What muscles does the hollow hold work?

Deep core, obliques and glutes resisting movement rather than creating it. This is the core work that transfers to lifting. It is classed as a anti movement core movement and trains the core primarily.

How many sets and reps of hollow hold should I do?

3 sets of 20 to 45 sec, resting 45 sec between sets. Quality over clock. Stop the set when position breaks.

Is the hollow hold good for beginners?

With coaching or a lighter load, yes. Learn the position at low weight for a few weeks before adding anything meaningful.

Core · Anti movement core

Hollow Hold

The hollow hold is a bodyweight anti movement core movement for the core. Here is the setup, the execution, the mistakes worth avoiding, and how to program it.

Equipment

Bodyweight

Trains

Core

Level

Intermediate

LOWER BACK GLUEDSQUEEZE ABS

Muscles worked

Deep core, obliques and glutes resisting movement rather than creating it. This is the core work that transfers to lifting.

Set up

1
Get into position and set the ribs down over the pelvis, not flared.
2
Squeeze the glutes to lock the pelvis in place.
3
Breathe shallow through the nose. Holding your breath is not bracing.

How to do it

1
Hold the position without letting the hips sag or pike.
2
Keep the glutes and quads working the whole time.
3
Breathe in a steady rhythm rather than holding.
4
End the set the moment position breaks, not when the clock says so.

Common mistakes

Hips sagging
Fix: Squeeze the glutes and pull the ribs down. End the set when it breaks.
Holding the breath
Fix: Breathe shallow and steady the whole hold.
Chasing time over quality
Fix: Thirty honest seconds beats two sloppy minutes.