Side Lever (Human Flag)

What it is

This advanced bodyweight skill challenges your entire body to hold a horizontal position while gripping a vertical support. You will primarily engage your core muscles, especially your obliques and serratus anterior, along with significant strength from your latissimus dorsi, shoulders, and triceps. This exercise demands high levels of strength and coordination throughout your torso and upper body. It showcases exceptional relative strength and body control.

Technique tips

• Keep your core engaged and rigid, like a plank, throughout the hold.
• Actively push away from the support with your bottom arm.
• Maintain a strong, straight line from your head to your toes.
• Grip the vertical support firmly with both hands, top hand high.
• Avoid letting your hips sag or your body pike downwards.
• Practice tucked or straddle variations to build strength.

How to track your progress

Log the hold time of each set. Straddly keeps your best hold for this exercise and tells you when you beat it, so a two-second gain does not go unnoticed.