The human flag is an exercise that requires control and enormous strength…

You’ve got to be able to engage shoulder girdle where it meets torso to form a rock solid controlled core which has tensile strength of steel…

What benefits do you get from doing the flag?

Great grip strength, shoulders lats, obliques and quadratus lumborum
all get an outstanding work out.

Getting down to the basics muscles used in the human flag include:

Core (abdominals)
Back
Shoulders
Triceps
Biceps,
Forearms
Wrists
Glute
Legs.

Progressive exercises that help build the strength to perform a Human Flag are
Pull-ups, Handstands and Handstand Pushups.

Visualizing the pictures featured, you can see how a good solid Handstand correlates
to a good solid Human Flag.

The correct steps to human flag…

1) Stand by the side of the pole and inline with the pole.

Bend your body as far as you can to the side and place your lower arm straight into
position with fingers pointing down…

Palm on pole and fingers around pole.

The pole should wedge into middle of bottom of your palm and remain there for support.

Lock your elbow, as this will be your anchor and support.

2) Next, while still bent over to the side, place your upper arm straight onto pole and
at a good comfortable wide distance from the lower arm.

Use a wide shoulder grip if that’s comfortable.

(Keep the upper arm straight just like the lower arm but you will fully grip the bar tight
with thumbs around the bar for the best grip and palms facing away from you to avoid a
bend in the upper arm because of the bicep’s supination position and its instinct to pull
bar instead of push away)

3) Pop your chest out a little as to get a slight arch in back, make sure your body is in
line with pole…

And now use your core muscles/oblique’s and leg strength to kick your feet up one at a time.

First kick with leg furthest from pole and follow through with other leg…

Quickly bring them together and raise them slightly above parallel from the ground.

It’s easier to hold this above parallel position as you’re learning.

Eventually you’ll begin to slowly lower and involve most of your core to hold them parallel to ground.

And it’s important to remember to keep your neck and head parallel.

Look at your feet and check your body position to ensure you’re straight and not piked.

If you’re piked, you need to consciously arch a little more and squeeze your glutes inwards.

Use your lower back extensor muscles in order to bring your piked body into a straight line with pole.

4) Keep pushing away from pole very hard (aim to bring your shoulders towards your ears)

Extend your arms and shoulders as much as possible and keep your arms, wrists, shoulders and lats tight.

Do not pull with upper arm or use your bicep in order to keep your body up because if you pull with
your upper arm it will bend and you’ll not achieve a straight-arm flag.

5) Slowly lower legs using your core.

Focus on keeping feet together, toes pointed, tighten up or brace your glutes and legs.

Brace your shoulders, lats, rhomboids, triceps, forearms and grip strength to keep your form straight
and parallel off the ground.

Keep pushing hard away and keep tension in your body while breathing as calmly as you can.

Key is to keep practicing.

Remember it’s all about enjoying the journey and not the destination.

If you can visualize and understand it, then you can achieve it…