Strength Training · Functional Fitness · Conditioning
Tire Flip
The tire flip is a full-body strength and conditioning exercise that uses leg drive to lift a heavy tire onto its edge before pushing it over. It trains powerful hip and knee extension.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Stand facing the flat tire with your feet shoulder-width apart, slightly back from its edge.
- Crouch with your chest against the tread.
- Grip beneath the near edge with your hands wider than your shoulders, keeping your arms long.
- Drive through your legs to raise the tire forward and upward.
- Switch your hands to a pushing position on the tread as the tire approaches vertical.
- Push the tire past its balance point.
- Step back out of reach of the falling tire.
- Wait for the tire to settle completely before approaching it again.
Form cues
- Brace your middle before the drive
- Hips and shoulders rise together
- Keep knees tracking over toes
- Exhale through the final push
Common mistakes
- Curling the tireMaintain chest contact during the initial lift so your bent elbows do not carry the load.
- Rounding your lower backChoose a smaller or lighter tire if you cannot reach underneath without rounding your lower back.
- Changing grips too earlyKeep your lifting grip until the tire is high enough to place your palms against the tread without losing control.
Safety
A heavy tire can strain your lower back or biceps if you jerk it upward or pull with bent arms. A failed flip or unexpected rebound can crush hands or feet.
- Use an intact training tire with a dry gripping surface and no exposed wires or sharp edges.
- Work on level, nonslip ground with enough clear space for the tire to fall and rebound; keep others outside that area.
- Start with a tire you can flip smoothly without a prolonged struggle, stopping the set when your technique deteriorates.
- Never try to catch a falling tire.
If you have back, shoulder, elbow, or biceps pain, choose a lighter guided version or get advice from a physiotherapist before attempting heavy flips.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Weighted Training Tire
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–4
- Target
- 3–5 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Prioritize separate, controlled flips over racing through the set.