Instructions for Negative Dragon Flag:
1. Lie on a flat bench with your head toward one end and your hands gripping the bench behind your head. Make sure that your body is straight, with your legs extended.
2. Engage your core and lift your body off the bench to form a straight line, like an inverted flag. Only your shoulders and upper back should remain on the bench while the rest of your body is lifted in a straight line towards the ceiling. This is the starting position.
3. Inhale and slowly lower your body in a controlled manner while keeping it straight. Your body should move as one unit, much like a lowering flagpole.
4. Lower yourself until your body is just a few inches above the bench without touching it. Your body should still be straight, not bent at the hips.
5. Hold this position briefly to maximize the tension on your core muscles.
6. Exhale and use your core to lift your body back to the starting inverted flag position.
7. Perform the desired number of repetitions, focusing on the negative (lowering) phase to maintain tension on the abdominal muscles throughout the movement.
Safety Tips:
- Make sure to progress slowly with this exercise; it's a highly advanced core movement and can place significant strain on your back and shoulders if not performed correctly.
- Keeping the body straight is crucial to prevent strain and injury.
- If you are new to this exercise, it is advisable to start with assisted versions or progressions leading up to the full negative dragon flag.
---
