Strengthen your core with dragon flag exercise

Workouts corresponding to leg raises, crunches and planks can all enhance your core power. When you do these frequently 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 of a full-body exercise however is understood to significantly goal the core muscle tissue. It’s a demanding however efficient train that may enhance your core power, and supply flexibility. Nevertheless, inexperienced persons ought to carry out less complicated core workouts 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 tissue. On this train, you lie in your again, together with your fingers gripping onto a agency floor for help. From there, you carry your total physique off the ground, retaining it straight from the shoulders to the toes, like a flag on a pole.

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

Muscle mass engaged whereas performing the dragon flag train

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

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

Hip flexors: These muscle tissue are used to carry and decrease the legs.
Glutes and hamstrings: These muscle tissue 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 key benefit of the dragon flag train is its capability to boost core power. “You develop a robust, rounded core since you activate your stomach muscle tissue, obliques, and decrease again in each motion of the train,” says the knowledgeable.

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 below core power coaching, which may enhance stability, as per a 2021 research revealed within the Baltic Journal of Well being and Bodily Exercise.

3. Will increase flexibility

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

4. Engages your full physique

The dragon flag train is usually considered an efficient core exercise, however it works your complete physique. As you carry out this train, you have interaction your shoulders, chest, arms, glutes, and legs. The exercise on your complete 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 may be difficult, significantly whereas performing a number of repetitions,” says the knowledgeable. Over time, persistently practising it could possibly assist to construct psychological toughness.

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6. Could cut back again ache

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

Tips on how 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.
• Carry your legs off the bottom and swing them over your torso in a straight line whereas retaining your core engaged.
• Grasp the aspect 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 straight 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 complicated degree train that calls for a variety of core power. Learners shouldn’t attempt it with out first build up their power by means of different workouts.
• Pregnant ladies also needs to keep away from this train because it places a variety of stress 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.