Tire Flipping
101
Do you want explosive
raw power and endurance? Then go flip
a tire!
That’s right! Go
flip a tire! Tire flipping has been
no secret in training and has been
around, well been around probably as
long as tractor tires. College
football programs have been using
this exercise to develop explosive
power in their athletes for years.
This exercise closely resembles the
movement and drive of a player
exploding off the line of scrimmage.
Lately, tire flipping has been more
recognized as an event in strongman
competitions. These events are often
a crowd favorite as the strongmen
flip these mammoth tires for
distances up to 100 feet.
More gyms have also
adopted this exercise tool. Tires of
all sizes can be found in the back
alleys and parking lots of these
facilities. Not only has tiring
flipping been put on the regiment of
strongmen and football players but
many iron athletes haves opted this
training method to help with strength
gains and muscle growth.
Looking for a tire?
They’re not that hard to find.
Tires, at least the bigger ones
you’re looking for can be found
lying around excavating and heavy
equipment yards, waiting to be
disposed. In most cases these yards
pay to have them removed and would be
more than happy to give you
permission to get them out of there,
a long as you can get them out. It
might be a good idea to take a couple
of friends along and a trailer to
help in what sometimes can be a very
stuck in the mud adventure.
What size will you
get? That’s entirely up to you.
It’s not easy to guess the
weight of a tire even when
you’ve flipped it. If
you’re resourceful you can get
the information right from the tire
by researching the make and model. If
not you’ll have to do it the old
fashioned way, flip it. If you
can’t, it’s too heavy! If
you do load it up and still
don’t know the weight, take it
to a scrap metal yard or some other
scale to find out. It might cost a
couple bucks but it would be well
worth the knowledge.
It’s often a good
idea to get more than one tire for
training. Just like training in the
gym, you often require different
weights for your routine and
warm-ups, so does tire flipping.
Tires you use in training can range
from 300-1200 pounds. Most average
size guys have no problem starting
off with a tire in the 500-600 pound
range. Even as you get stronger
you’ll always want a lighter
tire around for warm-ups before you
begin your heavy flipping.
Training techniques
with the tire can be as diverse as
training with a dumbbellin the gym.
If lifting endurance is what your
after, then flipping for max distance
or time would probably be your
method. This style requires a tire
you can flip at least 10 times. If
you’re looking for some
explosive power, it’s time to
get out the rubber and go with a
bigger tire. Train with sets of 3 to
5 flips in sets like you would do in
the gym training a heavy compound
movement. Other training methods
could include, partner back flips or
max rep flips for those heavy days.
Tire flipping is the ultimate
compound movement, working almost
every muscle group in a single rep,
quads, hams, calves, bis, tris, chest
and shoulders. It’s always a
good idea when you work tire flipping
in your routine on a day followed by
a couple days rest. After a few times
out, you can be the judge of where
and how it fits in.
“Should”, will never be in
question.
Remember to always
train tires with a partner. If you
slipped or put yourself in an awkward
position while attempting a lift, a
partner could save you from a serious
injury.
How do you flip a
tire? That is easier done than said,
but very important to learn the
proper technique. Just like any
movement knowing how is the key to
success and preventing injury, the
tire is no different. Seems easy
enough bend over and flip. But with
all the weight of these tires, it
would be like me pointing at a 700
lb. dead lift and say just lift it.
Technique is everything and knowing
this will make your tire flipping
experience that much more rewarding
from all standpoints.
First get a tire you
know you can move or feel comfortable
with, stand facing one side about a
foot away. Bend down in a crouching
position with feet shoulder width
apart, place your hands just outside
your feet and grip the underside of
the tire, this should force your
chest to the tire. If it doesn’t
take a wider grip until it does. Now,
move your feet back until you feel
your weight shift to the balls of
your feet and your heels begin to
come of the ground. This will help
force you through the tire when you
lift. Picture yourself moving through
the tire, like you were pushing
something out of your way not lifting
it up. This is so important; many
guys new to tire flipping often try
and lift a tire with their arms. Let
me tell you this is a curl you
can’t do and serious injury
could result. Think of your arms as
hooks moving through the weight. Now
you are in the position to flip a
tire. Get yourself set and explode
through the tire! Momentum is
everything, once you get the tire to
your waist you’ll have to
quickly switch hand position to the
top of the tire pushing outwards
until it turns over and flips. Easy
enough just remember momentum is the
key. Use a tire in the beginning
that’s light enough for you to
practice your technique. Once you get
the hang of it no tire will be too
big. Good luck!
