by CJ Murphy and Bob Jodoin

This article is a brief rundown of how you can use tire flipping for Gpp.

Let’s go over some tips for actual flipping technique:

1. Don’t deadlift the tire.

2. Go fast.

3. Chase the tire.

4. Achieve triple extension.

5. Use your chest

Let’s review these one at a time, tip number one is don’t dead lift the tire.

This is a Gpp exercise, not a meet. You want to set up, almost in a three point stance for football. Dig your chest into the tire, and try to push the tire forward across the ground. Do this explosively. Don’t try to stand up with the tire, if you push forward, it will come up.

Tip two is go fast. If you think you are going fast, go faster. Tire flipping is an extremely explosive lift. Just like sports, this requires speed, and agility. Move quickly.

Tip three is chase the tire. This means once you have flipped the pig, don’t wait for it to fall. Chase after it, and start to flip it again as soon as it hits the ground. Tip four, achieve triple extension. Triple extension is extension of the ankles, knees, and hips. Triple extension is something we look for in the Olympic lifts.

The reason we look for it is because it shows the athlete is properly “firing” the center of power in order. Triple extension is very important. Lastly, tip five, is use your chest. This ties into tip one, but needs some more explanation. You need to bury your chest onto the center of the tire ideally, if you can’t go to the center, try to stay as low as you can. Once positioned properly, push forward with the “ Center of Power ” (posterior chain, hips), driving the chest into the tire. Minimize using your arms to lift it up. Let’s discuss training methods for a second. One of the best techniques we use at TPS is the “Indian run” The “Indian run” can be done many ways but our two favorites are as follows: we usually use a 650-pound tire for most of our training, line up 3-10 athletes, and begin flipping the tire one after the other. You should be running in as soon as the guy in front of you has completed his flip. We generally do this for 10-30 minutes, depending on how many athletes there are. This method keeps your heart rate elevated, but not so high that you can’t function. You get just enough rest between flips that you can still generate explosive power, and still be breathing heavy too.

The next technique we use is another version of the “Indian run”, it is done basically the same, but the athletes will flip the tire three times each, and go for 8-15 minutes. This way is much more difficult, and should not be attempted until you form, and speed on single flips are mastered. Incorporate these techniques into your Gpp training, and you’ll find, as we have, that anaerobic threshold will increase, as well as your ability to generate speed. Feel free to contact us with any questions on this lift, or other training questions.