How to do a Hollow Body Hold
- Lie on your back and press your lower spine firmly into the floor.
- Tilt your pelvis, brace your abs, and squeeze your glutes together.
- Lift your shoulders, arms, and straight legs a few inches off the ground.
- Reach your arms overhead to form a long, dished body shape.
- Hold the position, keeping your low back pinned; bend your knees to regress.
Keep in mind
- Press the lower back into the floor before you lift anything.
- Start with the knees bent and the arms by your sides; extend only as far as the back stays flat.
- Keep the ribs pulled down toward your hips.
- Hold the shoulders and the heels the same height off the floor.
Common mistakes
- The lower back arching — bend the knees or bring the arms in until it flattens again.
- Holding the breath — take short, steady breaths instead.
- Straining the neck — the head lifts with the shoulders, never ahead of them.
Breathing
Take short, steady breaths without letting the ribs flare.
Take care
This is an advanced hold — if the back lifts off the floor at all, do the tucked version instead; there is no benefit in the arched one.
Easier and harder
Similar exercises