Dragon Flag Strength Standards Calculator
Under strict Dragon Flag strength standards, Novice starts around 1 reps for men age 20-29 and 1 reps for women age 20-29, while Elite starts around 15 reps for men and 12 reps for women.
Enter your sex, bodyweight, age, and strict reps to see whether your Dragon Flag is Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, or Elite for your bodyweight and age.
The calculator compares your valid strict reps with the Dragon Flag standards for your sex, bodyweight, and age. This keeps the result focused on bodyweight performance instead of load, estimated 1RM, or a different exercise.
Understanding Your Dragon Flag Strength Score
Your Dragon Flag score is the number of strict reps completed in one continuous set. Enter the total number of strict reps completed in the continuous set; do not combine separate sets. The calculator compares that result with the standards for the sex, age range, and bodyweight you select.
The score is useful only when every attempt follows the same movement standard. Begin the attempt from this position: lie supine on a stable surface, grip a fixed anchor behind the head or shoulders, brace the trunk, keep legs together and straight, and set a rigid body line before the first rep. Move through the approved Dragon Flag raise/lower pattern with shoulders anchored, body rigid, hips extended, legs straight, and no kicking, bouncing, hip folding, or external assistance.
Count the result this way: count one rep only when the full strict rep is completed under control; do not count eccentric-only lowers, static hold seconds, tuck reps, partial reps, or reset singles. Every counted rep finishes with control restored in the approved start or top position before the next rep; the set ends when the athlete loses body-line control, uses assistance, changes anchor, rests, or switches variation. Keep retests comparable by using the same anchor, surface, range standard, leg position, and rest convention so entered reps mean the same thing over time.
Dragon Flag Strength Standards
These are Endura’s standards for comparing consistent Dragon Flag attempts. They are exercise-specific practical benchmarks, not population averages.
How Endura set these standards: The approved Dragon Flag model defines Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Elite strict-repetition benchmarks for men and women in five age groups. Each exact threshold and tier boundary is checked against the calculator before publication.
The tables organize Dragon Flag standards by sex and age. Compare your strict reps in one continuous set with the Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Elite columns. A result below the Novice threshold is classified as Beginner.
Men — Dragon Flag Standards
| Age | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 15 |
| 30-39 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 14 |
| 40-49 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| 50-59 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| 60+ | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
Women — Dragon Flag Standards
| Age | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| 30-39 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
| 40-49 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| 50-59 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| 60+ | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
For example, men age 20-29 reach Intermediate at 4 reps, Advanced at 8 reps, and Elite at 15 reps. Women age 40-49 reach those same levels at 2 reps, 5 reps, and 10 reps. These examples come directly from the table values above.
Use the calculator to apply your exact inputs, place your result in the correct level, and see the next target without doing the table lookup yourself.
How the Dragon Flag Calculator Works
The calculator uses your sex, age group, bodyweight, and total strict reps from one continuous set. Enter the strict reps completed in one continuous set; do not combine separate sets. It compares that score with the exercise-specific Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Elite thresholds. Because higher is stronger for this test, more valid reps can move the result to a higher level.
The result shows your standards level, entered score, the sex and age group used, and your next target. An exact threshold counts as the higher level. Using the men’s age 20-29 reference row, 4 strict reps is Intermediate and Advanced begins at 8 strict reps, making the next target 4 additional strict reps. The calculator handles the tier lookup and target math automatically.
The calculator cannot inspect your attempt. It assumes the number entered follows the Dragon Flag Testing Rules. If the attempt became invalid before you stopped, enter only the valid reps completed before the first invalid rep.
Dragon Flag Testing Rules
Use one continuous set and record the total number of strict reps. The calculator compares the number you enter with the Dragon Flag standards, but it cannot verify how the attempt was performed. Use the exercise-specific requirements below before entering a score.
