Strengthen your core with dragon flag exercise

Workouts reminiscent of leg raises, crunches and planks can all enhance your core power. In case you do these commonly and need 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 of 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 provide flexibility. Nonetheless, rookies ought to carry out less complicated core workout routines like crunches earlier than making an attempt 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, along with your arms gripping onto a agency floor for assist. From there, you raise your whole physique off the ground, protecting it straight from the shoulders to the toes, like a flag on a pole.

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

Muscle mass 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 are used on this train. Based on 2020 analysis, revealed within the Worldwide Journal Of Environmental Analysis And Public Well being, core muscle tissues embody:

• Rectus abdominis (the abdominals)
• The inner 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 through 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 most important benefit of the dragon flag train is its skill to reinforce core power. “You develop a robust, rounded core since you activate your belly muscle tissues, obliques, and decrease again in each motion of the train,” says the professional.

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 probabilities of harm from day by day actions. The dragon flag train comes beneath core power coaching, which might enhance stability, as per a 2021 examine revealed within the Baltic Journal of Well being and Bodily Exercise.

3. Will increase flexibility

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

4. Engages your full physique

The dragon flag train is usually regarded as an efficient core exercise, nevertheless it works all the physique. As you carry out this train, you have interaction your shoulders, chest, arms, glutes, and legs. The exercise on all the 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 through the train will be difficult, significantly whereas performing a number of repetitions,” says the professional. Over time, constantly practising it might assist to construct psychological toughness.

6. Might cut back again ache

Low again ache has turn out to be a standard downside, significantly amongst those that work in entrance of their computer systems for lengthy hours. Throughout a examine, revealed within the Journal of Practical Morphology and Kinesiology in 2024, core power coaching was discovered to be simpler than normal train at lowering low again ache.

carry out the dragon flag train?

• Discover a strong assist on which you’ll be able to grasp with each your arms. It may be both a bench or horizontal bar.
• Lie flat on the ground in your again, along with your head and neck in a impartial place.
• Elevate your legs off the bottom and swing them over your torso in a straight line whereas protecting your core engaged.
• Grasp the aspect of the bench with each arms, holding you agency to start out from a secured level.
• Progressively increase your physique and be sure that your legs stay straight and, in line, to place your torso vertically, or immediately upwards out of your toes.
• Decrease down slowly whereas accountable for 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 harm.
• The dragon flag is a complicated degree train that calls for a variety of core power. Rookies shouldn’t attempt it with out first increase their power via different workout routines.
• Pregnant ladies also needs to keep away from this train because it places a variety of strain on the stomach.

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