Skip the sit-ups and learn the hollow body hold — it's the core exercise trainers swear by

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Skip the sit-ups and learn the hollow body hold — it's the core exercise trainers swear by

Experts say it's time to save your neck and back by switching out your sit-ups for this gymnastics-inspired move.

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Contributing writer and subject matter expert

Updated

Tue, February 3, 2026 at 12:35 AM UTC

The sit-up has been around forever, showing up in gym classes, military training and old-school fitness routines everywhere. But fitness professionals have largely moved on from them, opting instead for exercises like the dead bug and hollow body hold. "Sit-ups have been the ‘gold standard’ of core exercises for many years due to their simplicity and perceived versatility, but there are some considerable shortcomings," says strength coach Alexander Erickson. "Sit-ups can put a considerable amount of strain on your back through the curving movement, which can lead to back issues further down the road." He also points out that they're easy to cheat, with many people relying on their hip flexors — the muscles at the front of the hips — instead of their abdominal muscles.

Traditional sit-ups force your lower back to bend forward repeatedly against resistance. This isn't helpful if your back already feels tight or uncomfortable, or if you spend most of your workday seated. The hip flexors attach directly to your lumbar spine, or lower back, so this tug-of-war can pull on that area, causing discomfort instead of building stability.

Looking to reduce back pain? Try these 5 yoga poses.

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So what should you do instead? To answer that, you need to understand how your core functions, as it involves far more than developing the coveted “six pack muscles.” Your core works like a built-in weight belt or pressurized cylinder. While the rectus abdominis (the aforementioned six-pack muscle) covers the front of your torso, your core also includes the diaphragm at the top, the pelvic floor at the bottom and the deep transversus abdominis muscle wrapping horizontally around your spine. These muscles coordinate with your lats and glutes to create a stable corset around your torso. And, of course, the obliques, which help you twist and bend, also take part in the all-around core musculature.

These days, good trainers prioritize how your spine moves and how your core supports your spine when selecting exercises. Your core is crucial for bracing and supporting your spine as you move your arms and legs, carry groceries, get up from the floor and lift your kids or grandkids. A strong core keeps your back supported throughout daily life, so smart core work should focus on building stiffness and control.

As a strength coach, I'm a huge fan of one exercise that does this exceptionally well: the hollow body hold. "Hollow holds allow for development of trunk stability and strength in isolation, which is very effective for building core strength," says Erickson. During the hollow body hold, you press your lower back flat into the floor while tilting your pelvis slightly backward (a posterior pelvic tilt). This position forces your deep core muscles to work hard to maintain the hold, creating intense activation throughout the front of your torso. The muscles worked for the hollow body hold hit just about all of the core anatomy.

While the hollow body hold is the goal, depending on your strength level, it can feel quite challenging when you're starting out. That's why the exercises below begin with simpler movements that build the strength and control you need to eventually master the full hollow hold.

Hollow body hold

The hollow body hold is an exercise borrowed from gymnastics, explains exercise scientist Amanda Grimm. "An excellent exercise for the core, it teaches you how to maintain spinal alignment under load — this is a true test of deep core engagement," she says.

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Rather than repeatedly bending your spine like in a sit-up, you hold your torso completely still and challenge your core to resist any movement. This mirrors what your core does in real life — stabilizing your spine as you move or carry things.

To give it a try, begin with the hollow body tuck variation, then work up to the full hold as you get stronger.

How to do a hollow body tuck

1. Lie on your back on a mat, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms resting by your sides.

2. Take a breath in through your nose, tighten your core as you slowly exhale. Think about pulling your ribs down toward your hips so your lower back lightly touches the floor.

3. Keep bracing, gently lift your head, shoulders and upper back 1-2 inches off the floor. Look toward your knees, but don’t jam your chin into your chest.

4. Reach your arms forward alongside your thighs. You should already feel your abs working here.

5. Lift your feet off the floor so your knees come toward your chest.

6. Keep your lower back pressed to the floor the whole time. If it starts to arch, bring your knees closer or lower your shoulders a bit. This is your hollow tuck position.

7. Hold this position for 10-20 seconds while breathing in short, controlled breaths without losing the brace or letting your back pop up.

8. Lower back down under control, rest for 10-20 seconds, then repeat for 2-4 sets.

How to do a hollow body hold

1. Start by getting into the hollow tuck position (follow steps 1 through 4 above).

2. Slowly extend your legs away from your chest, straightening them slightly to open your hips a bit more.

3. At the same time, begin reaching your arms overhead toward the wall behind you, rather than keeping them forward alongside your thighs.

