You want to train away your hollow back, but don't know how? We show you the best exercises against hollow back.
The hollow back is one of the most common bad postures of all. The problem is that a hollow back sooner or later leads to pain in the back.
Do you also tend to form a round back? Then you are in the right place!
Fortunately, you can train away the hollow back. Because for this there are simple hollow back exercises that you can also do in the living room.
They help you strengthen the back and abdominal muscles. And thus counteract the hollow back.
Table of contents
- What is the cause of a hollow back
- How to develop a hollow back
- Train away hollow back - The 14 best exercises against hollow backs
- What is a hollow back
- How you can tell if you have a hollow back
- What muscles are involved in the hollow back
- Hollow back tip for everyday life
- What hollow back training away brings at all
What is the cause of a hollow back
Very often, bad posture is caused by a dysbalance of the muscles. In other words, an imbalance of the musculature.
With a hollow back, the hip is tilted strongly forward. This happens when the hip flexor and the lower back are too tense (i.e. strained).
What you can do to train away the hollow back are simple exercises. Namely, those that strengthen your abdominal and pom muscles. And build muscles in the back of the thighs.
These muscle groups are the counterparts to the hip flexors and lower back. When you train your abdominals, buttocks and thighs, you relieve the muscles that are responsible for your hollow back.
How to develop a hollow back
Unfortunately, this is quite simple and even quite fast. Namely very often by too little or wrong movement. And right at the front of the causes of the hollow back is a lot of sitting.
Bad posture favors the hollow back
The most common cause of poor posture is something we do every day. In fact, every one of us. We sit. When we sit, we put a lot of pressure on our vertebrae. We let our shoulders droop and get a hunchback.
And we also like to let our abdomen stretch outwards. If we do not actively train the back and abdomen, a hollow back is the result.
Because we sit so much, our hips are stretched far too seldom. And that causes our hip flexors to shorten. This pulls the lumbar spine forward.
But pregnancy and obesity also have an influence on our posture. Both cause the center of gravity of our body to change. And we already have a hollow back.
You won't believe the incredible benefits these office gymnastics exercises provide
Too little movement leads to hollow back
We all move too little. But those who have no or too few muscles risk a hollow back. The muscles in the buttocks and lumbar spine are too weak. They cannot compensate for the tense and shortened hip flexor.
But high heels are also said to promote the crooked back. This is because the center of gravity is suddenly somewhere else in the body.
Lifting weights incorrectly leads to tension and wear and tear. And that in turn leads to a hollow back.
In very few cases, a hollow back is congenital.
Attention! This is what you do to your body with lack of exercise!
Anyone who makes a hollow back also very often tends to have the shoulders fall forward. And then we have the salad. Then the posture, namely from the upper to the lower back is very unhealthy for your spine.
Lower back pain and tension in the shoulders and neck won't be long in coming.
What can help you with this problem is Upright. At Upright it is a small electronic straight holder* that you stick between your shoulder blades.
Whenever your posture leaves something to be desired, it vibrates and reminds you to keep a straight posture. At the end of the day, you can see in the app how often you really stood up straight and when not.
I can give you the Upright electronic straight holder* because I've been standing and sitting much more upright since I started using it. Even when I don't have it on at all. Somehow you subconsciously memorize the posture, which is quite practical. :)
Train away hollow back - The 14 best exercises against hollow backs
Per former you with Train away hollow back start, the better it is.
Wow! The most effective abdominal exercises ever!
If you don't have much time but still want to do something for your back, I can recommend this video. You will find exercises that you can quickly implement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpqo4tQq7ug
But I also recommend you take a look at my favorite exercises. Together with my personal trainer Werner, I have created a collection of 14 exercises that will bring your hollow back into balance.
If you do the exercises regularly, you will notice that it improves.
However, if you have pain, then you should talk to a physiotherapist. He/she will examine you and can tell you exactly where the problem lies.
