Welcome to Modify This Move, the ongoing series where you'll find everything you need to amend a standard exercise to meet your goals, your body, and your mood. Each story breaks down how to perform a foundational fitness move, then offers various modifications based on your current fitness or energy level, present or prior injuries, or the muscles you want to target most. So check your ego at that door and ensure every workout meets you where you're at today.
At some point in your fitness journey, planks — often the go-to core-strengthening exercise — will likely begin to feel as stale as the potato chips that have been hiding in the back of your pantry for months. And when this sense of monotony develops, don’t be afraid to say “thank you, next” to the classic plank and take on a core-strengthening move that might have intimidated you in the past: hollow body holds, an isometric exercise that essentially functions as a reverse plank, says Joanna Castro, an NASM-certified personal trainer and certified functional strength coach in New York.
During a hollow body hold, you’ll lie on your back, lift your legs, arms, shoulders, and head off the floor, and, well, hold that slightly rounded, supine position — picture a banana. In doing so, you’ll challenge your entire core, as these muscle groups will need to work hard to keep your body stable in this position, says Castro. ICYDK, your core consists of muscles along the front, sides, and back of your trunk (re: it’s not just your abs), and they all work together to keep your spine stable and prevent injury, Laura Miranda, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a physical therapist in New York City, previously told Shape. By training your core — such as by performing hollow body holds — on the reg, you’ll build up core stability, which protects your spine and helps ensure your lower back doesn’t overarch (potentially leading to lower back pain and injury) during everyday movements and exercises, they explained.
What’s more, there are alternatives available if the classic hollow body hold doesn’t feel right for you. If you’re looking to master the basic components of proper form or you want to practice properly engaging your core before you tackle other exercises, you can utilize toned-down hollow body holds designed for those specific goals. When you’re dealing with shoulder or lower back pain, you can also try different hollow body hold variations to nab the exercise’s benefits without exacerbating any of your existing aches. And if the basic version feels like a breeze (kudos!), you can up the ante with a hollow body “hold” that incorporates some dynamic movement. Regardless of your reason, you should feel empowered to modify, tweak, or progress the move to ensure it works best for you.
Ready to give the core-strengthening exercise a shot? Follow the instructions below to master the traditional hollow body hold. Then, watch as Castro demonstrates how to modify the hollow body hold with four different variations that work for all abilities and fitness goals.
How to Do a Hollow Body Hold
A. Sit on the floor with knees bent at roughly 45-degree angles, feet together, heels resting on the ground, and hands placed on shins. Draw shoulders down and away from ears.
B. Engage core and release hands from shins. Then, slowly lower back to the floor, simultaneously extending legs out in front of body and arms above head, biceps in line with ears and palms facing the ceiling.
C. Keeping head and shoulders lifted off the floor and sides of feet pressed together, hold this position while maintaining contact between lower back and the ground to avoid overarching.
4 Variations On Hollow Body Holds
If you give the basic hollow body hold a shot and it doesn't match up with your current abilities or goals, don't force yourself to stick with it. Instead, try a hollow body hold variation that offers the brutal, gentle, or just-challenging-enough core workout you're after.
Here, you’ll find hollow body holds that scale the exercise up or down, as well as options to try if you’re experiencing shoulder or low back pain. While you practice the move, remember to continue breathing, pressing your back into the floor as you exhale, says Castro. No matter which option you choose, keep checking in with your body during each set and try a different exercise if it doesn’t feel right.
Hollow Body Hold to Scale Down: Dead Bug
If you test out the hollow body hold and aren’t sure if you’re actually engaging your core, try the dead bug, advises Castro. When those muscles aren’t engaged properly, your back won’t make contact with the floor, and it may feel uncomfortable as you extend your opposite arm and leg, she explains. In turn, this hollow body hold variation can help you nail down the proper mechanics before you try a more complex variation. But the dead bug isn’t just for beginners — it can also be beneficial to perform in between heavy-lifting sets, she adds. “If a client comes in and they’re doing a heavy deadlift or a heavy squat, I typically will put a dead bug in there to reset, make sure their back is really good, and really get their core engaged,” says Castro. “It’s a nice way to prepare you for your next set.”
A. Lie faceup on the floor in a reverse table-top position, knees bent at 90-degree angles over hips and shins parallel to the floor. Raise arms toward the ceiling in line with shoulders. Tuck tailbone and tilt pelvic floor muscles so lower back imprints into the floor to engage core muscles.
B. Keeping core engaged, exhale and slowly lower right arm and left leg toward the floor until fully extended.
C. Inhale, then slowly raise leg and arm to return to the starting position. Continue, alternating sides.
Hollow Body Hold to Level Up: Hollow Body Rocks
While performing this hollow body hold variation, imagine your body is a rigid canoe that's slowly rocking from front to back, suggests Castro. Adding this dynamic movement to the traditional exercise not only adds an element of fun but also amps up the stability challenge for your core, she explains.
A. Lie faceup on the floor in a reverse table-top position, knees bent at 90-degree angles over hips and shins parallel to the floor. Raise arms toward the ceiling in line with shoulders. Tuck tailbone and tilt pelvic floor muscles so lower back imprints into the floor to engage core muscles.
B. Keeping core engaged, lower arms toward the floor above head, bringing biceps in line with ears. Then, extend legs to the floor and quickly lift shoulders and head off the floor.
C. Keeping legs extended, quickly drive legs up toward the ceiling and lower shoulders and head back to the floor, creating a "rocking" motion forward and backward.
Hollow Body Hold for Shoulder Pain: Hollow Body Hold with Head In Hands
Extending your arms above your head during a hollow body hold can cause neck and shoulder strain for some folks, but gently resting the back of your head in your hands can provide much-needed relief, says Castro. "It's not a position where it's harmful to your shoulders, and now you can focus on breathing and your core working," she explains.
A. Sit on the floor with knees bent at roughly 45-degree angles, feet together, heels resting on the ground, and hands placed gently behind head. Draw shoulders down and away from ears.
B. Engage core, then slowly lower back to the floor, simultaneously extending legs out in front of body.
C. Keeping head and shoulders lifted off the floor and sides of feet pressed together, hold this position.
Hollow Body Hold for Low Back Pain: Hollow Body Hold with Knees Bent
If you're struggling with lower back pain or can't seem to keep the low back area pressed against the floor, consider bending your knees in your hollow body hold, says Castro. This simple tweak to your form may prevent any existing aches from feeling worse and can ensure you're keeping your core fully engaged, she adds. "The stronger you become, you can begin to extend your legs out more and then your heels can be closer to the ground," she explains.
This Resistance Band Trick Will Teach You How to Properly Engage Your Core
A. Lie faceup on the floor with knees bent, feet placed flat and hip-width apart, and arms at sides, palms facedown.
B. Drive knees up to the ceiling, bending them at 90-degree angles over hips with shins parallel to the floor. Raise arms up to the ceiling and lift head and shoulders off the floor. Hold this position.
Photography: Anthony Cunanan
Art direction: Jenna Brillhart
Model and fitness expert: Joanna Castro
Hair and makeup: Tee Chavez
Activewear: Girlfriend Collective
Workout bench: Ignite by SPRI
