hey all,

getting annoying now...every time i do (try to) dragon flags, i seem to 'pull' my ab muscle in the same spot - just below my bottom left 'pack'.

the abs are one big muscle? or are they divided into a few?

it heals up in no time i get no trouble from it at all. it doesn't hurt, i just feel as though i've stretched it too far or something.

anyone every had the same??

i've got 6 pack abs, but do i need to strengthen them further before attempting a dragon flag?

thanks

Just because you have a 6-pack doesn't mean you shouldn't strengthen them more it means your body fat is low.Are you new to dragon flags, if you are and are struggling to do 5-10 dragon flags maybe you should strengthen your abs more so you lessen the chance of injury when you perform more advanced exercises. This is what i do to strengthen my abs, :30 sec.Side planks 7 sets per side 14 sets total do this as a circuit, left side plank then immediately to right side plank, if this is to easy wear a vest. All sorts of weighted leg raises wearing ankle weights,if you have rings do jack knives, ab wheels.For more endurance do 100=200 nonstop leg raises on the floor with 10 second pauses at the bottom every 25 reps, right after do max out time front plank.These should help but don't forget to do lower back exercises, the best and only weighted exercises i do is the dead lift they help keep your overall power high. Also do stretches for your stomach and back.Good Luck.

well as someone else started a topic about dragon flag i would like to ask something.

1stly i agree that 6-pack doesnt mean powerful abs but low fat , ok maybe both.

2ndly i think abs are one hmm muscle plate and i guess we see them divided cause in order to move they got ins and outs (dunno how to tell it in other way ), maybe i m wrong so its better for someone who is sure about abs to response.

As for my question: Well i m maybe not at dragon flag level but i tried once, and well i felted a stretch in my lower back , big stretch not just a small stretch and after i done leg raises on ground (dont know their names) i felt less but same stretch on lower back, if i lift them without full lock then its better and if i bent em a bit more then i feel no stretch at all, is this cause of less of strength or i dont got much flexibility ?

It is physiologically impossible to exercise the lower abs in isolation of the rest of the abdominal muscle and this is simply because it is part of only one muscle.

Scientists from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, for example, used electromyography (known simply as EMG) to measure abdominal muscle activity during various exercises, including the trunk curl, reverse curl, v-sit, and twist curl.

This study suggests that you can put greater emphasis on the upper or lower abdominals depending on the exercise you do. But it certainly doesn't show that you can work the lower and upper rectus abdominis separately.

More interesting still, Professor Stuart McGill, an expert in spine function at the University of Waterloo in Canada, points out that a distinct upper and lower rectus abdominis does not exist in most people.

Remember too that the mid-section is made up of more than just the abs and that you should spend equal time on the obliques and lower back to have a truly strong core.

Side planks (the most overlooked core exercise in my opinion) Anterior planks, reverse hyper-extensions and single leg dead lifts no weight needed.

Mobility, Stability, Endurance, Strength, and Lastly, Power moves.

The lower abs are the last part, along with the glutes, to lose body fat in men. Hence less definition.

wow, lots of info here guys. thanks.

i only mentioned about having a 6 pack to let you all know that i work hard on abs already, and that i'm not a noob to ab exercises.

i agree, having a 6 pack doesn't relate to ab strength. so i'll work on those side plank holds, and do more hangin leg raises but i'll add my ankle weights too.

i find leg raises are also a good starting point for dragon flags..

alkavadlo, just posted a vid on youtube a dragon flag tutorial - it's awesome, so i'll strengthen my abs a lot more first guys.