How to Do Tire Flip
Start and end of one clean rep of Tire Flip.
Quick facts
| Primary muscle | Quads |
|---|---|
| Secondary muscles | Calves, Chest, Forearms, Glutes, Hamstrings, Core, Shoulders, Back, Triceps |
| Equipment | Machine |
| Category | Strongman |
How to perform Tire Flip
- Begin by gripping the bottom of the tire on the tread, and position your feet back a bit. Your chest should be driving into the tire.
- To lift the tire, extend through the hips, knees, and ankles, driving into the tire and up.
- As the tire reaches a 45 degree angle, step forward and drive a knee into the tire. As you do so adjust your grip to the upper portion of the tire and push it forward as hard as possible to complete the turn. Repeat as necessary.
Muscles worked
- Quads (primary): extends the knee to drive squats, lunges and jumps.
- Calves (secondary): points the foot to power push-off and steady the ankle.
- Chest (secondary): pushes the arms forward and across the body — your horizontal pressing power.
- Forearms (secondary): controls your grip and keeps the wrist steady under load.
- Glutes (secondary): extends and stabilises the hip — the engine behind hinges, squats and sprints.
- Hamstrings (secondary): bends the knee and extends the hip through hinges and pulls.
- Core (secondary): braces the trunk and resists twisting to protect the spine.
- Shoulders (secondary): raises and rotates the arms and drives everything overhead.
- Back (secondary): pulls the arms down and toward the torso and keeps the spine stable.
- Triceps (secondary): straightens the elbow to lock out every press and pushdown.
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 × 3–5 | Heavy (~85%+) | 2–3 min |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 × 8–12 | Moderate (~65–75%) | 60–90 s |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 15–20 | Lighter (~50–60%) | 30–45 s |
Pick the row that matches your goal. If you're newer, anchor in the hypertrophy range while you groove the form.
Form tips
- Keep the knees tracking in line with the toes and push the whole foot into the floor.
- Set the seat and pads so the machine's pivot lines up with the joint you're training before your first rep.
- Brace hard and keep a neutral spine; loaded odd-object work punishes a loose torso fast.
- Stop a rep or two short of failure on most sets to keep form clean and recover faster.
Common mistakes
- Letting the knees cave inward as you push out of the bottom.
- Leaving the seat or range on a setting that forces the joint into an awkward angle.
- Letting the torso round the moment the object leaves the floor.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does Tire Flip work?
Tire Flip mainly works the quads, with the calves, chest, forearms, glutes, hamstrings, core, shoulders, back, triceps helping as secondary movers.
What equipment do I need for Tire Flip?
Tire Flip needs the corresponding weight-stack or plate-loaded machine.
How many sets and reps should I do for Tire Flip?
It depends on your goal: about 3–5 sets of 3–5 heavy reps for strength, 3–4 sets of 8–12 for muscle growth, or 2–3 sets of 15–20 for endurance. Pick the row that matches your goal. If you're newer, anchor in the hypertrophy range while you groove the form.
Train Tire Flip with a coach in your pocket
Gimmy is your AI gym buddy — it programs Tire Flip into recovery-aware workouts, tracks your sets, and shows one score that tells you if it's working.
Get early access