Basically, the workout against hollow back is divided so that the opponents are strengthened and the muscles are stretched.
So you will find here:
- Exercises for the abdominal muscles
- Exercises for the lower back
- Butt exercises and thigh workout
- Exercises that stretch the hip flexor
- Flexibility exercises for stretching
Strong abdominal muscles help against a crooked back. You can train them with simple exercises.
Tilt pelvis to train away hollow back
You learn to control your body consciously
- Stand with your back against the wall.
- Feel the hollow back with your hand. Can you feel the distance between your back and the wall?
- Then place the arms parallel to the body.
- Bend your knees a little bit.
- Press the lower back firmly against the wall. You do this by tilting the pelvis.
- Check with your hand if it worked.
This is the simplest of all exercises against hollow back. With it you learn to consciously tilt your pelvis and become aware of the problem.
Later you can also do this exercise while sitting. Or standing, without a wall.
Feel into your body and pay attention to your shoulders. Hollow backs and hunched backs often come in a double pack.
This is how you get rid of your hunchback for good!
Planks against the curved back
You train: abdomen and back
- Lie down on the exercise mat.
- Stand on your toes and lift your body off the mat.
- The elbows are under the shoulders.
- Tighten the abdomen and buttocks.
Make sure your body doesn't sag and you're hard as a board.
Stay in this position for at least 30 seconds. Take a short break and do 2 more repetitions.
These 19 Plank variations will strengthen your entire body!
Lateral planks against the hollow back
You train: the lateral abdominal muscles
- You start in the lateral position. The legs are closed and stretched.
- Lean on your forearm.
- The elbow is directly under the shoulder.
- Raise your pelvis off the floor and rest on your elbow.
There are still lots of Plank variationsto which we have dedicated a separate article.
Train away the hollow back with sit ups
You train: The belly
- Lie on your back and bend your legs.
- You put your hands on the back of your head.
- Now straighten up with the strength of the abdominal muscles.
- Lower the upper body again - but bite slowly - and repeat the exercise.
Getting momentum is forbidden!
4 reasons why you should train your abs today
Bridge against the hollow back
You train: the front thighs
- Lie on your back and bend your legs.
- Lift the pelvis off the mat and push it up as far as you can. Hold the position for 5 seconds.
- Lower the butt again until it almost reaches the mat. Instead of putting it down, push the hips up again.
Repeat this process a total of 10 times.
Especially in the beginning it can be difficult not to fall back into old patterns. That's where a Posture correction for the upright posture*. You can easily put them on under your shirt. The principle is very simple: the posture corrector looks like a vest that you slip into with your arms. You fasten it with Velcro.
Now the correction ensures that your shoulders do not fall forward, that your chest is straightened and your spine is moved into the correct position.
You don't have to wear the correction forever. Soon you will internalize what the right posture feels like. Dangerous are always those moments when you sit and think about other things. Like at work. Subconsciously, posture correction will gently move you into the right position. It is best to simply read the Reviews of the posture correction on Amazon* through.
Superman to train away hollow back
You train: the back
- Lie on your stomach. Stretch your feet well.
- Beginners bend their arms. Advanced have them stretched through to the front.
- Lift your head, legs and arms off the floor at the same time.
- Do you feel a slight pulling in your lower back? Very good!
- And lower again.
Do this exercise slowly and repeat it at least 5 times. Especially in the beginning when your Back muscles not well trained are, you will find this exercise difficult.
The best back workout for your living room!
Squats as an anti hollow back exercise
You train: buttocks and legs
- Stand hip-width apart. The tips of your toes point a little outward.
- Lower your buttocks until they are level with your knees. Lean your upper body slightly forward for this.
- And go up again.
- Make sure your pelvis doesn't tilt forward too much.
Attention: The knees must not protrude above the tips of the toes
These are the best living room exercises for the lower back!
Yoga exercise "the dove
You stretch: the hip flexor
First of all: If you can't, you don't have to stretch your hands in the air. This time it's purely about stretching the hip flexor.
