Carry & Anti-Movement Core · Intermediate

Hollow Body Hold

Isolation carry & anti-movement core exercise using bodyweight.

Hollow Body Hold demonstration (no audio).

Movement pattern: Carry & Anti-Movement Core
Difficulty: Intermediate
Equipment: Bodyweight
Mechanics: Isolation
Sides: Bilateral
Main plane: Sagittal

Free account. Log your sets of Hollow Body Hold and each workout shows your best set by estimated 1RM.

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How to do the Hollow Body Hold

Cues reviewed by Kwabena Osei on 20 Sep 2026

Setup

Lie on your back, arms extended overhead, legs extended.

Press your lower back flat into the floor, then lift your shoulders and legs a few inches off the ground, forming a shallow "hollow" curve.
Keep your lower back pressed into the floor for the entire hold -- this is the one thing that defines the position.

Common mistakes

Letting the lower back arch off the floor, which turns the hold into a lower-back exercise instead of a core one.
Raising the legs/shoulders too high, which makes it harder to keep the lower back pressed down.

Muscles worked

Primary

Secondary

How the knowledge graph models this movement

Each joint action, with the role and emphasis the graph assigns each muscle. These are qualitative anatomical labels, not measured muscle activation.

Spine extensionprimary action · resisted
Rectus abdominis (stabilizer, high emphasis); Transverse abdominis (stabilizer, high emphasis); External oblique (stabilizer, moderate emphasis); Internal oblique (stabilizer, moderate emphasis)
Hip flexionsecondary action
Iliopsoas (stabilizer, moderate emphasis); Rectus femoris (stabilizer, low emphasis)

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From the Knowledge Library

Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional for individual guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy or medical conditions.