The first time that I saw a dragon flag performed was on a YouTube video. The dragon flag is one of those rare exercises that is so hard that simply beging able to correctly do one is a magnificent feat of core and total body strength. In other words the dragon flag is the epitome of a hardcore exercise.

Search YouTube and you will find a number of videos of attempted dragon flags. The method and form are a little different on each but for the most part they are all impressive demonstrations of this challenging exercise.

My Dragon Flag Experiences

After seeing the dragon flag performed on YouTube I decided to give it a try. The first time I tried it I was in very good shape and had doing planche training, lots of intense core exercises, and various pull up routines for several months.

I was actually able to do one decent repetition. If you look at different videos of the dragon flag you will notice that some people start at the bottom of the rep, while others start at the top. In my experience it is a lot easier and safer to start at the top (vertical) position. Starting at the top also means that you can stop part of the way down and work up to the full range of motion.

Initially I figured it would be intense on the core and abs, but I was surprised that it was more of a challenge on the arms and lats. The next day I was very sore, mostly in the upper back, lats and arms.

Here are a few recent attempts:

History of the Dragon Flag aka the Bruce Lee Flag

The dragon flag is based on an exercise regularly performed by Bruce Lee during his martial arts demonstrations and workouts. Not surprisingly this exercise is often called the Bruce Lee flag.

Dragon Flag Precautions

I am no medical expert and am not even a certified personal trainer, so please consult a trainer before you try this very difficult exercise. Personally I found that the first few times that I tried the dragon flag my body was not used to the total body tension and I got developed cramps in my calves and other leg muscles. It is also stressful on the neck and very taxing on the lower back as well. Please proceed with extreme caution.