This advanced core exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability. This exercise is basically a dragon flag, hollow body hold, flutter kick hybrid.
This exercise will have a positive carryover to pull-ups, pistol squats, and many other exercises!
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on a bench (can be a regular or decline bench). 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 allow your elbows to flare, or shoulders to shrug/shoulder blades elevate.
- Take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core muscles (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/wrinkle the front of your shirt), and contract your glutes and quads.
- While keeping your torso and hips in a stacked position, use your core muscles and glutes and lift your body off the bench so only your upper back and head remain on the bench.
- While maintaining the same body positioning, slowly lower your body towards the bench, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- Remain in this position and perform flutter kicks.
- The entire time you are doing this, your torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Notice the front of my shirt is wrinkled? This is a good sign my back hasn’t arched and my ribs haven’t flared and that I’m maintaining a 360 degree brace around my spine.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace), and contract your quads and glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Get a package of The Ultimate Pull-Up Program and The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program for $157. Both programs regularly cost $97 each, so you save $37. Take both your pull-ups and pistol squats to another level!