Flagging isolation
4-5 moderate boulders flagging wherever it helps, then again with different flags.
- Slot
- On the wall
- Focus
- Balance
- Time
- 21 min
- Intensity
- Moderate intensity
- Injury risk
- Low injury risk
- Equipment
- Boulders
How to do it
Flagging is using a leg that isn't on a hold as a counterweight - pressing it against the wall or sticking it out to stop your body swinging. Pick 4-5 moderate boulders and flag on every move where it helps your balance. Then climb each one again with a different flag, e.g. out to the side instead of crossed behind your other leg (a back flag). Rest 1-2 minutes between climbs.
Run it now
The same timer as the app: a five-second get-ready, then every round and rest counted down with a beep. Keep this page open while you train.
Flagging isolation
0:00 / 20:25
Ready
20:25
8 rounds
4-5 moderate boulders flagging wherever it helps, then again with different flags.
High risk: read the protocol, stop if anything feels wrong.
- 8
- rounds
- 1:00
- rest
- 20:25
- total
Done.
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Take the quizWho it's for
Anyone who barn-doors off vertical walls. A flag is free stability: no extra strength required, just a leg in the right place.
Common mistakes
- Flagging with a limp leg. The leg presses. A leg dangling in the air does almost nothing.
- Only using one type. An outside flag, an inside flag and a back flag all solve different problems. Climbing each boulder twice with different flags is how you learn which is which.
- Flagging too late. The flag goes in before you reach, not after you start swinging.
- Choosing boulders that are too steep. Vertical and slightly overhanging ground is where flags matter most.
How to progress
Once it's automatic on moderate problems, look for the moves where a flag replaces a foothold you'd otherwise need. On steep ground the same principle becomes a tension move rather than a balance one.
When it fits
The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.
Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.
Performance Peak for a trip or a comp: focus, reading problems, trying hard.