Tire Flip
The tire flip is a strongman event in which you lift a large tractor tire from the floor by its bottom edge and push it over end to end. It combines a deep deadlift-style lift with an explosive drive through the hips and a push, and is used for whole-body power and conditioning.
Also called: Tyre Flip, Tractor Tire Flip, Flipping the Tire · Equipment: strongman · Pattern: compound
Step by step
- Clear a flat lane in front of the tire. Stand facing it with your feet a little wider than shoulder width and your toes close to the rubber.
- Squat down with your hips low and press your chest against the tire. Hook your fingers under the bottom edge with your palms facing up and your arms straight.
- Take a big breath and brace your trunk before the tire moves.
- Drive through your legs and hips to lift the tire off the floor, keeping your chest pressed into it and your arms straight.
- As the tire rises, drive your hips forwards and step into it so your body keeps it moving up.
- When the tire is near upright at about chest height, turn your hands to palms forward and push it over with both arms.
- Walk up to where it lands, reset your feet and grip, and brace before the next flip.
- Chest pressed into the tire
- Arms straight, legs and hips lift
- Hips low before the lift
- Step into the tire as it rises
- Palms forward and push it over
- Big brace before the tire moves
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Erector spinae | Prime mover | C |
| Gluteus maximus | Prime mover | C |
| Quadriceps | Prime mover | C |
| Hamstrings: biceps femoris (long head) | Secondary | C |
| Pectoralis major: sternocostal (mid) | Secondary | C |
| Anterior deltoid | Secondary | C |
| Trapezius: upper | Secondary | C |
| Triceps brachii | Secondary | C |
| Gastrocnemius | Secondary | C |
| Forearm flexors | Stabiliser | C |
| Rectus abdominis | Stabiliser | C |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Curling the tire up with bent arms
Fix: Keep your arms straight on the lift and push the tire over with your hands.
Hips too high at the start
Fix: Sit your hips low and press your chest into the tire before you lift.
Standing too far from the tire
Fix: Set your toes close to the tire so the load starts near your body.
Leaning back to lever the tire
Fix: Step into the tire and drive forwards as it rises.
Loose trunk at the floor
Fix: Take a big breath and brace fully before every flip.
What the research says
Power · first choiceEndurance · first choiceFat loss & conditioning · first choiceStrengthSport performance
- Research base — There is little direct research on tire-flip training. A lab study that measured the trunk muscles across several strongman events, including the tire flip, reported heavy trunk co-contraction across these events.
- Power work — A common approach is 3–5 flips per set with a heavy tire and full recovery, early in the session. There is no research comparing tire-flip set schemes.
- Conditioning — Flips for distance or time, such as 20 metres or 60–90 seconds, are commonly used as a finisher with a lighter tire.
- Muscle growth — Research links muscle growth to hard sets taken close to failure. The brief, explosive flip is rarely trained that way, so deadlifts and presses are the usual tools for size.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the tire flip in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.