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Last updated March 11, 2026
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abs
Dragonfly
Lie on a bench, grip behind your head, and lower your entire rigid body from vertical to horizontal using core strength.
Quick facts
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Mechanic
- Isolation
- Force
- Pull
- Type
- Strength
- Injury Risk
- High
- Hypertrophy
- Low
- Calorie Burn
- Moderate
Muscle focus
Primary and secondary muscle groups targeted by this movement.
Primary
absdeep abs / core
Secondary
hip flexorsside abs / obliqueslower backquads
Equipment & setup
What you need and how to position yourself before starting.
Equipment
body weightflat bench / sofa
Movement pattern
Bilateral
Posture
Lying
Tracking parameters
reps
Step-by-step instructions
Follow these cues to master proper technique and stay safe through every rep.
- Step 1Setup
- Lie face up on a flat bench.
- Reach behind your head and grip the edges of the bench firmly.
- Contract your entire core, glutes, and legs to create a rigid body line.
- Step 2Execution
- Roll your hips and legs upward so your body is nearly vertical, balanced on your upper back and shoulders.
- Keeping your body perfectly straight and rigid, slowly lower yourself toward the bench.
- Only your upper back and shoulders should remain in contact with the bench.
- Lower until your body is as close to horizontal as possible without touching.
- Reverse the motion and raise back up to the vertical position.
- Step 3Tips
- This is an extremely advanced core exercise — master the dragon flag first.
- The key is maintaining total body rigidity — no bending at the hips.
- If you cannot do the full movement, bend your knees to reduce the lever arm.
- Focus on the eccentric (lowering) phase first to build strength.
- Avoid pulling excessively with your arms — the core should drive the movement.
- Do not attempt this exercise with neck problems.