No, it doesn’t have anything to do with an actual flag. Flagging is a rock climbing technique that is essentially counterbalancing. Instead of focusing on pure arm strength to reach the top of a climb, counterbalancing your weight to stay closer to the wall will save some of that precious forearm strength. This technique is crucial to learn if you want to progress your climbing and is simple to practice.
What is Flagging?
Flagging is how we stay on the wall when we only have one foothold or must reach the side for our next hold. It is counterbalancing with your free foot to maintain your position while moving your hands.
Take, for example, you have one place to put a foot. When you stand in this position, to maintain balance, place your other foot against the wall to stop you from swinging away from the wall. The tension created here keeps you close to the wall and allows you to reach for the next hold without swinging off. Try standing on one foot (on the ground). Then bend over to touch your toe. What happens to the other foot? It sticks up to counterbalance!
Types of Flags and How to Do Them
Three types of flagging are an outside flag, an inside flag, and a back flag.
Outside Flag: When reaching for a hold with your right hand, keep your right foot on the hold and your left foot pressed against the wall in the opposite direction. Doing this will allow you to reach further while maintaining balance. Switch the hand/foot to the flag when going to the left.
Inside Flag: This is used when our foothold is low by stepping your free foot between your other leg and the wall. Doing this instead of swapping feet will help you move efficiently and quickly, saving some of your energy.
Back Flag: This is common on overhung routes when you only have held on one side of your body and need to move in the opposite direction. Say your right hand and right foot are on, and you must move left. Placing your left foot around your right and leaning to the left creates a balance that helps you stay close to the wall to reach the next handhold.
How to Practice Flagging
Pick a boulder problem or route well below your pay grade and hop on the wall. The focus here is to practice your flagging, so even though you likely have enough footholds, eliminate some and force yourself to practice.
Try one of these flags each time you reach for the next hold. Once you reach the top, challenge yourself further and try flagging on the way down. This doubles as a strengthening exercise and teaches your body to maintain balance with fewer footholds.
Common Flagging Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When learning to flag, being conscious of your body and what feels right is essential. If you’re flagging but not making progress, look for these mistakes that could make the difference.
Make sure to extend the correct leg: If you’re flagging and notice you’re not maintaining balance, you may be using the wrong leg for leverage. Switch it up to see how the other leg feels during certain moves.
Not flagging enough: This means you’re not pushing your free foot into the wall hard enough. Flagging isn’t just keeping your foot out to the side. Instead, you’re driving that foot against the wall very hard to maintain balance. The harder you push your free foot into the wall, the more balance you’ll keep.
Not keeping your hips close to the wall: We’re taught to keep our hips close to the wall when climbing. If you sag away from the wall while flagging, you use more arm strength than your legs and core. Intentionally keep your hips close to the wall to maintain a proper flag.
Flagging is a great technique to push your climbing grades. When done correctly, you’ll find you can reach further, maintain balance, and save energy to reach the top of the climb. Try out the flagging drill to familiarize yourself with the body movements. It will initially be strange, but flagging will become second nature with practice!
