Strengthen your core with dragon flag exercise

Workout routines corresponding to leg raises, crunches and planks can all enhance your core power. In the event you do these usually and wish to problem your self then go for the dragon flag train. It’s believed that martial arts grasp and actor Bruce Lee carried out it as a part of his bodily coaching. It’s thought-about a full-body exercise however is thought to significantly goal the core muscle tissues. It’s a demanding however efficient train that may enhance your core power, and supply flexibility. Nonetheless, learners ought to carry out easier core workouts like crunches earlier than attempting this difficult transfer.

What’s the dragon flag train?

It’s a body weight train that focuses primarily on constructing the core muscle tissues. On this train, you lie in your again, together with your fingers gripping onto a agency floor for help. From there, you raise your total physique off the ground, conserving it straight from the shoulders to the toes, like a flag on a pole.

“The problem is in conserving management as you decrease and lift your physique, all whereas participating your core, glutes, and shoulders,” says physiotherapist and health skilled Dr Aijaz Ashai. This motion requires a excessive degree of core stability and power, making it a sophisticated degree train for growing belly and total physique management.

Muscle tissue engaged whereas performing the dragon flag train

Core muscle tissues: The core is like an anatomical field consisting of a number of muscle teams which might be used on this train. In accordance with 2020 analysis, printed within the Worldwide Journal Of Environmental Analysis And Public Well being, core muscle tissues embody:

• Rectus abdominis (the abdominals)
• The interior and exterior obliques
• The erector spinae
• Lumbar multifidus
• Quadratus lumborum

Hip flexors: These muscle tissues are used to raise and decrease the legs.
Glutes and hamstrings: These muscle tissues assist to stabilise the decrease physique throughout the motion.
Shoulders and higher physique: The arms, chest, and shoulders are used as you grip the bench for stability and management.

6 advantages of dragon flag train

1 Strengthens your core

The main benefit of the dragon flag train is its potential to reinforce core power. “You develop a powerful, rounded core since you activate your belly muscle tissues, obliques, and decrease again in each motion of the train,” says the skilled.

2. Higher stability and stability

The dragon flag train is a superb exercise to enhance total physique stability. Whereas holding your physique in a straight line and reducing it slowly, your physique has to stabilise itself. To do that, you want stability and power. The improved stability carries nicely into different bodily actions and reduces the possibilities of damage from every day actions. The dragon flag train comes underneath core power coaching, which might improve stability, as per a 2021 research printed within the Baltic Journal of Well being and Bodily Exercise.

3. Will increase flexibility

The dragon flag is a power train, nonetheless it could actually assist in enhancing flexibility, significantly within the decrease again and hamstrings. “As you progress your physique by the managed reducing and elevating motions, your backbone and leg muscle tissues get stretched, contributing to raised flexibility and mobility over time,” says Dr Ashai.

4. Engages your full physique

The dragon flag train is commonly considered an efficient core exercise, but it surely works your entire physique. As you carry out this train, you have interaction your shoulders, chest, arms, glutes, and legs. The exercise on your entire muscle engagement helps to construct total muscle tone and power.

5. Improves psychological toughness

The dragon flag train is a demanding exercise that requires focus and psychological self-discipline. “Sustaining management of your physique throughout the train may be difficult, significantly whereas performing a number of repetitions,” says the skilled. Over time, persistently training it could actually assist to construct psychological toughness.

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6. Could cut back again ache

Low again ache has develop into a typical downside, significantly amongst those that work in entrance of their computer systems for lengthy hours. Throughout a research, printed within the Journal of Useful Morphology and Kinesiology in 2024, core power coaching was discovered to be simpler than basic train at lowering low again ache.

Methods to carry out the dragon flag train?

• Discover a strong help on which you’ll be able to grasp with each your fingers. It may be both a bench or horizontal bar.
• Lie flat on the ground in your again, together with your head and neck in a impartial place.
• Raise your legs off the bottom and swing them over your torso in a straight line whereas conserving your core engaged.
• Grasp the facet of the bench with each fingers, holding you agency to start out from a secured level.
• Steadily elevate your physique and make sure that your legs stay straight and, in line, to place your torso vertically, or instantly upwards out of your toes.
• Decrease down slowly whereas in charge of the motion.
• Attempt to do about 3 units of 10 to fifteen reps.

Who ought to keep away from doing the dragon flag train?

• Individuals who have backbone issues ought to keep away from doing the dragon flag train as it might trigger damage.
• The dragon flag is a sophisticated degree train that calls for numerous core power. Newcomers shouldn’t strive it with out first increase their power by different workouts.
• Pregnant girls must also keep away from this train because it places numerous strain on the stomach.

The dragon flag train can enhance core power, and improve flexibility. It’s a sophisticated motion that calls for appreciable power and management. So, assess your health degree first to forestall accidents.