Hollow Body Hold
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A face-up hold with the lower back pressed flat to the floor and the arms and legs extended off the ground — the gymnastics core position underlying levers, handstands, and the L-sit.
Detail
Lie face-up, posteriorly tilt the pelvis to press the entire lower back flat into the floor, then lift the shoulders/arms and the straight legs off the ground so the body forms a shallow banana/"hollow" curve. Keep the low back glued down throughout — that contact is the whole point. The rectus-abdominis and transverse-abdominis (with the hip flexors and obliques) hold this braced, slightly flexed position.
The hollow body is the core shape used in nearly every gymnastics-strength skill — it keeps the body rigid in the front-lever-progression, handstand, and l-sit-progression. Regress by tucking the knees or keeping the arms by the sides; progress by extending the limbs longer, adding hold time, or "hollow rocks." If the low back lifts off the floor, regress immediately.
Key facts
- Low back pressed flat (posterior pelvic tilt); arms and straight legs lifted into a shallow curve.
- Core shape behind levers, handstands, and the L-sit.
- Regress: tuck knees / arms down. Progress: longer limbs, more time, hollow rocks.
- Keep the low back on the floor — lift = regress.
Connections
- plank-progression — companion core training.
- l-sit-progression / front-lever-progression — skills that use this shape.
- rectus-abdominis / transverse-abdominis — prime movers.
Educational content only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional for individualized guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy, or medical conditions.