Hollow Hold Face-off | Friends

Quick Intro

Hollow Hold Face-off is a contest on the hollow body hold. Two people lie on their backs side by side, lift the shoulders and legs a little off the floor into the hollow shape and hold it. The first one whose lower back peels off the floor, or whose shoulders or legs drop, loses the round. How to build the hollow shape is covered at Hollow Body Hold. This guide covers the contest and, above all, how to judge it, since a hollow hold can look fine from a distance long after it has stopped being one.

What You’ll Need

Floor space for two people lying side by side, with room for the arms overhead.
A mat each.
A timer if you want to keep times.

How to Play

Agree the break standard and any handicap first.
Lie on your backs side by side, arms reaching overhead and legs straight, with enough space that your hands will not touch.
Press the lower back into the floor, then lift the shoulders and legs into the hollow shape. When both are set, one person says “go”.
Hold. No touching and no distractions.
The first person to break the shape loses. Both lower down.
Rest a few minutes between rounds. Two or three rounds is enough.

What Counts

The hollow hold has one tell that matters more than any other: the lower back. The round ends when one person’s:

lower back lifts off the floor, leaving a gap;
shoulders drop back to the floor;
legs drop to the floor.

The lower back is hard to see from beside someone, which is why this contest needs a bit of method. Two simple checks help:

The hand test. Before starting, each person slides a hand under the other’s lower back and agrees what flat feels like. During the hold, a gap opening there is the break.
A third person, or a phone propped up at floor level filming both of you from the side.

A hold that looks long but has lost the flat lower back does not win. Once the back arches, the round is over, even if the shoulders and legs are still up.

Making It Fair

The weaker partner can bend the knees slightly while the stronger partner keeps the legs straight, and both still compete on time. Bent knees shorten the lever the abdominal muscles have to hold, so the shape is easier to keep and lasts longer.

Agree how much knee bend the weaker partner uses before starting and keep it for every round. When they start winning easily, straighten the legs a little next time. Handicaps in general are covered in Training With a Friend.

Staying Safe

The hollow hold is a front-of-core exercise, but when it fails, the lower back takes the strain. That is the main risk in a face-off, because people keep holding after the back has arched to avoid losing.

Stop at once if the lower back aches, whoever is ahead.
Keep breathing. The position makes it tempting to hold the breath. Short, steady breaths through the hold make it easier to keep the back flat.
Lower down with control when the round ends, bringing the legs and shoulders down slowly.
Keep the chin slightly tucked and avoid pulling the head forward with the neck.

Common Mistakes

Lifting the legs too high. Legs held high make the hold easier and change it. Agree a height, such as heels a hand’s width or two off the floor, and keep to it.
Arching to hold on. The arch is the break, not a way to last longer.
Ignoring the other person’s back. The person watching has to call it honestly. Agree before the start that a called break stands.

Fitting It Into a Session

A hollow hold face-off fits well after a plank duel or another core game only if there is real rest between them, since both tire the same muscles. It pairs better with a leg or upper body game before or after. Glute Bridge Hold Duel works the back of the hips and makes a good contrast.

Getting Better Over Time

Record each person’s best clean time. Once both of you hold the full hollow shape comfortably for well over a minute, try a face-off on the Hollow Rock, where both people rock back and forth in the hollow shape and the first to lose it is out.

Plank Hold Duel and Side Plank Duel use the same format on other core holds.
Core Sync Streaks turns slower core exercises into a matched, cooperative game.
Hollow Body Hold & Burpee Race gives the partners different jobs, one holding the hollow shape while the other does burpees.

FAQ

How long should a hollow hold last?

Most people find a clean hollow hold hard past 30 to 60 seconds at first. The lower back usually gives up before the abdominal muscles feel tired, which is why the back is the thing to watch.

Is it the same as a plank duel?

Both are front-of-core holds. The hollow hold is done lying on the back with no support at the shoulders or feet. It is usually shorter and harder to judge.

Can I put my hands under my lower back?

No. Hands under the back hold it flat for you and change the exercise. Keep the arms reaching overhead.

Related to Hollow Body Hold, Hollow Rock and Plank Hold Duel.