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This core challenge from Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. is a little bit different: You might struggle to even pull it off. "I won't lie to you guys; this one is tough," says Samuel. "It's as much a workout as it is an ultimate challenge for your overall core stability (and your mental focus too)."
According to Samuel, you'll need to understand the way that all of your muscles interact to be able to nail the form. "This is a complete core movement: Abs, lower back extensors, and glutes all work together," he says. "That last element, glute activation, is often the forgotten element. You'll need to really activate your glutes to get that straight line (that most people fail to find."
To take on the dragon flag med ball challenge, you'll need a weight bench and a medicine ball. If you want an oversized ball to work with, check out this option from j/fit.
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- Lay back on the bench and clamp the med ball between your lower legs.
- Reach behind your head to hold the bench to brace yourself. Squeeze your core to lift your legs, butt, and lower back off the bench. Your body should form a straight line down to your shoulders.
- Hold that position for 5 to 7 seconds.
- Drop the med ball, maintaining the straight line position.
- Hold for 5 to 7 more seconds.
- Continue holding the position, then perform 5 to 7 flutter kicks.
The added med ball element to the unique dragon flag positioning is two-fold. "First off, there's the pure load, which forces that much more perfect in the abdominal and glute contractions," says Samuel. "The second added element: adductor fire. You have to squeeze in on that med ball to avoid dropping it. And because of the demands of the dragon flag, you have to squeeze while maintaining that nice, clean, neutral pelvis."
The challenge is extremely taxing, and 5 seconds in each position and 5 good flutter kicks will humble most people, according to Samuel. To get a full workout in, repeat the series for 3 rounds.
For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full slate of Eb and Swole workouts. If you want to try an even more dedicated routine, consider Eb's New Rules of Muscle program .