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Yoga poses

Hollow Hold: Train Your Trunk to Brace as One Piece

On your back, press your low back flat, bring your knees over your hips and lift your head and shoulders, chin tucked. Your neck and trunk work as one.

Strength · Core · 2 min read

Why it works: Chapter 15, Your core is a barrel, not a six-pack

How to do it

  1. 1

    Knees up over your hips

    On your back, lift your knees until they sit over your hips, shins level with the floor. Arms rest by your sides for now.

  2. 2

    Press the low back down first

    Flatten your lower back into the floor by tipping the bottom of your pelvis slightly up. No gap under your back. Everything else is built on this.

  3. 3

    Tuck the chin

    Draw your chin toward your chest as though you were holding a ball under it, so the back of your neck lengthens.

  4. 4

    Lift the head and shoulders clear

    Peel your head and the tops of your shoulders off the floor. Not a sit-up: the low back stays pressed down and nothing curls further.

  5. 5

    Frame the head with the arms

    Hands either side of your head with elbows wide, or arms reaching long beside you. Your neck holds your head up, not your hands.

  6. 6

    Breathe without dropping

    Short, quiet breaths through the nose. If you gasp, or the shape sags on a breath in, come down, rest a breath, then lift again.

  7. 7

    The test

    The front of your neck and the whole front of your trunk work together. If your low back lifts or your neck hurts rather than works, come down. Easier: head on the floor with the chin still tucked, or knees closer to your chest.

Watch for

  • The low back peeling off the floor. Your trunk stops holding, and your lower back arches under the weight of your legs.
  • Pulling on your head with your hands. Your arms do the work and your neck stops doing its share.
  • The chin poking up toward the ceiling. The front of the neck switches off and the back of it crunches.
  • Holding your breath. You last a few seconds longer, then everything shakes and gives at once.

Questions

How long should you hold a Hollow Hold?

A minute, straight after Locust, in the Range · 01 routine. Many guides start at 10 seconds, so a minute takes building toward: if your low back lifts before the time is up, come down, breathe and lift again. There is no daily target: hold it when your training day has that routine. Those are the times in the normal-length session: a long day holds a little longer, and a short day trims only the holds longer than a minute.

Why does my neck hurt in a Hollow Hold?

Usually the chin has poked forward, or your hands are pulling your head up. Tuck the chin as if holding a ball under it and let your hands only frame your head. If it still hurts, rest your head on the floor with the chin tucked and lift just the shoulders.

Why does my lower back hurt in a Hollow Hold?

It has lifted off the floor, so your back is holding your legs up instead of your trunk. Bring your knees closer to your chest and press the low back flat again.

Should my legs be straight in a Hollow Hold?

The gymnastics version has the legs long and low and the arms overhead, which is much harder to hold with the low back flat. This version keeps the knees over the hips, so the neck and trunk can work for a full minute without the back lifting.