Leg Raise Dragon Flag
An advanced core exercise, the Dragon Flag builds immense abdominal strength and control.
Description
An advanced core exercise where you raise your body from the shoulders down using only your upper back and shoulders for support.
How to Do Leg Raise Dragon Flag
- 1Setup
Lie supine on a sturdy bench or mat, gripping a stable overhead support (e.g., the bench's edge or a rack) with an overhand grip, hands about shoulder-width apart.
- 2Setup
Engage your core and lift your legs and torso off the bench, bringing your entire body into a straight, rigid line from your shoulders to your heels, supported only by your upper back and shoulders.
- 3
Slowly and with extreme control, lower your entire body as a single, rigid unit towards the bench, stopping just before your lower back or glutes touch the surface while maintaining a straight line.
- 4
Without allowing your lower back to arch or sag, reverse the motion by powerfully engaging your core and hip flexors to raise your body back to the starting straight-line position.
Tips
- Focus on maintaining a completely straight line from your shoulders to your heels; imagine your body as a rigid plank of wood throughout the entire movement.
- Control is paramount. If you cannot lower or raise your body slowly and with perfect form, reduce the range of motion or utilize an easier progression until strength improves.
- Actively press your shoulders and upper back into the support and keep your lats engaged to help stabilize your upper body and maintain a strong anchor point.
- Engage your glutes and quads to keep your legs fully extended and rigid, which contributes to the overall stability and 'plank-like' body position.
Common Mistakes
- ×Sagging Hips or Arching Lower Back: This indicates a loss of core tension; actively brace your abdominals and glutes to keep your body in a straight, rigid line from shoulders to heels.
- ×Using Momentum to Lift: Jerking or swinging the legs to initiate the upward movement reduces core engagement; focus on a slow, controlled lift driven solely by your abdominal muscles.
- ×Bending Knees or Hips: This reduces the lever arm and makes the exercise significantly easier; keep your legs fully extended and hips locked to maximize the challenge and core activation.
Variations
Negative Dragon Flag
Lower your entire body slowly and with control from a full dragon flag position to build immense core strength and stability.
Lying Leg Raise Flat Bench
Strengthen your core and target lower abdominal muscles with the Lying Leg Raise Flat Bench.
Lying Leg Hip Raise on Floor
Strengthen your core and sculpt your lower abs with the lying leg hip raise. This bodyweight exercise targets the iliopsoas and rectus abdominis for a
Related Exercises
Flag
Master the Flag, an advanced bodyweight exercise challenging your core, arms, and shoulders.
Lying leg hip raise
Strengthen your lower abs and hip flexors with the lying leg hip raise. Lift your legs and hips towards the ceiling for a powerful core workout.
Twisted Leg Raise
Engage your core and sculpt your waist with the Twisted Leg Raise. This effective bodyweight exercise targets your lower abs and obliques, enhancing core
Straight Leg Dead Bug
Strengthen your core with the Straight Leg Dead Bug, an effective bodyweight exercise targeting the rectus abdominis and obliques.
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Build total-body strength with this demanding complex combining renegade rows and explosive squats.
Track Leg Raise Dragon Flag in your workouts
Log sets, reps, and weight. See your progress over time.
Get Ellim — Free