Have you ever considered adding tyres to your workout routine?

Exercising using a tyre can help add size, speed and strength to your body. 
Although a simple piece of equipment, tyres can offer you a wide variety of power workouts. 

What weight should I be using? 

Obviously this will vary depending on what you goal is and how high a gear you want to workout in.
You do not need to have a super heavy tyre if you plan on doing a number of repetitions. It is important to remember to stay safe and be realistic about what size you need. 

Workout ideas
You may be looking to do a circuit workout or just an individual exercise. Have a think about what would suit your needs. The weight of your tyre will have an impact on what circuits and repetitions you may want to do.
For example, you may want to do a circuit with six different exercises to make up a round. Perhaps it may be worth taking a rest in-between each round to catch your breath.
Remember to stretch your muscles before you start! 

Flips:

1. Put the tyre flat on the ground.
2. Put your fingers under the tyre with your hands and feet a shoulder-width apart.
3. Squat.
4. As you return to standing, pull the tyre up using your whole body.
5. Change your hand position from a pull to a push.
6. Push the tyre forward and back to flat.
7. Repeat. 

OR

1. Jump into the middle of the tyre.
2. Jump forward out of the tyre to the side opposite to what you came from.
3. Turn to face the tyre and flip it in the direction you came from.
4. Repeat.

 OR

1. Flip a tyre a certain number of times with someone timing you.
2. Spring back to the start.
3. Have a 1-2 minute rest.
4. Repeat (whilst trying to get faster). 

Squats:

1. Lay the tyre on the ground flat.
2. Stand in the centre hole and bend your knees
3. Hop onto the tyre in a 90-degree squat. Your feet should land either side of the tyre.
4. Hop again and return into the tyre hole.
5. Repeat. 

Jumps:

1. Lay the tyre flat on its side.
2. Bend and squat.
3. Jump up onto the tyre.
4. Repeat. 

OR

1. Stand upright and parallel to the tyre.
2. Squat slightly without curving your back.
3. Jump sideways onto the tyre and land in a half-squat position.
4. Repeat. 

OR

1. Stand with your feet a shoulder-width apart.
2. Squat.
3. Swing your arms back ready to launch yourself forward, aiming to get over the tyre.
4. Land in a squat position.
5. Use one leg for a more advanced workout.
6. Repeat.

 OR

1. Jump from one side of the tyre onto the tyre and then onto the other side.
2. Do a burpee.
3. Jump back onto the side of the tyre and then onto the other side.
4. Do a burpee.
5. Repeat.

Dips:

1. Turn away from the tyre and rest your palms on the tyre with your arms extended.
2. Place your feet half of your body’s length in front of the tyre.
3. Bend at the elbows and lower your body slowly until your bottom is almost touching the ground.
4. Pull back up into a straight-arm position.
5. Repeat.

 Push-ups:

1. Face away from the tyre and place your hands on the floor a bit wider that shoulder-width apart.
2. Put your feet on the tyre behind you.
3. Raise yourself up into a plank.
4. Keep your body straight and lower your upper body to the floor by bending both arms at 90-degree angles.
5. Push up until your arms are fully extended again.
6. Repeat.

 Step-ups:

1. Face the tyre and put your left foot on it.
2. Push through your heel off the step with speed.
3. Switch your opposite leg to rest on the tyre as you come down.
4. Repeat.

 Toe touches:

1. Stand and face the tyre.
2. Lift your left knee up and touch the tyre with your toe.
3. Return your left foot and repeat with your right knee.
4. The lighter you tap the tyre, the quicker you can repeat.
5. Repeat.

 Pushes:

1. Place the tyre upright.
2. Find and face a partner, standing either side of the tyre.
3. Be approximately an arm’s length apart.
4. Put one foot slightly ahead of the other.
5. Place your hands in line with your chest and push the tyre back and forth.
6. Bend your elbows slightly so you can receive the tyre.
7. Push the tyre back to your partner.
8. Repeat.

 Benefits to Tyre training

• Step-ups can help build strength in the quads and glutes.
• Squatting is a great lower body and core exercise. It works on your glutes, quads, hamstrings and core. If you work quickly you will work on your endurance too.
• Flips use a variety of muscles, which include your arms, back, core, legs and shoulders. It is important not to just use your back. You must bend at the knees and use your whole body from head to toe. It is a great cardiovascular workout also.
• Jumping onto tyres can help you to improve your jumping height and your lower body strength. It can also provide more stability in your ankles.  It is great to get your heart beating faster.
• Dips help you to work out your triceps.
• Push-ups work on your pectoral muscles and core. 
• Toe touches are great for speed and workout your hips also.
• Pushes are seen to be similar to bench presses. You use your chest and your arms as well as strengthening your legs and core.

Have you got any tyre workouts that you have tried?

Posted on 07/11/2017 | By Rebecca Newitt