Exercise · form guide
Hollow Hold
- Primary muscle
- Rectus Abdominis
- Also works
- Hip Flexors
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Tempo
Static · breathe through
Lower back GLUED to the floor. If you can slide a hand under, you're not hollow.
Sets & reps
General programming defaults by goal — not specific to this lift. Pick the row that matches yours.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4–6 | 3–5 | 8–9 | 3–5 min |
| Hypertrophy | 3–5 | 8–12 | 7–9 | 90–120 s |
| Endurance | 2–4 | 15–25 | 6–8 | 45–60 s |
Form
Cues
- Lie flat, press lower back into the floor
- Lift legs and shoulders 6 inches off the ground
- Arms reach past ears, point toes
Common mistakes
- Lower back arching off the floor
Injury notes
Knees bent (tuck hold) if it's too intense.
Progression
20s → 45s → 60s. Then add slow leg lifts.
Indian gym reality
Zero-equipment lift — works in a hostel room, PG, or a park. No excuse for skipping it on travel or gym-closed days.
If your gym doesn't have this equipment
- Zero-equipment variant works — see the home version below.
Home & hostel version
Bodyweight variants of this movement pattern exist — search the pattern name (squat, hinge, press, pull) plus 'bodyweight' and pick the version that matches your current strength.
Nutrition & recovery around this lift
Isolations recover fast — 24 hours is usually enough. You can hit the same muscle again the next day with a different exercise. For an Indian lifter, land 30–40g of protein within 90 minutes of finishing — 200g paneer, 4 whole eggs, 150g chicken, or a whey shake all work.
Frequently asked
What muscles does Hollow Hold work?
Primarily Rectus Abdominis · Hip Flexors. Load and rep range shift the emphasis — heavy triples bias the primary mover, sets of 12+ bring more of the secondaries in.
How many sets of Hollow Hold per week?
For hypertrophy, 10–20 direct working sets per week across all exercises for that muscle. This exercise usually contributes 3–8 of those sets, depending on where it sits in your program.
What if I'm training at home in India?
See the home & hostel version above. Bodyweight variants of every major pattern exist and progress for months if you're intentional about it.
How often should I do Hollow Hold?
Most intermediates do best with 2× per week frequency on any given lift — one heavier session and one lighter, or two matched sessions with different rep ranges. Beginners can add a third if recovery holds up.
Get Hollow Hold programmed for you
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