I did a loaded hollow hold every day for a week — and the results surprised me

If you’ve ever done a loaded hollow hold exercise, you know it’s not an everyday workout. Some people think it’s all about building core muscles, and while it definitely works, it’s much more than that.

For those unfamiliar, the Load Hollow Hold is an advanced variation of the classic Hollow Body Hold that involves lying on your back and holding a specific position to work your core muscles to create a “hollow” shape. make. Variations on “load” simply refer to additional weights such as adjustable dumbbells or plates that are optimally held in your hands or placed on your feet during exercise.

PT and fitness writer fitness brain, James Dixon likens the practice to “the brave characters in the novel—those who are strong, resilient, and always proactive, even under pressure.” It targets core muscles, specifically the rectus abdominis (upper layer of abdominal muscles), transversus abdominis (deep stabilizing muscles), and obliques (lower back muscles). It also works on the lower back and hip flexors, reinforcing the demand and benefits of these groups.

The benefits this provides include stronger core muscles and ultimately more defined abs, spinal stability (which helps protect your lower back and improve posture), and overall functional strength. will be

The benefits of doing this exercise are so many that I thought I’d test it out by incorporating loaded hollow holds into my fitness schedule every day for a week. my goal? To see how this exercise can improve core strength and stability. Will it help me build more defined abs? Here’s what I found out.

How to do a road hollow hold

Before we look at the results of doing a weighted body hold every day for a week, let’s see how this exercise should be performed.

According to fitness instructor and founder, BBX FitnessBally Bhogal, a loaded hollow hold can be done properly by following these simple steps.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

step 1: get the equipment you need
You can use weighted plates or dumbbells for this. If you plan on exercising on hard floors, you may also want to find a mat.
step 2: get to starting position
Lie on your back with your arms extended overhead and your legs straight. Your hips should be pressed against the floor. Hold a weight plate or dumbbell in both hands and lift it off the ground.
Step 3: Fix the Core
Lift your shoulders and feet off the ground at the same time. Keeping your hips pressed to the floor, draw a slight C curve with your body. This is the position of the hollow body.
Step 4: Hold and Breathe
Maintain a hollow body position while supporting your weight. Focus on keeping your core engaged and your hips pressed into the floor.
Step 5: Return Weight to Floor
Relax as the weight leaves your hands. Rest for 30 seconds and prepare for the next set.

Loaded Hollow Hold: Form Mistakes to Watch Out For

To prevent injury, it’s important to be aware of common mistakes when performing load hollow holes. According to Bhogal, errors to watch out for include:

Arch your back: Avoid arching your back. “This can lead to back pain that no one wants,” Bogal explains. “Pushing into the floor will strengthen your core and protect your spine.”

If you raise your shoulders too high, Lift your shoulders off the ground, keeping them close to your body. Do not hunch your neck or overstretch your neck muscles.

drop foot: Your feet should be slightly off the ground. “Don’t go too low as it can strain your lower back,” adds Bogal.

But how many sets should I do? And how long should the exercise last?

Dixon says this mostly depends on your fitness level. However, he recommends the following general guidelines for loaded hollow holds:

Beginners: Start with 3 sets of 10-15 seconds.

Intermediate: 3-4 sets of 20-30 seconds.

Advanced: 4-5 sets of 40-60 seconds.

“Remember, it’s always better to have good form for a short period of time than to hold a position with bad form for a long period of time,” Dixon explains. “It’s also important to have enough rest between sets, so I recommend resting for 30 seconds to a minute between sets.

They also warn that doing heavy hollow holds every day for a week is safe, but should be done with caution, as muscles need rest days to rejuvenate.

“Performing this exercise daily without adequate recovery can lead to overuse and strain,” he advises.

“However, when practiced carefully and combined with the right recovery strategies, even if life throws you off balance, you may gain core strength and stability that resembles the poise and grace of a ballet dancer. .”

Tried load hollow hold every day for a week – here’s what happened

So how did I keep up with the ‘loaded hollowholds every day for a week’ challenge?

First day

Armed with weight and determination, I laid out on an exercise mat at my local gym and started the first day of the week-long challenge. I’m used to hollow hold exercises, but haven’t put this much emphasis on my core in a long time, so I warmed up before starting by doing three sets of 10-second holds with no weights.

