the dragonflag is one of the greatest calisthenics core exercises of all time today you're going to
learn optimal technique for bodyweight strength gain before we start can you do a dragon flag
comment below if you can do one with perfect form and hollow body no lying on the inside okay
it's time to start developing full body core control unlocking the full potential your
body is capable of let's start by outlining the universal technique for all ability and strength
levels setting up with a straight bar is the best choice for calisthenics transferability doing so
allows us to take a shoulder width grip perfect specificity for our pulling based training goals
straight bar is the obvious choice because it's a stable surface to apply maximum force
this means our dragon flags will be easier to execute allowing more core strength gains
next we want to take a look at the arms what makes this dragonflag variation special is the
straight arm engagement calisthenics strength skills are about straight arm scapular motion
of course it makes sense to integrate this where possible into our core exercises dynamic core
training plus straight arms is a match made in heaven for body weight mastery you know
it and i know it moving down to the upper back this is where the contact and pressure happens
you'll notice i've got soft padding underneath the upper back follow my lead being comfortable
doesn't make you a wuss or weak a setup which is non-threatening to the body is a major advantage
this means you'll be stronger and won't be inhibited by any upper back pain
this minute detail is going to have a profound impact on your strength levels give it a try and
enjoy the difference pay attention now because this is a very important exercise q scapular
retraction and depression although there's no actual movement we want to think about performing
a straight arm pull down aggressively motion the elbows down towards the floor aiming for the
direction of your stomach this directed q assists in optimizing the tension into relative shoulder
extension we need to remember the latissimus dorsi on the back contributes towards core engagement
absolutely essential for dragon flag success continuing with global technique we must respect
full body tension we want our torso and legs moving as one fixed unit to do this i'm keeping my
abs and glutes engaged and tight tapping yourself on the stomach and arse is a nice physical
reference for the level of tension required moving on i feel everyone discounts the importance of leg
engagement when it comes to dragonflags point the toes and keep the knees together engaging quads
and abductors respectively you'll be surprised how big a difference global engagement makes
technique optimization alone can make dragon flags significantly easier range of motion or dragon
flag depth is determined by your strength level the closer the feet are towards the ground the
harder the exercise becomes an important principle is challenging yourself to go deep while still
using sound exercise form naturally we want to go all the way down into a horizontal dragon flag
if the lower back is arching at any point this is a clear red flag lumber extension means the
intensity is too high for your body arching is a sign of losing anterior core engagement
we would rather train using perfect form at a range of motion which is actually possible keep
working hard and eventually your dragon flag will be happening closer and closer towards the ground
what's important is we need to understand the reasoning behind our effort here's why you should
dragon flag isometric anti-extension core strength basically improved hollow body bracing while our
body fights against arching into a banana back today's dragon flag technique directly develops
straight arm scapular strength for body weight training take a look at the front
lever a fundamental calisthenic strength skill we're using straight arms and motioning relative
shoulder extension into retraction and depression a component of this position involves maintaining
a rigid body alignment our straight arm dragon flag effort will pay off with absolutely no
core limitations during front levers dragon flag difficulty is determined by your body shape it's
important you understand this concept starting in a tuck is going to be easiest as the body extends
the lever length increases which raises the core difficulty choose a body shape which allows a full
range of motion while also providing the right amount of challenge keep in mind individual
preference is huge when it comes to dragonflag training choose a variation in a body shape which
suits your strength level and your body type with our dragon flags we have four variations from easy
to hard the negative dragon flag or eccentric is a great place to start why these are so effective
is because of the specificity principle we get better at the movements we train key muscles
involved become stronger in the exact way required a successful eccentric is using a consistent tempo
from top to bottom of each rep doing so captures strength through the entire range of motion
which will be useful for the real thing these are first on the list because they are ideal
for those who struggle with depth or returning from the bottom i'd argue that eccentrics have
merit for anyone who's struggling with deep dragon flags never think that you're beyond the basics
because they're highly valuable for all strength levels our next step is working through a full
range of motion both down and up as mentioned earlier in the video we want to go as deep as
our current strength level allows those watching fitness faqs are probably pretty strong so most
of you should be able to get started with dynamic reps working dynamically in the conventional sense
is a fun way to dragon flag full range of motion flags are essentially like doing a plank hold
while the body moves through space good stuff the benefit of dynamic reps is we get a momentary
pause between reps at the top the start of each rep is an opportunity to take a massive breath
brace and go through the exercise with authentic intent this dragonflag technique is your absolute
fundamental and should definitely be mastered by all levels dragonflag extensions at n range are
a brutal variation we are quickly reaching maximum tension as we abruptly extend from a short to long
lever position don't be surprised if you struggle with extensions when first trying they're not easy
but your body is going to adapt pretty quickly these are more difficult than conventional dragons
because there's a rapid ramp in intensity also we need to hit perfect body tension and positioning
while we're already under strain under load n-range training is excellent for targeting
our natural zone of weakness this is a demanding task which is difficult in practice which you're
about to experience but the hard work and extra effort involved is rewarded with dominant body
control you're going to need to choose the right depth to make this productive for multiple reps
and multiple sets okay the final variation towards dragon flag domination is the dreaded
isometric holes static dragon flags are absolutely insane because the tension is unrelenting there is
no rest between reps the isometric becomes one rep of suffering and strength gaining goodness we're
forced to remain engaged during the entire set it's both a mental and physical battle those arms
must be straight while simultaneously motioning towards scapular retraction and depression global
bracing is a must the core needs to be tight which includes both the torso and leg muscles
being held tight the whole time once the previous dragonflag variations throughout range end up
becoming tolerable isometrics are a welcomed challenge with practice isometric dragon flags are
going to become bearable and the strength transfer to general calisthenics definitely noticeable for
a training protocol here's a guideline to continue growing stronger with dragonflags eccentrics three
sets of three to six reps is ideal for dragonflag eccentrics we're using a slightly lower rep range
due to the large time under tension because our reps are quite slow we need to adjust the dosage
accordingly full range of motion 3 sets of 5 to 15 reps is a good range for full range of
motion dragon flags anything less than 5 and it's probably too difficult working beyond 15 starts
becoming inefficient extensions three sets of five to ten reps is sufficient for extension variation
combining control through range and a dominant end range hold is highly productive isometrics three
sets of 10 to 30 seconds is a nice range for you to work within working towards sets of 10 seconds
is going to buy us higher intensity strength adaptation on the other hand working towards
sets of 30 seconds is going to ingrain a greater core endurance adaptation
what is your favorite dragon flag variation and why i want you to comment in the comment section
because lately there's been too much lurking and not enough commenting join the fitness
faq's discussion drop a comment and i'm interested to see what you think and why all right everyone
fitnessfaqs.com for the best calisthenics programs to become strong like a gymnast
look like a bodybuilder and the mobility to move freely take care and see you soon on fitness faqs