FITNESSCOP: Tire Workouts

By Cpl. Jacob D. Osborne

A common event in strongman competitions, the tire flip, is one unconventional workout that will truly take every muscle in your body to complete. But it isn’t necessary to be a strongman competitor to flip tires, because they come in all different sizes and weights.

Working out with tires will provide Marines with some variety in their workout routine and a full body workout.

Various workouts with tires are available such as tire flips, tire hits, tire drags, running through tires using high knees and even using a tire for crunches.

Gunnery Sgt. Gary Porter is the staff noncommissioned officer in charge of the National Museum of the Marine Corps and a competitor in Marine Corps Base Quantico’s tire flipping competition hosted by Barber Gym aboard the Base. Porter says the tire flip provides a full body workout and, during the competition, he felt as though he had been working out for an hour even though it took him just under three minutes to finish 100-yards.

Christi Lee the fitness events coordinator for Barber Gym says that tire flipping is a good workout for Marines who are deployed because of the limited equipment and space.

“Marines can benefit from the tire flip in many ways; one being that it can help with the ammo can lift because it improves explosiveness. It can also help with buddy carries and running depending on the weight of the tire and how many reps are done.” Lee said.

Another workout done with tires is high knees. This exercise variant requires multiple tires, lying side-by-side and alternating on the ground. “Running through the tires trains you to run on the balls of your feet,” said Chad Coy, personal trainer and owner of Club Fitness 24. This type of running, many contend, may result in an improved stride, or faster run times when racing.

Whatever your motivation, the consensus seems to be that tires can keep more than your car moving efficiently for the long haul.