Flag

Description

How to Do Flag

1. 1
   Setup

   Find a sturdy vertical pole or object. Grip high with your dominant hand, thumb pointing down, and lower with your non-dominant hand, thumb pointing up, about shoulder-width apart.

2. 2
   Setup

   Position your body slightly behind the pole, keeping your arms extended but not locked. Ensure a firm, secure grip with both hands.

3. 3

   Engage your core and lats forcefully, then simultaneously lift your legs and torso sideways until your body is as parallel to the ground as possible.

4. 4

   Maintain a straight line from your head to your heels, using your core, shoulders, and arms to actively resist gravity.

5. 5

   Hold this horizontal position for the desired duration, focusing on full body tension and controlled breathing.

6. 6

   Controlled lower your body back to the starting position, maintaining tension throughout the descent.

Tips

• Focus on full-body tension, particularly in the core, lats, and obliques, to maintain a rigid, straight line from head to heels.
• Actively push away with your top hand and pull with your bottom hand to create opposing forces that stabilize your body against the pole.
• Practice progressive drills like tucked flags or single-leg flags to build the necessary strength before attempting the full Flag.
• Exhale as you lift into the flag and maintain controlled, shallow breathing throughout the hold to support core engagement without losing rigidity.

Common Mistakes

• ×Sagging hips: Many people let their hips drop below the line of their shoulders and feet; actively brace your core and glutes to keep your body perfectly straight and parallel.
• ×Bent arms or shrugging shoulders: Allowing your arms to bend or shrugging your shoulders reduces leverage and stability; keep your arms strong and shoulders packed down away from your ears.
• ×Not fully extending legs: Keeping legs bent reduces the lever and makes the exercise easier, but sacrifices form; fully extend your legs and point your toes to maximize the challenge and achieve proper flag form.