Hope you're having a great week.

Over the course of the last couple weeks, I've seen a couple videos  from friends of mine where they seemed to think they were doing legit Dragon Flags.

Unfortunately, they were committing the deadly sin of bending at the hip/waist when they were coming back up.

If you bend at the waist, you are making this great full body core movement MUCH EASIER and less legitimate.

Just as I welcome people to offer constructive feedback on my videos, like when I wasn't using a lead chain for my Conjugate Training, last year (and since have corrected), I offered suggestions to these dudes.

Monday, I shot a video doing this great and challenging exercise CORRECTLY, I uploaded it yesterday, and am sharing it with you, today.

LEGIT DRAGON FLAG EXECUTION

Here's a short article I typed up and included on my instagram post of the same video, and in the description box on my youtube channel:

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Dragon Flags, also referred to as Dragon Flies, were popularized in the movie Rocky 4, as Suggested Stallone does them in one of the training montages. My assumption is that Bruce Lee was the first to do them or at least the first to bring them attention, and this is the reason they are called "Dragon" Flags, given that is his nickname. 

The correct way to do Dragon Flags is with the hips locked, and not flexing the hips on the way up. Unfortunately they are usually done by bending at the hip/waste, which is at least 10x easier. 

Shown in video: 

Clip 1: Dragon Flags starting from the top (eccentric) 

Clip 2: Evan starts from top but can't go back up 

Clip 3: Dragon Flags starting from the bottom (concentric) 

Clip 4: Dragon Flag fail with 2x10lb ankle weights 

I actually haven't done a single Dragon Flag of any sort since at least 2022, maybe longer, but whipped out these demos after @edgindary and @dcenidoza posted some with hips bending. 

These dudes are strong as hell and with a little bit of practice will probably be knocking out doubles and triples from the top position with straight hips very soon. 

Since the majority of "Dragon Flag" videos are done with the hips/waist flexing on the way up, it can be easy to assume that's the right technique, but that method is way easier than keeping the hips straight. 

It's kind of a monkey see, monkey do kind of thing and even I didn't realize what actual legit Dragon Flags looked like until I saw Rick Geise doing them several years back. 

I have successfully done 5 Reps from the bottom in the past. These doubles were not hard, but I'm not sure I could have gotten a third. 

I use a barbell for my hold, because gripping behind my head on a bench makes it feel like my triceps are going to rip off my elbow. This setup is much more comfortable for the triceps insertions but still allows you to get the last activated, which is HUGE for proper Dragon Flags. 

Not trying to be cocky, just trying to point people in the right direction. For more information, look for my video on YouTube called  Do Legit Dragon Flags. Not this flexed hip business

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Be careful training Dragon Flags, because that was also the first time I ever got a nose bleed from training - I assume due to a spike in blood pressure, because I was also doing timed holds in conjuction with the Dragon Flags, and the crimsen just started flowing out of nowhere, brotherrrrr.

I am considering writing a training course on how to train to perform Dragon Flags.

Is that something you'd be interested in? If so, reply to this email and let me know.

Thanks and all the best in your training.

NAPALM

P.S.  Here's the links to the videos again...

New Video: Legit Dragon Flags (new)

Old Video:  Legit Dragon Flags (old)

One of my Gym Clients