Lying Floor Negative Dragon Flag
Lying Floor Negative Dragon Flag Exercise Description
The Lying Floor Negative Dragon Flag is an advanced anti‑extension core exercise emphasizing controlled lowering. Lying supine and gripping a sturdy anchor overhead, you keep your body in a rigid line from shoulders to ankles and lower it as one unit under tension. Primary demand is on the rectus abdominis resisting lumbar extension, with the obliques assisting in trunk stiffness. The lats and scapular stabilizers anchor the shoulders, while the glutes and hip flexors co‑contract to maintain a posterior pelvic tilt and straight body line. Compared with the bench version, the floor setup offers a shorter range and contact at the bottom, which can make control and alignment easier to monitor. The key objective is maintaining a hollow, ribs‑down position and neutral neck while descending smoothly without breaking at the hips or arching the low back.
- Muscle Groups: Abs, Core, Waist
- Target Muscles: Rectus Abdominis
- Assisting Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques
- Stabilizing Muscles: Gluteus Maximus, Latissimus Dorsi, Psoas Major, Rhomboid Major, Trapezius - Lower Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Core, Torso
- Body Surface: Front
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Trunk Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Other
- Muscle Location: Stomach
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Lying Floor Negative Dragon Flag Exercise
‘- Lie on your back with your head near a sturdy, immovable anchor; grasp it overhead with both hands.
– Set shoulders: pull shoulder blades down and back; keep upper back pressed to the floor.
– Brace: draw ribs down toward pelvis, lightly posteriorly tilt the pelvis, and squeeze glutes; keep a neutral neck and steady gaze upward.
– Get to the top position (body straight from shoulders to ankles) using assistance as needed.
– Begin the negative: lower your rigid body as one unit by pivoting around the upper back/shoulders.
– Keep hips extended—do not pike or let knees bend; maintain the ribs‑down, hollow position to prevent lumbar arching.
– Control the descent until heels are close to, or lightly touch, the floor—only as far as alignment is maintained.
– After the descent, place feet down, bend knees to reset, then re‑establish your brace before the next attempt.
– Breathe: take a preparatory breath to brace; slow exhale through the lowering to maintain abdominal pressure.
– Avoid: shrugging the shoulders, pulling with the neck, flaring the ribs, or losing posterior pelvic tilt.
Lying Floor Negative Dragon Flag Tips
‘- Grip a sturdy, immovable anchor overhead before starting the movement.
– Pull your shoulder blades down and back and keep your upper back pressed into the floor.
– Maintain a strong brace: ribs drawn down toward the pelvis, light posterior pelvic tilt, and glutes squeezed.
– Keep a neutral neck with a steady gaze upward; do not pull with the neck.
– Use assistance as needed to reach the top position with a straight line from shoulders to ankles.
– Lower your body as one rigid unit, pivoting around your upper back/shoulders.
– Keep hips extended and knees straight—do not pike at the hips or let the knees bend.
– Maintain the ribs‑down, hollow position throughout the descent to prevent lumbar arching.
– Control the descent only as far as you can keep alignment, stopping when heels are close to or lightly touch the floor.
– After each descent, place feet down, bend your knees, and fully re‑establish your brace before the next attempt.
– Take a preparatory breath to brace, then slowly exhale during the lowering to maintain abdominal pressure.
– Avoid shrugging the shoulders, flaring the ribs, or losing your posterior pelvic tilt at any point.
Lying Floor Negative Dragon Flag Beginner Introduction
The Lying Floor Negative Dragon Flag is an advanced core challenge built around a slow, smooth lowering phase. The athlete lies on the ground, holds a solid anchor above the head, raises into a straight‑line position from shoulders to ankles, then lets the whole body descend together around the upper back and shoulders. Throughout this motion, the midsection works hard to stop the lower back from arching, while the head and spine stay aligned for a strong, unified shape.
This movement places heavy emphasis on the abs and side abs, with help from the glutes and hip flexors to maintain a long, straight body line. The lats, shoulders, and upper back contribute by locking the upper body into the floor and anchor. Compared with a bench dragon flag, the floor version has a smaller arc of motion and contact at the bottom, which can highlight any breaks in form and rhythm. The main intention is steady tension, precise alignment, and a controlled descent rather than speed or height.