Once I warmed up I felt I could start right away, but I started with a very low weight (5kg) and again did 3 sets of 10 seconds with a 1 minute rest in between.

By the time I reached the final set, I felt fatigued, especially in my core, but it felt like there was still fuel in the tank.

the 2nd day

I had some core soreness left from yesterday’s workout, so I jumped on the exercise mat for day two of the weighted hollow hold challenge. I decided to put on some weight today. This time I held a weight of 7.5kg and did 3 sets like yesterday, but this time I did it for 15 seconds a little longer.

To my surprise, I found that my body adapted faster than I thought. Holding the hollow position with the additional weight felt difficult, but not overwhelmingly difficult. I paid particular attention to my form, making sure my hips remained pressed into the mat and my feet and shoulders were slightly off the ground. By the time I finished the last set, I felt quite tired, but it was a satisfying set.

Third day

On the third day, I felt a slight soreness in my trunk muscles. This is a sure sign that the challenge is paying off. But I didn’t stop it. I followed my routine and landed on my exercise mat. Today I raised the bar again, picking up a 10kg weight and this time doing 4 sets of the same 15 second hold.

At this point, the challenges were becoming more mental than physical. Holding a hollow stance has now become a familiar feeling, but the added weight required me to focus more on fully working my core muscles. By the time I reached the end of the session, I found myself holding my position more consistently than before, even though I was feeling nervous.

4th day

When I woke up on day 4, I found myself half way through the week-long challenge. This gave me much-needed motivation. My core hurt like never before, but I was excited to see how far I could progress, so I lifted the weight again, this time at 12.5kg. She held 20 seconds and he increased the number of sets to four.

I was already pretty sore, so this session felt like a true test of my core strength. I showed my presence with my weight, but I pushed forward with all my heart. On the positive side, my mind and body are starting to get in sync and I can better gauge how I distribute the load between my upper and lower body. The burns in the holds were intense, but I certainly gained a new appreciation for the stability that a stronger core provides.

Day 5

On the fifth day, I could feel the effects of my hard work taking root in my core. Yesterday was tough so I decided to stick with the same 12.5kg weight, set amount and hold length. But we thought it was important to change something, so instead of doing the standard load hollow hold, we went with a variation. I tried to reach his arm overhead, keeping my hips pressed against the mat.

This variation not only added an extra layer to the challenge, but it also helped break the monotony of the workout that had started. My core was really focused from different angles and by the end of the session, I was sweating and sweating. I have a bad breath. It’s a stark reminder that even the smallest adjustments can increase intensity.

6th day

As I approached the penultimate day of the challenge, I looked forward to doing this exercise every day to rest my core. My body was so tired that I wasn’t ready to lift weights again or do any variations, so I kept the weight at 12.5kg and continued with my standard exercise. However, he decided to increase the duration of each hold to 30 seconds and the number of sets to 5.

I’m not going to lie, but that extra five seconds felt like an eternity, especially with that weight.Maintaining proper form and tension became a physical battle and I was worried about it, but I pulled myself together and overcame it. On the positive side, my core felt stronger and I was beginning to see visible changes in my abdomen.

Day 7

It was the final day and I was relieved that this challenge was over. Since it was the final day, I took the plunge and increased my weight to 15kg. I also targeted longer holds. This time it was 45 seconds each set.

The burns were real, but I could see changes in my core over the past week. The definition became clearer and I certainly felt stronger in that area. As I held that position for the final set, I felt a huge wave of accomplishment come over me. It felt great to finally drop the weight!

So the big question is, what happened to the overall result? For example, did this challenge improve your abs definition?

Since the definition of abs has to do with nutrition (eating a calorie deficit to achieve a low fat percentage so your abs are more prominent), I didn’t see as much of a visual change as you might expect. did. However, there was a slight improvement in the sharpness I had and my core felt stronger and more solid.

If you’re thinking of trying it yourself, don’t overburden yourself. If you feel like you’re working too hard, reduce the weight or the length of your holds.

Alternatively, you can incorporate weighted body holds into regular gym sessions over an extended period of time, with regular rest days in between. This allows you to recover properly while benefiting from a stronger core. Remember to do it at the end of your weight session. The core is a stabilizing group of muscles that are needed for support during heavy lifting. So you don’t want these muscles to fatigue when you lift heavy weights, for example. This is because it may cause an accident.

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