Former gymnast and long-distance runner, Jason Bjarnson was once mocked in high school for being skinny, but after his dad took him to his first gym session, he never looked back. Now, with a massively inspired social media following, Bjarnson shares his go-to exercises for building a muscular physique and shaping those stunning abs. And, in a recent Instagram post, Bjarnson shared five Dragon Flag variations so that you can crush your own core.
Not only are dragon flag exercises a great way to stay in shape, but they also improve your strength and posture for other movements such as handstand pushups or the human flag, where the aim is to balance your body horizontally while you grip a vertical post. Dragon flags were popularized by Bruce Lee and while there are plenty of setups, a basic bench and an anchor point for the upper body is the easiest way to get started.
Here are the 5 variations shared by Bjarnson.
Bent Knee Dragon Flag
With the bench set on an incline, Bjarnson begins with the bent knee dragon flag, also known as the “half lay,” resting his upper back and shoulders towards the top of the bench while his hands hold him steady. This is a great progression exercise if you are not ready for the full dragon flag, because the bent knees remove some of the stress from your core.
Core Twisting Bent Knee Dragon Flag
To engage the obliques, Bjarnson twists his hips one way, and then the other, alternating with each rep. While some bodybuilders avoid training their obliques, Bjarnson has other ideas. “Have you ever seen someone train obliques and get a ‘blocky’ waist? Neither have I. It’s a myth,” once commented the social media star. “Another reason why people mention it, is because it’s a good excuse to avoid training abs. If you ever do see someone with a blocky waist it’s usually genetics or high amounts of gear.”
Alternating Bent Knee Dragon Flag
Next up is the alternating bent knee dragon flag, focusing on one side and then the other, Bjarnson even completes a bicycle pedal between reps as he swaps legs. By the time you master this movement, you should be ready for the full dragon flag.
Full Dragon Flag
For the full dragon flag, you’ll keep your legs straight, and feet together, as you channel your inner Bruce Lee. As with all of the variations, contract the abs and glutes as you complete each rep, inhaling on the way up, and exhaling as you descend. Dragon flags work the forearms, triceps, back, shoulders, hips, and core, and even hammer the quads as you maintain your form.
Weighted Dragon Flag
For a bonus level, you could be like Bjarnson and add a weighted element, such as weighted ankle bands, or even gripping a dumbbell between your feet. “It’s wild,” commented the natural bodybuilder on his winning performance, amping up his 1.4 million Instagram fans to follow suit.
To get started, work your way through each variation but don’t attempt them all straight away in one gym session. Instead, get a feel for how your core recovers from each movement. Aim for 10 to 12 reps per exercise, and you’ll soon be slaying your way to a legendary six-pack.
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