Dragon Flag Negatives
How to Do It
Lie on a bench and grip behind your head for anchorage. Kick the legs up so the body is near-vertical, supported on the upper back, then lower the rigid, straight body slowly toward the bench as one unit, resisting the descent. Keep the whole body stiff — no bending at the hips. Reset and repeat the lowering.
Why It Works
A maximal anti-extension eccentric — the entire body acts as one rigid lever lowered slowly, demanding enormous deep-core strength to keep the spine neutral against the long-lever gravitational load; builds high-level trunk stiffness and abdominal strength.
Hockey Transfer
Builds elite trunk rigidity that transfers force between the lower and upper body and resists extension under heavy contact; the whole-body stiffness supports powerful, leak-free force transfer in skating and shooting.
Coaching Cues
- "One rigid line, no hip break"
- "lower slow, fight gravity"
- "ribs down, brace hard"
Common Mistakes
Bending at the hips (losing the rigid line); dropping too fast; arching the low back
Progression / Regression
slower negatives or full dragon flags
bent-knee/tucked negatives or hollow holds
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural (eccentric)
Put it to work
on the ice.
This exercise is part of a fully periodized 12-week off-ice program — built by a sport scientist who coaches at the national level.
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