Flagging in climbing is how some of the smallest people have climbed some of the world’s hardest routes. Flagging is how we stay on the wall when we only have one foothold or need to reach to the side for our next hold. It is counterbalancing with your free foot to maintain your position while moving your hands.
Imagine 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.
When flagging, intentionally press your free foot into the wall. Hanging your leg won’t help, so push that foot to counterbalance yourself. Flagging isn’t as advanced a technique as you may think. It is entirely possible for beginners to pick it up early in their climbing.
Simple, right? I’ll admit, at first, it is simple. However, once you progress more, you’ll find there are many nuances regarding when to flag and how to do so. From overhanging terrain to slab climbing, flagging becomes more complex as you push the grades. But don’t worry, this article aims to help you prepare for your hard sends!
You don’t need to be tall to climb hard
Have you ever watched a climber scale a rock face or wall? They must have superhuman strength, right? Perhaps they’re among the tallest climbers? Many believe climbing is about pure power or being tall enough to reach every hold easily. But don’t be fooled!
Don’t get me wrong, climbing requires incredible strength, and being tall can be helpful, too. But strength and height aren’t all you need, and sometimes, they can even be a limiting factor! Look at some of these climbers and tell me that pure strength is all that’s required in order to climb hard.
- Janja Garnbret: 164 cm (5 ft 5 in), and in 2017, sent Seleccio Natural and La Fabela pa la Enmienda days apart, both graded 9a/5.14d.
- Sean Bailey: 163 cm (5 ft 4 in) and has sent some of the hardest routes in the world. Realization/Biographie (9a+/5.15a) – Joe Mama (9a+/5.15a) – Bibliographie (9b+/5.15c)
- Ashima Shiraishi: 154 cm (5 ft 1 in) and holds the first female ascent of Open Your Mind Direct R (9a/5.14d).
Climbing doesn’t rely purely on strength or height; as you can tell, it also requires tremendous technique. Work on your flagging to improve your climbing and send harder routes with more ease!
The different types of flagging in climbing and how to do them
There are three types of flagging in climbing, and I’ll explain how and when to do them. The more you practice your flags, the more they become second nature. Professional climbers don’t need to think about every flag they do. They’ll just stick their foot out correctly and counterbalance their weight because they’ve climbed so much. It takes practice!
As a beginner climber, I struggled with understanding body positioning until I found flagging. To break it down for you, imagine an invisible line running down your body. Your right side and your left side work together to create balance. When you have more holds on one side, you must counterbalance yourself to stay on the wall by flagging.
Flagging can be done on every type of terrain; overhung, vertical, slab- it doesn’t matter. It helps you maintain your balance and even reach further. Flagging will also help you save precious energy to reach the top. So, let’s get into it!
The three types of flags are an outside flag, an inside flag, and a back flag.
The best examples of flagging that I’ve found on YouTube come from Movement for Climbers. Watch this video to get a better grasp of the techniques explained below:

Outside Flag
This is the most commonly used flag and is crucial for maintaining balance and control when climbing.
When to use an outside flag: When your opposite hand and foot are on the wall. i.e. left hand on a handhold, right foot on a foothold. The holds are usually on the same vertical plane, but not always.
Why use it? We use an outside flag to keep our hips close to the wall to minimise the strength we use.
How to do it: When your opposite hand and foot are on the wall, stab your free foot out to the side against the wall. On steeper terrain, rotate the hip connected to the foot on the wall toward the wall. If needing to flag on less overhung terrain, open your hips to keep your body close to the wall.
Back Flag (aka rear flag)
This is common on overhung routes and is done when you only have holds on one side of your body.
When to use a back flag: When you only have holds on one side of your body or a high foothold. The foothold can also be a little ahead of the handhold. The higher up or further ahead the foothold, the deeper the back flag can be achieved.
Why use it? A back flag helps control a barn door and maintain your center of gravity.
How to use it: With the same side hand and foot on the wall, reach your free leg around your occupied foot. Press this free foot into the wall to maintain control.
Inside Flag
This is the least commonly used type of flag and is used in extremely specific movements.
When to use an inside flag: We use an inside flag when our foothold is low beneath our body. The foothold is typically on the same vertical plane as our hand or slightly ahead of it.
Why use it? An inside flag is used to keep your center of gravity with a low foothold. These are quite rare and only used when an outside or back flag doesn’t cut it.
How to use it: With a low foothold, step your free foot between your other leg and the wall instead of swapping feet. You will move more efficiently and quickly, saving some of your energy. Plus, you may want to use that opposite foot on the next hold, meaning you swapped feet only to swap feet again.
Legendary climber Dave MacLeod produced a great video on the inside flag and why he feels they are inefficient to use most of the time. Definitely worth a watch so you know when you should use it!

How to practise flagging
Practising your flagging for climbing has never been easier with the popularisation of climbing gyms. Throw in some headphones and get to work!
Pick a boulder problem well below your pay grade and hop on the wall. Choosing a problem that is easy for you will help you focus on your technique. Alternatively, you can climb using any hold on the wall; you’re training, after all!
To practice your flags, climb the wall slowly with control. Each movement should include one type of flag. When you reach the top, downclimb, continuing to flag during each move. This doubles as a strengthening exercise and teaches your body to maintain balance with fewer footholds.
You can do an outside flag every move on the way up and an inside flag on the way down. You could also back flag and alternate inside flags. So long as you flag correctly, there’s no wrong way to perform this exercise. Just keep flagging!
Once you have a general understanding of how to flag, move to a different terrain. Try climbing an overhang problem and practice your back flag. Don’t forget to hop on a slab wall and practice your outside flag, too. The possibilities are endless when it comes to practicing flagging, so enjoy the learning process!
Common flagging mistakes and how to avoid them
When learning to flag, being conscious of your body and what feels right is essential. You’ll want to remember what a flag felt like so you can perform it subconsciously. 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 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. Remember to think of your balance as a left and right side of your body. It’s all about counterbalancing!
Not flagging enough
This means you need to push your free foot into the wall harder. 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. Sagging away from the wall while flagging requires more arm strength than legs and core. Intentionally keep your hips close to the wall to maintain a proper flag.
Still not really getting it?
If you still need help with when or what kind of flagging to perform when climbing, seek more guidance. Many climbing gyms offer bouldering classes catered for beginners. Check one out and learn from an experienced climber how to flag.
Not into the class idea? No worries! Try asking somebody at the gym when you’re climbing to help. Climbing gyms are filled with friendly people who know what it is like to be new. Most people are nice and more than willing to help you out. Besides, they need something to do besides sitting on the mat in between tries!
Another thing you can do is to film yourself climbing. Watch how you flag and see if it looks right. Recording yourself is a great way to watch your technique. Who knows, you may find something else you want to work on, too!
For more detailed explanations, check out our videos page. Here you can find everything from training tips, gear reviews, injury prevention information, or even just watch some famous climbers.
Climbing flagging takeaway
Strength and height have their place in climbing, but they’re not what makes a great climber. Good technique is how you climb harder without being taller or stronger. Trust me, I should know. I’m not an overly strong or tall climber, and I’ve accepted that. Instead, I developed my flexibility and technique to help me climb harder. You can, too!
Of course, to be the very best, you must also be strong. Don’t take this advice as if strength doesn’t help you climb hard. Surely, the stronger you are, the harder you should be able to climb. But even a strong person without any technique will have trouble and plateau quickly. It’s a delicate balance, like flagging.
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 familiarise yourself with the body movements. It will initially be strange, but flagging will become second nature with practice! Let us know in the comments which type of flag is your favorite!
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