Human Flag

Exercise / Calisthenic, Full Body

Human Flag

The human flag is a calisthenics move where you lift your body sideways whilst holding on to a pole or a bar so that your body is parallel to the ground. This gravity-defying skill displays a combination of strength, technique, balance, stability, and control. A high-level calisthenics movement, this exercise requires special practice and advanced levels of skill and precision. In order to perform an human flag, it’s important to have strong arm and core muscles. A strong and stable core allows the upper torso to move with ease.

How to do:

Human Flag

Here are the steps to perform a human flag:

  1. Find a sturdy vertical pole or bar that can support your weight. Stand beside the pole and grip it with your stronger hand. Your hand should be around shoulder height.
  2. Your top hand will assume an overhand grip and will pull at the bar. Then, place your bottom hand on the lower end of the pole using an underhand grip. This hand will push against the bar, and together, these two movements will gradually bring your torso upward off the ground.
  3. Lift your feet off the ground and bring your legs parallel to the ground. You should be supporting your entire body weight on your hands and upper body.
  4. Hold the human flag position for as long as you can before slowly lowering yourself back down to the ground.

Note: Holding the Human Flag requires a high degree of body control and stability, which can improve your overall balance and coordination. It’s important to note that the human flag is an advanced exercise that requires a lot of strength and practice to master. It’s recommended to work on your upper body and core strength with other exercises before attempting the human flag.

Benefits of Human Flag

The Human Flag is one of the world’s hardest exercises, requiring a high level of strength, stability and body control. This exercise done at body weight is very effective for building strength and endurance. Practicing the Human Flag can offer several benefits for your body and fitness:

  1. Increases upper body strength: The Human Flag targets the muscles in the arms, shoulders, back, and core, making it an excellent exercise for building upper body strength. Since it is an exercise that requires you to do the pushing and pulling at the same time, it also has benefits that require mental focus, force the movements to be done in harmony, and improve balance and coordination.
  2. Enhances core strength: The Human Flag requires significant engagement of the core muscles, which can help to strengthen your abs and lower back.
  3. Increases grip strength: The hand placement in the Human Flag requires a strong grip, which can help to improve your grip strength and overall grip endurance.
  4. Provides a mental challenge: The Human Flag is a challenging exercise that requires a lot of mental focus and discipline. Practicing and mastering this exercise can provide a sense of accomplishment and boost your confidence.

Overall, the Human Flag is an impressive display of strength and body control that can offer significant physical and mental benefits for those who practice it.

Some exercises to master the human flag

Human Flag Muscles Worked

This exercise mainly focuses on the latissimus dorsi and core abdominal muscles. The arm muscles, spinal muscles, deltoids and traps and other core muscles are involved in the movement to aid balance, support and stabilization.

Latissimus Dorsi
Obliques
Rectus Abdominis
Biceps
Transverse Abdominis
Erector Spinae
Triceps
Traps
Deltoid
Levator Scapula
Serratus Anterior
Glutes
Leg
Hip Flexor
human flag muscle worked

Human Flag Muscles Worked