Dragon flags, which are one of my favourite advanced core exercises, improve lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder/scapular stability. I am sharing both the regular variation, and a modified variation (shown second).
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, fully extend your knees, point your feet away from you (plantarflex).
- Bend your elbows, and hold onto a very stable object that is behind you. Don’t let your elbows flare, or shoulders shrug/shoulder blades elevate.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- While keeping your body in a straight line from your head to feet, and will keeping just your upper back and head on the floor, use your core muscles and glutes and lift the rest of your body off the floor.
- Now while maintaining the same body positioning, slowly lower your body towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- Stop before your mid/lower back, hips and legs touch the floor.
- Pause for a count, and return your body to the top position.
- The entire time you are doing this your body should remain in a straight line from your head to feet.
- Now while maintaining the same body position, bend one knee, tuck it into your body, and perform the same sequence.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace), and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Get a package of The Ultimate Pull-Up Program and The Ultimate Push-Up Program for $157. Both programs regularly cost $97 each, so you save $37.
If you are not yet ready to do dragon flags, hollow body holds are a great regression. Here are several of my favourite variations.
With hollow body holds, many of the same key points in form apply, particularly in terms of the body positioning, bracing, and tension.
Hollow Body + Band Resisted Overhead Presses
Hollow Body + Straight Leg V-Raises
Hollow Body With Pallof Presses
Join THOUSANDS Of People From 86 Countries Worldwide And Get The Ultimate Pull-Up Program Now
