Strongman Vehicle Pull: Truck, Bus & Plane Pull Explained
How vehicle pulls work in strongman, from truck and bus pulls to the plane pull, and how distance and time are judged.
The vehicle pull is one of strongman's most dramatic events. Anchored to a heavy vehicle by a harness and rope, the athlete drags it across a set distance, hauling hand over hand on the rope while driving with the legs. Trucks, buses, trams and even aircraft have all been pulled in competition.
A vehicle pull is a brutal mix of strength and grit. The hardest part is breaking the inertia to get the vehicle rolling; once it moves, the athlete fights to keep it moving without losing ground. The event is usually decided by who covers the course fastest, or who moves the vehicle furthest.
How the vehicle pull works
The athlete is strapped into a harness connected to the vehicle, often with a rope anchored ahead so they can pull hand over hand. They lean into the harness, drive hard with the legs to break the vehicle free, then haul on the rope to keep it rolling. The event is scored on time over a fixed distance, or on distance covered within a time limit.
- Truck / bus pull: a heavy road vehicle dragged across a course.
- Plane pull: an aircraft hauled along the tarmac, often as an exhibition.
- Arm-over-arm pull: a vehicle or sled pulled in via a fixed rope from a seated or braced position.
Technique
The key is the start. The athlete gets low, loads the harness and drives explosively to overcome the vehicle's inertia. Once it moves, short choppy steps and a steady rhythm on the rope keep it rolling. Grip and the legs are the limiters, and a slick or wet surface can change the whole event.
Every Vehicle Pull Event in Competition
Every contest instance that has featured a vehicle pull event, sorted by date. Filter by year or division to study how the event has been programmed over time.
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