Hollow Body Hover

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie flat on your back on a mat with your legs fully extended and arms reaching straight overhead.
2. Press your lower back firmly into the floor, ensuring there is no space between your spine and the ground.
3. Point your toes and squeeze your legs together tightly to engage the lower body.

How to do it

1. Simultaneously lift your legs, head, and shoulder blades 2 to 6 inches off the floor to create a 'banana' shape.
2. Reach your arms forward toward your feet for a standard hover, or keep them extended overhead to increase the lever length.
3. Maintain this rigid position for the duration of the set, taking shallow breaths into your upper chest while keeping the core braced.
4. Lower your limbs back to the floor with control to finish the rep.

Form checklist

• Keep the lower back glued to the floor at all times; if it arches, raise your legs higher.
• Ensure your shoulder blades are completely off the mat.
• Keep your chin tucked toward your chest to protect the neck.
• Lock your knees and squeeze your quads to maintain a straight leg line.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'shortening' the distance between your ribcage and your pelvis to maximize abdominal contraction.
• Squeeze your glutes and inner thighs together to create full-body tension, which helps stabilize the core.

Make it harder

• Perform small, controlled rocks back and forth while maintaining the rigid hollow shape.
• Hold a light weight or medicine ball between your hands or feet to increase the resistance.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the hollow body hover work?

The hollow body hover primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the erector spinae and glutes as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the hollow body hover?

The hollow body hover requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the hollow body hover good for beginners?

The hollow body hover is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• 3/4 Sit-UpBeginner · abs and obliques
• 45 Degree Bicycle Twisting CrunchIntermediate · abs and obliques
• 45 Degree Lean Back Alternate Knee RaiseBeginner · abs and obliques
• 45 Degrees Arms PlankIntermediate · abs, deltoids, obliques, and pectorals