Exercise technique guide
How to Do a Hollow Hold
The hollow hold has you lie on your back and lift your arms and legs, holding a curved, tense body position. It builds deep core strength and teaches full-body tension, a skill used in gymnastics and every strong lift. It scales easily by adjusting your arm and leg position.
The hollow hold looks like just lying down until you try it. Lifting your arms and legs while pressing your lower back into the floor forces the deep core to work hard, building the kind of tension that underpins strong lifts and gymnastics.
You need only floor space, so it fits any home or our Putra Heights centre. It scales beautifully: tuck your limbs in to make it easier, or extend them long to make it brutally hard, all from the same position.
What it trains and who it suits
It builds deep core strength and teaches whole-body tension while keeping the lower back flat. It suits anyone wanting a stronger core, and those training toward gymnastics-style movements.
Because you can adjust the difficulty by changing your arm and leg position, it works for beginners and advanced athletes alike.
Step-by-step cues
- Lie on your back and press your lower back into the floor
- Lift your shoulders and legs slightly off the ground
- Reach your arms overhead or by your sides
- Keep a curved, banana-like body shape with the core tight
- Hold, breathing shallowly, without the back arching up
Common mistakes and quick fixes
- Lower back arching off the floor, press it down and tuck the limbs in
- Holding the breath, take shallow breaths while staying tight
- Legs too low straining the back, raise them a little
- Losing tension, squeeze the whole body like one unit
Regressions, progressions and when to stop
Too hard? Tuck your knees and keep your arms by your sides. Too easy? Extend the arms and legs long, or add a gentle rock. At home the floor is enough; at our centre we progress the lever length and add dynamic variations.
- Stop if you feel sharp low-back pain rather than deep core effort
- See a professional if your back keeps arching no matter how much you tuck