hollow body position

A gymnastics and calisthenics staple you must master.

The hollow body position is a core foundation of bodyweight training that we must master if we want to be able to progress and perform advanced and some intermediate moves and positions.

In this position, the body is slightly curved in and we contract the core and other muscles as hard as possible to make our whole body as tough as one block.

We start by laying on our back with our body straight, then lift our feet and upper back off the floor, with legs straight and pointing, and arms straight and pointing behind us. To hold this position, we must contract our abs and glutes as hard as we can to make sure our body stays perfectly strong and solid.

The only parts that should remain on the floor are our lower back and bum, and we should strive to hold our legs and upper back up.

It may look simple at first and this is why it is easy to do it wrong and miss out on all the benefits of the hollow body position. Our body should be so tough that pushing on one end would make the other end go up, just like the base of a rocking chair. This means that if someone pushed your feet down, your hands would naturally go up by balancing on your lower back and bum.

Mastering this position will make your core strong enough to endure advanced gymnastics moves and make you more efficient at all kinds of exercises like pull-ups, handstands, front levers etc…

It prepares us for the instability of rings and inverted positions, as well as the gravity challenges that come with levers and static holds.

If holding this position is still too hard, it is possible to start with an easier variation with arms in front of you, or by performing reps. Once you get stronger, you can start holding the regular hollow body position for longer and longer. Remember to always stay as strong as a block when training this or it won’t count and won’t help you progress and build the strongest core you ever had.

Please watch the videos for your reference and if the hollow body position is not in your routine yet, hurry up and start practicing today!