Dragon Flag Testing Checklist
| Testing rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Exact test | One continuous set of strict bodyweight Dragon Flag reps from a supported supine setup, using a rigid body line through the raise/lower pattern without hip folding, kicking, or assistance. |
| Start | Lie supine on a stable surface, grip a fixed anchor behind the head or shoulders, brace the trunk, keep legs together and straight, and set a rigid body line before the first rep. |
| Valid range or position | Move through the approved Dragon Flag raise/lower pattern with shoulders anchored, body rigid, hips extended, legs straight, and no kicking, bouncing, hip folding, or external assistance. |
| Count or time | Count one rep only when the full strict rep is completed under control; do not count eccentric-only lowers, static hold seconds, tuck reps, partial reps, or reset singles. |
| Tempo and pauses | No fixed tempo applies, but reps must be controlled enough to show the rigid-body lower and return; bouncing, momentum, and uncontrolled drops do not count. |
| Assistance | No bands, partner help, hand push from another surface, external load, weighted vest, machine assistance, or range-reducing props. |
| Stop | Every counted rep finishes with control restored in the approved start or top position before the next rep; the set ends when the athlete loses body-line control, uses assistance, changes anchor, rests, or switches variation. |
| Retest consistently | Keep retests comparable by using the same anchor, surface, range standard, leg position, and rest convention so entered reps mean the same thing over time. |
What Counts and What Does Not Count
Enter only the exact Dragon Flag test described in the checklist. The examples below separate that test from common substitutions that use different loading, assistance, range, position, equipment, or counting rules.
| Attempt or variation | Enter it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon Flag | Yes | This is the exact exercise when it follows every start, range or position, counting or timing, assistance, and stop rule above. |
| dragon flag hold, hanging leg raise, reverse crunch | No | These are nearby movements or positions, but they are not the same test. |
| weighted Dragon Flag, weighted vest reps, ankle-weight reps | No | Added resistance changes the exercise and the meaning of the score. |
| band-assisted Dragon Flag, partner-assisted reps, tuck Dragon Flag | No | External support changes the work required and makes the result noncomparable. |
| eccentric-only lowers, partial range reps, hip-folded reps | No | Altered range, position, resets, or counting can inflate the entered result. |
| ab benches, machines, suspension straps | No | A different setup can change support, leverage, range, or difficulty. |
When a call is borderline, stop the score before the first invalid rep and enter only the valid total. That keeps Dragon Flag results useful for comparison over time. Apply the same checklist every time you retest.
Elite Dragon Flag Strength Levels
Elite begins when your total strict-rep score meets or exceeds the Elite threshold for the applicable sex and age group. Because the tier boundary is lower-inclusive, a score exactly equal to the threshold counts as Elite. The table shows every public Elite starting point for Dragon Flag.
| Reference group | Elite starts at |
|---|---|
| Men age 20-29 | 15 strict reps |
| Men age 30-39 | 14 strict reps |
| Men age 40-49 | 12 strict reps |
| Men age 50-59 | 10 strict reps |
| Men age 60+ | 8 strict reps |
| Women age 20-29 | 12 strict reps |
| Women age 30-39 | 11 strict reps |
| Women age 40-49 | 10 strict reps |
| Women age 50-59 | 8 strict reps |
| Women age 60+ | 6 strict reps |
An Elite result still has to follow the same Dragon Flag Testing Rules; if the attempt became invalid earlier, use only the valid reps completed before the first invalid rep. After Elite, the calculator can show a separate rep stretch target when one is available, but that target does not replace or redefine the Elite threshold.
Milestones and Next Targets
Your next Dragon Flag target is the first strength-level threshold above your current valid rep score. The calculator uses your selected sex, age group, bodyweight, and strict reps in one continuous set, subtracts your result from that threshold, and shows the exact additional strict reps needed.
The table shows the complete jumps between level starting points for the age 20–29 reference group; your personal gap may be smaller because it begins from your current result rather than the previous level’s minimum.
| Progression | Men age 20-29 | Women age 20-29 |
|---|---|---|
| Novice → Intermediate | +3 strict reps | +2 strict reps |
| Intermediate → Advanced | +4 strict reps | +3 strict reps |
| Advanced → Elite | +7 strict reps | +6 strict reps |
Related Tools
| Related tool | What it measures and why it’s useful |
|---|---|
| Sit Ups Strength Standards | Count full-range strict sit-ups completed in one continuous set. This provides a familiar trunk-flexion endurance benchmark for tracking repeatable rep capacity. |
| Cable Crunch | Measure loaded trunk-flexion strength with a strict cable-crunch set. This gives you a resistance-based abdominal benchmark instead of relying only on bodyweight reps or holds. |
| Machine Seated Crunch | Convert a controlled seated machine-crunch set into estimated trunk-flexion strength. This gives you a guided loaded abdominal benchmark with simple resistance progression. |
| Forearm Plank Hold Strength Standards | Hold a strict forearm plank for one continuous valid attempt. This gives you a simple anti-extension core-endurance benchmark that is easy to repeat. |
| Ab Wheel Rollout Strength Standards | Challenge your trunk through strict rollout reps instead of a static hold. The result shows how well you prevent your lower back from arching as the lever lengthens. |