While the goal of training is always to get stronger, it’s also important to work on your technique and getting better at climbing if you really want to keep progressing.  To help you continue becoming more technically proficient, here’s an article from Climbing Magazine by Julie Ellison that covers the ins and outs of how to flag.

In her article, Ellison first covers the basics of how to flag and then describes some specific types of flags for you to practice.

“A technique called flagging allows you to use that free-hanging foot as a counterbalance to make the next move, gain more reach, or prevent a barndoor swing. This move can be used on all angles and types of routes (except slabs, generally), and you’ll find flagging makes you a smoother climber when it becomes a go-to move in your quiver of skills.” – Julie Ellison

Flagging Basics:

Ellison is careful to note that exactly how and when you flag will be dictated by each individual climb.  However, she gives you one basic rule to follow that makes flagging easier to understand.

The rule is that you should imagine a vertical line running through your body that you need to keep your weight balanced on either side of.  Essentially, flagging is a way to use one of your legs as a form of counterbalance to evenly distribute your weight on either side of this imaginary line.

Again, while the exact application of this technique will vary depending on the specific holds and movement of the climb you are on, keeping this rule in mind will go along way towards helping you master this technique and climb more efficiently.

Types of Flags Covered:

To help you further understand how flagging works, Ellison outlines the most common types of flags and how to use them.  They are:

• Rear Flag
• Side Flag

Next time you are in the gym experiment with these techniques.  You’ll be amazed at how useful they can be at making what would otherwise be an extremely difficult move easy and efficient.

How to Flag Advice from the Pros:

Finally, the article also includes advice from 5.14d sport climber Ben Spannuth that will help you master this technique and really incorporate it into your technical arsenal.

Click through below to read the complete article and remember that technical improvements like these can have just as big an impact as months spent in the gym training to get stronger.

Click Here: How to Flag – Climbing Magazine

(photo courtesy of climbing.com)

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