4. Your body should now form a gentle "C" shape, with both your legs and arms extended. You don't need to fully straighten them if that's too difficult.

5. Keep your lower back pressed firmly into the floor. If it starts to arch up, bend your knees more or bring your arms back toward your thighs.

6. Hold this extended position for 10-20 seconds while breathing in short, controlled breaths.

7. Lower back down with control, rest for 10-20 seconds, then repeat for 2-4 sets.

Move only as far as you can while keeping your lower back flat, your ribs down and your breathing controlled. Those three points determine your range, not how straight your legs or arms are. With consistent practice, you'll gradually develop the strength to extend your legs more and reach your arms all the way overhead in line with your ears.

Building strength for hollow body holds

If the hollow body tuck feels too challenging right now, step back and work on foundational skills first. The critical skill to develop is bracing your core without letting your lower back arch off the floor. Simple floor-based drills can teach you this.

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Grimm recommends starting with basics: "If you're new to bracing in exercise, I'd suggest starting with a 'supine belly brace' or 'dead bug.' Both of these exercises will teach you how to activate your transverse abdominis without arching your lower back." Once that deep core activation becomes second nature, the hollow tuck will feel much more achievable.

Want more core moves? Try these five trainer-loved core exercises.

How to do a supine belly brace

This exercise teaches you to activate your core muscles without doing a crunch. You're learning to create gentle, consistent tension all the way around your midsection, from front to sides and back.

1. Lie on your back with one or both knees bent, about hip-width apart.

2. Place your fingertips on the points of your hips or just inside them, and the other hand under your lower back to monitor your spine position.

3. Inhale through your nose, allowing your ribs and belly to expand gently.

4. Exhale slowly through your mouth while imagining you're zipping up a tight corset from your pelvic floor to your ribs. Gently draw your ribs toward your hips and lightly flatten your lower back against the floor. The muscles beneath your fingertips should feel firm.

5. Maintain this light engagement for 5 to 10 seconds, continuing to breathe in small, controlled breaths. The tension should remain steady without excessive gripping or belly-sucking.

6. Release the tension completely for a few seconds, then perform 6 to 10 total reps.

Repeat this exercise several times weekly until activating and maintaining the brace becomes second nature. You'll use this exact core engagement pattern in dead bugs and hollow body holds.

How to do a dead bug

Once you can hold a basic brace comfortably, the next challenge is maintaining that tension while your arms and legs move. This is what the dead bug teaches you.

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1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Engage your core the way you practiced in the supine belly brace, gently pressing your lower back into the floor.

2. Lift both legs so your knees are stacked directly over your hips in a tabletop position, with your knees bent at about 90 degrees. Raise both arms straight up toward the ceiling over your shoulders, palms facing each other.

3. Keep your core braced and your lower back pressed flat. Slowly lower your right arm toward the floor behind your head while simultaneously straightening and extending your left leg out in front of you. Only move as far as you can without your back lifting off the floor.

4. Pause briefly at the end position, then return both limbs to the starting position with control.

5. Repeat on the opposite side, lowering your left arm overhead while extending your right leg forward. Keep alternating sides for 6 to 10 total reps (counting both sides), resting as needed between 2 to 3 sets.

Deadbug with isometric hold

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Adding an isometric hold with a resistance band increases the challenge and more closely mimics the sustained tension of a hollow body hold.

1. Set up in the dead bug starting position (lying on your back with knees in tabletop and arms extended up), but this time hold a resistance band that's anchored to something sturdy behind your head. Keep the band taut by pulling it with both hands.

2. Maintain your core brace and keep pulling against the band while you slowly lower one leg at a time, extending each leg forward while keeping your back flat on the floor. The constant pull from the band forces your core to work harder to maintain the brace throughout the movement.

3. Alternate legs for 6 to 10 reps per side, or hold the extended position for 10-20 seconds for a greater challenge.

Double legs and arms deadbug

Extending both arms and legs simultaneously increases the difficulty significantly and closely mimics the demands of a full hollow body hold.

1. Start in the standard dead bug position with knees in tabletop and arms extended toward the ceiling.

2. Keep your core braced and lower back pressed flat. Slowly extend both arms back toward the floor behind your head while simultaneously straightening and extending both legs forward.

3. Move only as far as you can while keeping your lower back glued to the floor. If your back starts to arch, you've gone too far, so bring your arms and legs back slightly.