- Angle your right leg in front of your body.
- The left one is stretched backwards.
- Try to come as far as you can with your hips to the floor.
It is important that the back leg is firmly extended and you feel a pull on the thigh.
Try to hold this position as long as you can. 15 seconds should be the minimum.
Never again back pain thanks to these yoga exercises
Samson Stretch for the hip flexor
You stretch: the hip flexor
This exercise is somewhat reminiscent of the abdominal leg butt exercise "lunge" but this time the knee is on the floor and the thigh is stretched backwards.
- You start with a lunge.
- Put the back knee on the floor and push it back as you can.
- The front leg is bent.
- Do you feel the pull in the hip flexor? Then you are doing the exercise correctly.
- Hold the position for at least 20 seconds before changing sides.
It is important that the back leg is firmly extended. With the front leg, the knee must not come over the toes.
Diagonal plank as hollow back exercise
You train: back, abdominal muscles and buttocks
This exercise is not suitable for beginners and for people, who have little sense of balance.
- You start in a full plank.
- Now lift your left arm and right leg off the mat and stretch them well.
- Tighten the abdomen and buttocks well.
- Hold the position for a few seconds and then switch arm and leg.
Would you have known these simple exercises for better balance?
Thigh stretch as anti hollow back exercise
You stretch: the thigh and the hip flexor
- Similar to the Samson Stretch, you start with a lunge.
- Make sure that the front knee does not protrude above the toes.
- Put the back knee down and pull the foot as far as you can towards your buttocks.
- If you feel a strong pull in the front thigh muscle, you're doing it right.
Why stretching thighs is so important
Yoga exercise "Cat cow
You train and stretch: back and abdomen
Also Yoga can help you with Get rid of hollow back help. With the "cat cow" exercise you stretch your lower back.
- You start on all fours. Make sure your knees are under your hips and your hands are under your shoulders.
- Start with the cat. For this, you make a huge cat hump.
- Arch your spine as far as you can and form a hunchback.
- As you exhale, you go into the "cow."
- This means: consciously form a hollow back. Let your belly hang and stretch your buttocks upwards as far as you can.
How to improve your posture in just 3 steps
Pelvic lift lying down
You train: The abdominal muscles
The pelvic lift strengthens your straight abdominal muscles. This helps you get rid of the hollow back.
- Make sure you have a firm base for this exercise. Sofa or bed are not suitable.
- Lie on your back and raise your legs at a right angle.
- Now tilt your pelvis. Your legs will then automatically tilt further towards you.
- It is important that your back touches the mat now. If it doesn't, you need to tilt your legs towards you a little more.
The right angle remains upright!
If you are looking for more exercises to train away hollow back, you can check out our Butt exercises and Belly exercises drop by. This way you can still put together a little workout for yourself to strengthen the affected muscles.
16 butt exercises that will change your life
Bicycle Crunch
You train: the abdominal muscles.
Strong abdominal and back muscles are the best weapon against a round back.
- Lie on your back. Place your hands on the back of your head.
- Lift your head from the mat.
- Pull the right leg. Stretch the left leg through. And change.
If you like, you can let the upper body work with you. To do this, pull the opposite elbow to the knee. So left knee to right elbow and vice versa.
However, for beginners, alternating leg stretches is enough. Do at least 15 repetitions per leg and 3 passes.
What is a hollow back
The hollow back is also called hollow back, hyperlordosis or Anterior Pelvic Tilt. Somewhat more entertaining are the terms Donald Duck Syndrome, bear belly, and the malleolus. :)
But all terms describe one and the same phenomenon: In the classic hollow back, the hip tilts forward. As a result, the lumbar spine is strongly curved. The legs are overstretched and the abdomen and buttocks stick out more than usual.
The secret to easy back training without equipment
This is also the origin of synonyms such as Donald Duck syndrome. Anyone who is severely affected by a hollow back has a duck gait.
