfortable in this position, you can start to push your feet out away from the body, and eventually extend your arms out and over your head.

Only go as far as you comfortably can without letting your lower back off the ground.

A good way to practice this, and to make sure your back stays flat, is the band test. You can put a band or a towel under your lower back and give it a pull. If it slides out, you’ll know your back isn’t flat.

Hollow body holds help you strengthen all the muscles that make up your core:

• The abdominal wall (the visible 6-pack)
• Lower back
• Obliques

And a stronger core helps you with movements like handstands, L-sits, push-ups, squats, and even pull-ups.

Next Step: Hollow Body Rocks

Hollow body rocks are a staple in most gymnastics gyms, because they teach yo to brace the core while the body is in motion, which is pretty important when you’re flying through the air.

Extending the Hollow Body Variations

Once you’ve mastered the hollow body exercises, you’ll have a very solid, stable core. The next step is to add more varied movements patterns and positions.

Here are 5 movements you can work on that are built off the Hollow Body Hold position:

• Candlesticks
• Rotating Cobra (found in our recovery program Regulator)
• Side Shrimp
• Inchworm
• 4-Arm Leg Thread

Here we have Ryan showing you exactly how to do these:

Hollow Body Holds are a great exercise to work into your training, but it shouldn’t stop there. Your program should incorporate movements that build your core strength as a byproduct of what you’re doing regularly.

The Strength That Transfers Everywhere

Hollow Body Holds don’t just give you “core strength.” They build the kind of full-body tension and awareness that carries over into almost everything we need to do lifting, sprinting, climbing, you name it.

This is how you get stronger without pounding your joints. Isometric holds like the Hollow Body let you create high muscular tension with minimal wear and tear. That means fewer setbacks, more consistency, and more useful strength where it counts.

That’s exactly why Hollow work is a cornerstone of our Static But Deadly program.