The Hollow Rock

This weeks skill focus for me is going to be the Hollow Rock position.  I have been working in the fitness industry for almost 9 years now, and I am finding that I have SO much more to learn!  That being said, I'm going back to basics.  The hollow rock is one of the most basic movements out there, and it is actually the most neutral position anyone can get into.  It teaches dynamic stability (controlled movement) and mid-line stability...so many of us CrossFitters and fitness enthusiasts strive for.  The hollow rock is one of the most elementary movements taught.  It's actually one of the 1st progressions for young gymnasts to teach body awareness.  (I secretly wish I would have taken gymnastics in grade school.)

I've been watching a lot of gymnastic wod videos by Carl Paoli, www.gymnasticswod.com and the guy is a wealth of knowledge!  If he had to pick one move, one skill, one exercise for anyone starting out with physical activity...he recommends learning the hollow body and hollow rock.

Now, I might not be a beginner...but I have A LOT of room to grow! 

Here's the simple truth whether you want to hear it or not (I didn't for the longest time), if we can't maintain THIS SIMPLE POSITION when we have absolutely NO load or multiple joints are not working...we're not doing a good job with global stabilization!

This move is great!  It exposes you to different ways to maintain a neutral position, and you learn how to transfer body tension while maintaining the hollow rock. 

Set up:
- lower back touching ground
-legs straight & tight together with toes pointed
-arms straight & glued to ears (This is not easy for me!)
-start rocking back & forth without breaking shape...stay rigid!
**if you break-you're too extended and still need work

The goal is 100x or 3 minutes of continuous rocking...Build up to this by doing 3x20 or 2x50...or whatever you like.

Here's a video of Carl teaching this.  He can do a better job of it than I can :)

Enjoy...and use today to try to be a little more BADASS!  I am.