That doesn't look very good. But there are also health aspects that make the Train away hollow back make sense. The posture error stresses the vertebrae one-sided. This leads to Signs of wear, can promote a herniated disc and then lead to pain and problems.
How you can tell if you have a hollow back
You often can't judge that very well yourself. What can help is a friend or a mirror.
Look sideways in the mirror for this.
If your hips are tilted forward, you can see a curve in your lower back. Does your belly stick out even though you are slim? Then you most likely have a curved spine. You should put exercises to train away the hollow back on your to-do list.
How to recognize a hollow back
- Belly curved forward
- Back pain especially in the lower back
- Strong curvature of the spine
- Butt protruding
- Posture problems
What muscles are involved in the hollow back
As you now know, you most likely have too weak muscles to counteract the hollow back. Before you learn how to Train away hollow back you should know exactly which muscles are involved.
If you have a hollow back, your pelvis is tilted forward. The lumbar spine is therefore unnaturally curved.
Your pelvis is embedded in a large amount of muscle. In the muscle loop, it can move in all directions. As the center of the body, the pelvis holds our limbs together. So it has to withstand a lot of stress while being very flexible.
Wow. These yoga exercises strengthen your lower back
These muscles are involved in the posture of the pelvis
- The buttocks (gluteus maximus) and the back of the thigh (flexors) stretch your hip
- The hip flexors, back extensors and anterior thigh muscles flex the hip
- Your abdominal muscles pull the pelvis up and stretch the hips
What the gluteal muscles have to do with the hip
The largest muscle in the buttocks is the gluteus maximus muscle. It stretches the hips. This prevents your pelvis from tipping over in front.
But the small butt muscles also have a task. They are responsible for preventing the pelvis from sinking when we stand on one leg, for example.
Our butt is the counterpart to the hip flexor. So that you don't get a hunched back, both have to be about equally strong. If this is not the case, you can strengthen these particular muscles and thus train away the hollow back.
These are the very best butt exercises for the living room
What the abdominal muscles and the hollow back have to do with each other
A flat stomach with easily visible muscles is quite sexy. Also for us women. But abs don't just look good, of course. They also have a task.
They are responsible for keeping the pelvis from tilting forward. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Do you notice how the position of your pelvis changes?
Do you already know these effective abdominal exercises?
The hip flexor and the hollow back
This muscle connects our thighs to our hips. And it does so at the level of the sacrum. It can pull the hip forward. This is important during heavy squats so that it can keep the vertebrae neutral.
If the hip flexor is stronger than the butt muscles or shortened, then it pulls even in neutral stance. And this causes a hollow back.
Hollow back tip for everyday life
Unfortunately, only exercises to get rid of the hollow back are not enough. Even if the muscles are trained, people with a hollow back tend to fall back into the old position.
We have trained our posture - it is a constant game with gravity. A healthy posture requires mindfulness!
Regularly check how you sit, stand or walk straight. Correct the hollow back immediately by tilting the pelvis backwards. It's annoying at first. But with time it gets better. Because our body learns. So that it automatically corrects the hollow back.
What you always wanted to know about your posture
What hollow back training away brings at all
Yes, a hollow back is not pretty to look at. But it brings you much more advantages to get rid of the crooked back.
- You succeed much better in simple basic exercises like squats or lifting weights
- You look taller because your posture is upright
- Your risk of injury is reduced because you now perform the exercises correctly
- You look better because your belly becomes flatter and the posture more upright
Especially when doing exercises with weights, you will soon notice whether you have a hollow back or not. With barbell exercises you will feel a lot of pressure on the spine instead of in the buttocks - where the load should actually be.
Our conclusion
Try to do these exercises regularly. Then a hollow back cannot develop in the first place. If you want to train away your hollow back, you need to strengthen the muscles in the abdomen, buttocks, thighs and hip flexors.
If possible, try to sit less and rarely wear high heels.
To browse further:
* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more