CoreDBBW
The standard hollow hold with a dumbbell or plate held overhead to add loading, increasing the anti-extension demand well beyond bodyweight and building toward advanced gymnastics skills.
Demo: Athlean-X
Sets
3
Reps
15-25 sec hold
Rest
1 min
Contraindications
Master unweighted hollow hold for 45+ seconds before loading.Setup
Lie supine, holding a light dumbbell in both hands directly overhead, legs extended.
Execution
- 1Establish the hollow shape with low back pressed flat
- 2Raise shoulder blades off the floor with the weight held straight overhead
- 3Keep the weight directly in line with the shoulders, not drifting forward
- 4Maintain the leg and torso position exactly as in the bodyweight hold
- 5Hold for time, breathing in a controlled manner
Key cues
- Weight stays stacked over the shoulders
- Low back glued down despite the extra load
- Ribs stay down, don't let the weight pull you into extension
- Same shallow banana shape as the unloaded hold
Common faults
- Low back arching under the extra load
- Weight drifting forward past the shoulders
- Rushing to add load before the bodyweight hold is mastered
- Shoulders shrugging to compensate
Tweaks
- Use a plate instead of a dumbbell for a different grip challenge
- Reduce leg height to offset increased arm load
- Superset with unweighted hollow rocks
Regressions
Progressions
Muscles
Primary: Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis
Secondary: Shoulders, Lats, Hip Flexors
Notes
ANTI-EXTENSION, advanced loaded variant.
Sources
Attribution: Gymnastics Strength Training (GST) canon