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Introduction:
Hello, calisthenics enthusiasts! Welcome to my blog, where we delve into the world of bodyweight training. I’m Andry Strong, and today I’ll guide you through learning one of the most iconic calisthenics skills: the Human Flag. By the end of this post, you’ll know exactly how to start and progress.
Requirements:
Before starting to learn the Human Flag, you should be able to do at least 10 pull-ups and 20 push-ups. This strength foundation is crucial for progressing to the more advanced movements.
Muscles Worked:
- Primary: Shoulders, core, grip strength.
- Secondary: Triceps, lats, obliques.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Understanding Hand Position
- Grip: Ensure your grip is neither too wide nor too close. A medium grip is perfect.
- Hand Alignment: Your hands must be on the same line to maintain balance. Incorrect hand positioning can cause you to lose balance to either side.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Incorrect Grip Width: Avoid gripping too wide or too close.
- Misaligned Hands: Ensure both hands are aligned to maintain balance.
Step 2: Choosing Your Side
- Determine Comfort: Choose the side that feels more comfortable for you, either left or right.
- Positioning: Place your left arm up and right arm down. With the upper arm, pull, and with the bottom arm, push.
- Practice: Hold this position and if needed, touch the ground with your leg for balance. Hold for around 10-15 seconds.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Rushing: Avoid rushing this step. Ensure you can hold the position comfortably before progressing.
- Improper Form: Maintain proper form and avoid twisting your torso.
Step 3: Intermediate Hold
- Positioning: Again, left arm up, right arm down.
- Movement: Twist slightly with the left arm, pull, and push with the right arm. Hold the position for 10-15 seconds.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Twisting: Maintain proper form and avoid excessive twisting of the body.
- Inconsistency: Ensure consistent practice to build endurance.
Step 4: Learning the Kick-Up
- Starting Position: Begin with your chosen arm positions.
- Kick-Up: From the starting position, kick up while turning your shoulders. Practice this motion until you can kick up smoothly.
- Repetitions: Perform several kick-ups to get comfortable with the motion.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Lack of Control: Ensure a controlled kick-up to maintain balance and prevent injury.
- Improper Timing: Coordinate your kick and shoulder turn for a smooth motion.
Step 5: Transitioning to Vertical
- Kick-Up to Vertical: Kick up to the top position, open to a vertical position, then close back to the top.
- Practice: Repeat this movement, focusing on control and balance.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Rushing the Transition: Avoid rushing the transition. Focus on smooth, controlled movements.
- Improper Form: Maintain proper form throughout the transition.
Step 6: Controlled Descent
- Kick-Up: Kick up to the top position.
- Descent: Slowly lower yourself down, maintaining control.
- Repetitions: Practice descending slowly to build strength and control.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Quick Descent: Ensure a slow and controlled descent to prevent injury and build proper strength.
- Poor Form: Maintain proper form throughout the descent.
Step 7: Full Human Flag
- Positioning: Start in your chosen arm positions.
- Kick-Up: Kick up to the full Human Flag position.
- Hold: Maintain the position for around 10 seconds.
- Descent: Slowly lower yourself back down.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Improper Form: Maintain proper form throughout the hold and descent.
- Inconsistent Practice: Ensure consistent practice to maintain strength and control.
Conclusion:
Consistent practice is key to mastering the Human Flag. Train regularly, follow these steps, and focus on improving your strength and control. If you enjoyed this post and found it helpful, give it a thumbs up, leave a comment, and stay tuned for more content. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for updates on my app and more calisthenics tips.
Ready to elevate your calisthenics skills? Watch the full tutorial video: Human Flag Tutorial
If you read through all of this and found it helpful, but still would like that extra help – an exact path to follow – then for sure my Andry Strong Academy app will be of invaluable use to you. In it, there are 5 full calisthenics programs, of increasing difficulty, with entire workout sessions in each. The programs are designed to last 12 weeks and each day is planned for you. Specific exercises, sets, and reps are already laid out for you. Each exercise within a session has video description as well as form cues, leaving no guesswork. If you are truly committed to learning calisthenics, then getting started on one of these programs is for you.