I talk about this all the time, when you are performing pull-ups, lumbo-pelvic stability, and being able to generate the requisite levels of tension around your spine, hips, and also lower body, will have a massive impact on your ability to excel at this exercise.
If you are able to keep your spine, hips, and lower body in a relatively fixed and stable position, you will be much less prone to swinging. The end result will be a much shorter and more efficient path to and from the bar. Also, you will be much less prone to pulling deadweight. I use the floppy sandbag versus an equally weighted rigid board analogy a lot. Pulling a rigid object should be much easier than pulling deadweight.
Here are 6 hollow body hold variations you might not have seen or tried before.
#1) Hollow Body Hold + Band Resisted Dowel Presses
This exercise develops lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. The overhead position during the dowel presses mimics the overhead position during pull-ups.
In this exercise, you will be facing the point of attachment of the band.
Coaching Tips:
- Loop a resistance band around a secure surface and slide the dowel through the band. There should be tension in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Grab onto the dowel, and adopt your preferred hand width. Aim to use a similar width as you would during pull-ups.
- Lie on the floor. Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, and fully extend your knees.
- Keep your neck in a neutral position, chin tucked, and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core muscles (360 degree brace).
- Now slowly lower your legs towards the ground, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and feel your anterior core muscles). Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While keeping your body in a fixed position, perform overhead presses with the dowel.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
- If elevating your head bothers your neck, you may rest your head on a yoga block, or on the floor.
#2) Hollow Body Hold + Alternating Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Presses
This exercise develops lumbo-pelvic stability, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and grip strength. The alternating bottoms-up kettlebell presses make this exercise both extremely anti-extension and anti-rotational in nature. Be very conservative when you are selecting your weight.
Coaching Tips:
- Hold a pair of kettlebells in a bottoms-up position.
- Lie on the floor. Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, and fully extend your knees.
- Keep your neck in a neutral position, chin tucked, and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core muscles (360 degree brace).
- Now slowly lower your legs towards the ground, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and feel your anterior core muscles). Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While keeping your body in a fixed position, perform alternating bottoms-up kettlebell presses.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- If elevating your head bothers your neck, you may rest your head on a yoga block, or on the floor.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#3) Hollow Body Hold + Pallof Presses
This exercise develops lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. This exercise is both anti-extension and anti-rotational in nature.
In this exercise, your body will be perpendicular to the point of attachment of the band.
I intentionally had my head, shoulders/upper back off the floor a bit more than during a regular hollow body hold as this is much tougher. Start out by keeping your body in a regular hollow body position.
Coaching Tips:
- Loop a resistance band around a secure surface and hold the band. The band should be chest height, and there should be tension in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- When you extend your arms, the band and your arms should form a 90 degree angle.
- Lie on the floor. Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, and fully extend your knees.
- Keep your neck in a neutral position, chin tucked, and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core muscles (360 degree brace).
- Now slowly lower your legs towards the ground, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and feel your anterior core muscles). Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While keeping your body in a fixed position, perform Pallof presses. You will not need to use a lot of tension to make this exercise extremely challenging.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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#4) Hollow Body Hold + Landmine Triceps Skullcrushers
This exercise develops lumbo-pelvic stability, and strengthens the triceps. The landmine component makes this exercise even more anti-extension in nature.
Coaching Tips:
- Set up a barbell so it is behind you, and grab the top of the barbell.
- Lie on the floor. Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, and fully extend your knees.
- Keep your neck in a neutral position, chin tucked, and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core muscles (360 degree brace).
- Now slowly lower your legs towards the ground, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and feel your anterior core muscles). Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While keeping your body in a fixed position, perform landmine skull crushers. You will not need to use a lot of weight to make this exercise extremely challenging.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- If elevating your head bothers your neck, you may rest your head on a yoga block, or on the floor.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#5) Hollow Body Hold + Band Resisted Dowel Pull-Overs
This exercise develops lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. While the resistance isn’t too significant, this exercise also strengthens the lats. The band resisted pull-overs make this exercise extremely anti-extension in nature.
Coaching Tips:
- Loop a resistance band around a secure surface and slide the dowel through the band. There should be tension in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Grab onto the dowel, and adopt your preferred hand width. Aim to use a similar width as you would during pull-ups.
- Lie on the floor. Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, and fully extend your knees.
- Keep your neck in a neutral position, chin tucked, and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core muscles (360 degree brace).
- Now slowly lower your legs towards the ground, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and feel your anterior core muscles). Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While keeping your body in a fixed position, and elbows relatively straight (but not hyperextended), lower your arms behind you, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Once you hit your end range, really contract your lats and bring the dowel towards your thighs.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
- If elevating your head bothers your neck, you may rest your head on a yoga block, or on the floor.
#6) Hollow Body Hold + Barbell Hold
This exercise develops lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability (both should remain in a fixed position for the duration of the exercise. The barbell hold makes this exercise extremely anti-extension in nature.
Coaching Tips:
- Grab onto the barbell, and adopt your preferred hand width. Aim to use a similar width as you would during pull-ups.
- Lie on the floor. Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, and fully extend your knees.
- Keep your neck in a neutral position, chin tucked, and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core muscles (360 degree brace).
- Now slowly lower your legs and your arms (and the barbell) towards the ground, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and feel your anterior core muscles). Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- Keep your elbows slightly bent.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
- If elevating your head bothers your neck, you may rest your head on a yoga block, or on the floor.
BONUS – Hollow Body Hold + Mobility Challenge
This exercise helps improve lumbo-pelvic stability, and controlled mobility in different parts of the body, including the hips and shoulders.
Here is a deceptively tough exercise I got from another awesome coach, Shawn Adair. I assure you, this exercise is SO much tougher than it looks. To note, a lot of people blame short arms or a lack of flexibility for not being able to perform this exercise. Generally, a lack of success is due to not bringing the knees and feet in close enough to the body. Your hip flexor muscles play a key role in this. So hip flexor strength matters!
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, and fully extend your knees.
- Hold onto a dowel. Reach your arms back and lower the dowel towards the ground.
- Keep your neck in a neutral position, chin tucked, and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core muscles (360 degree brace).
- Now slowly lower your legs towards the ground, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and feel your anterior core muscles).
- Pause for a count and gain control. Now with complete control, sit up, bring your knees and feet in towards your body, lift the dowel over your knees and feet, and bring it in towards your body. Once you do, extend your knees and contract your quads.
- Pause for a count, now perform the reverse movements and return to the bottom position.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
BONUS #2 – Hollow Body Mobility + Weighted Kettlebell Hold
Now if you REALLY think you have what it takes, I performed the exercise above but while holding a 9 lb kettlebell on either foot. I won’t lie, this was SO challenging!!
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