Tuck human flag

A human flag with your torso horizontal to the side and knees tucked to your chest — the first horizontal hold, building straight-arm strength in the shoulders, lats and obliques.

How to do it

1. 01Grip the pole as for a vertical flag: top hand overhand above, bottom hand lower, hands a little wider than your shoulders.
2. 02Jump up, lock your bottom arm, pull with your top arm and tuck your knees to your chest.
3. 03Bring your torso out sideways until it is horizontal, hips level with your shoulders, top shoulder stacked over the bottom one and chest facing forward.
4. 04Push hard into the pole with the bottom arm, squeeze your obliques and keep the hold short and clean, stopping a few seconds before your shape breaks.
5. 05Lower your feet under control; finish one side, then switch your hands and do the other.

Common mistakes

• Hips lower than the shoulders — squeeze the side of your trunk to lift them, and spend more time on vertical flags and negatives.
• Rotating to face down or up — keep your shoulders and hips stacked with your chest facing forward.
• Training only your stronger side — train both sides equally so your body stays balanced.

In the Human flag progression

1. 1Vertical flag
2. 2Human flag negative
3. 3Tuck human flag
4. 4Straddle human flag
5. 5Human flag

Standard to move on: 3 sets × 8s, two sessions in a row.