4. Pause briefly in the extended position, then return both arms and legs to the starting position with control.

5. Complete 6 to 10 reps, resting between 2 to 3 sets.

If extending your arms and legs simultaneously is too challenging, you can start by simply extending both legs while keeping your arms extended straight over your chest.

Our favorite gear for core workouts

Since all these exercises happen on the floor, having proper gear matters. A quality mat cushions your spine during holds and prevents sliding, while resistance bands add progressive challenge as you build strength.

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Here are two top picks that make hollow holds, dead bugs and other core drills more comfortable and effective.

Metis

Best overall exercise mat

Metis Tri-Folding Yoga Mat

This tri-fold mat acts like three mats in one. Lay it flat for cushy support during hollow holds, dead bugs and stretching, or fold it to create a higher platform for split squats and step-ups. The polyurethane leather cover feels tough and gym-ready, and the dense 2-inch foam cushions your knees and spine without feeling wobbly. When you’re done, it folds into a compact square with carry handles that tucks easily into a closet or under the bed. It’s bulkier than a traditional yoga mat and less ideal for practices where you want direct floor feel, but it shines for core and strength work at home, which is why it made our top overall pick as the best exercise mat.

Amazon Basics

Editor pick for a simple set of resistance bands

Amazon Basics Exercise Resistance Bands for Working Out, Set of 5

While our top pick for the best resistance bands is currently out of stock, if you're looking for a straightforward set of bands you can add to simple exercises, it's hard to take issue with this set of five bands from Amazon Basics. The bands range from 5-125 pounds of resistance, and can be combined if you need an even greater challenge. Use lighter bands for warm-ups and mobility, or loop a heavier band around a sturdy anchor for moves like resisted dead bugs, rows or presses. They come with a carrying bag, so you can turn almost any room into a mini gym. The natural rubber provides a surprisingly comfortable, non-sticky grip.

FAQs

Are sit-ups bad for my back?

Sit-ups aren't automatically harmful for everyone, but they’re not the most back-friendly option, especially if you already feel stiff or sore. Sit-ups ask your spine to repeatedly bend under load, often shifting the work to the hip flexors. Erickson explains that this curving movement "can put a considerable amount of strain on your back," which is why many trainers now favor options that keep the spine more neutral while the core works to resist movement.

Which is better, plank or hollow body hold?

Both exercises are effective for building deep core strength and stability through the torso. Both exercises also have a range of variations that make them easier or more challenging, depending on your fitness level. That said, the elevated plank position is often less comfortable (and more challenging) to perform correctly when first starting out, which can place undue strain on the lower back. For this reason, the hollow body hold (and the variations detailed above) are often a better choice when you’re starting a new ab workout routine. They target many of the same muscles, but in a more accessible way.

How often should I do core exercises like the hollow body hold?

Most people do well with 2 to 4 core sessions per week, woven into their regular workouts. That can look like 10 to 15 minutes of focused work, including belly bracing, dead bugs and hollow holds, rather than endless crunch variations. The goal is quality, not marathon sessions. As your core control improves, you can add time, sets or more challenging progressions.

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Short on time? Try these quick exercise snacks.

How long should I hold a hollow body position?

A 10 to 20 second hold in a solid hollow tuck is plenty at first. Aim for 2 to 4 sets with good form, resting between rounds. As you get stronger, you can either increase the hold time, move your arms and legs farther away from your body, or both. If your lower back starts to lift or your breathing turns into a hard breath-hold, that’s your cue that the set is long enough.

What if I cannot keep my lower back on the floor?

Make the exercise easier by reducing how far you extend. Bring your knees closer to your chest, keep your arms reaching forward toward your thighs instead of back overhead or don't lift your shoulders as high off the floor. If you're still struggling to keep your back flat, step back to practicing the supine belly brace and dead bug for a few weeks. As Grimm explains, those foundational exercises teach you how to activate your deep core muscles "without arching your lower back," which builds the strength and control you need to eventually hold the hollow position correctly.

Do I need equipment for these core exercises?

You can do belly bracing, dead bugs and basic hollow holds with zero equipment on a carpeted floor. A supportive mat can make things more comfortable for your spine and joints, and resistance bands are useful if you want to add variety or intensity later on, but the core work itself relies mostly on your bodyweight and good technique.

Meet Our Experts

• Amanda Grimm, personal trainer, running coach and exercise scientist with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Science

• Alexander Erickson, MS, NSCA-CSCS, NASM-CNC, strength coach and personal trainer at Endurance Pilates and Yoga LLC and Just Train by Joel Thomas

Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.

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