Sleds have become a popular tool in various fitness settings, from football fields to gyms to everyday training routines. The versatility and enjoyment of using a sled have contributed to its widespread adoption in training programs.
Sled training can be beneficial for various goals such as building muscle, improving strength, enhancing conditioning, aiding in fat loss, and supporting recovery. To get started with sled workouts, all you need is a sled, a sturdy strap or rope, and some weight plates.
Best Sled Workouts
Best Sled Workout for Muscle
Build Muscle Without Barbells
A sled workout targeting major muscle groups, especially the arms and legs, can help in building a balanced physique. It is recommended to perform this sled workout once or twice a week, depending on your current gym routine.
Ensure you select a weight that allows you to perform 8 to 12 repetitions with proper form. Over time, increase the weight when you can easily surpass your repetition target.
Focus on contracting your muscles during each repetition to enhance the mind-muscle connection and promote muscle growth. This workout is structured as a series of supersets for efficiency and effectiveness.
Sled Pull-Through
- How to Do it: Stand facing away from the sled, holding the rope or straps in front of your thighs. Hinge forward at the hips, reach back between your legs, and engage your glutes and hamstrings to pull the sled.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
- Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.
Backward Sled Drag
- How to Do it: Face the sled, hold the rope or straps at arm’s length, and take small steps backward while engaging your quads and extending your legs fully.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12 per leg
- Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.
Sled Push
- How to Do it: Load the sled with a moderate weight, grasp the handles, crouch down in a lunge stance, and push the sled using your legs. Alternate legs with each push.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12 per side
- Rest time: Rest two to three minutes before repeating the first exercise.
Sled Hand-Over-Hand Row
- How to Do it: Attach a rope to the sled, load it moderately heavy, plant your feet wide, and pull the sled towards you using a rowing motion. Focus on engaging your muscles to pull the sled effectively.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12 per side
- Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.
Sled Chest Press
- How to Do it: Adjust the sled weight, stabilize yourself in a staggered stance, and push the sled as if performing an incline bench press. Take a step forward after each press to engage your chest and shoulders.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
- Rest time: Rest two to three minutes before repeating the previous exercise.
Sled Hammer Curl
- How to Do it: Stand facing away from the sled, grip the ropes, and perform hammer curls by pulling the sled towards you. Step forward to reset for each repetition.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
- Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.
Sled Triceps Kickback
- How to Do it: Face the sled, hinge forward at the hips, and hold the ropes near your shoulders. Straighten your arms to pull the sled towards you, engaging your triceps. Step back to reset for the next repetition.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
- Rest time: Rest two to three minutes before repeating the previous exercise.
Sled Workout for Strength
Using a sled for strength training can help improve total-body strength by transferring energy between the lower and upper body. This type of workout focuses on moving heavy loads to build strength with functional carryover to athletic performance.
Strength-Building Sled Plan
This workout emphasizes using leg drive to overcome resistance and allows for powerful upper body pushing and pulling movements. It concludes with a heavy sled drag to further challenge the lower body.
For each exercise in this strength-building sled plan, use heavy resistance and take long rest periods between sets to maintain intensity for maximum strength gains.
Sled Hinge and Row
- How to Do it: Begin facing the sled, hinge at the hips, and hold the rope or straps with arms extended overhead. Row the sled towards you while extending your hips and standing upright.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 5-8
- Rest time: Rest three minutes between sets.
Sled Push Press
- How to Do it: Lean into the sled with bent hips and knees, drive the sled forward with your legs, and finish the movement by pressing with your arms. Step forward to reset for the next repetition.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 5-8
- Rest time: Rest three minutes between sets.
Heavy Sled Drag
- How to Do it: Use a sled harness if available, or hold the rope over your shoulders, lean away from the sled, and walk forward by driving through one leg at a time.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 5-8 per leg
- Rest time: Rest three minutes between sets.
Sled Workout for Conditioning and Fat Loss
While sleds are effective for building muscle and strength, they were originally used for conditioning workouts based on time or distance. Sled training remains a valuable cardio tool adaptable to individuals of all fitness levels.
Sled training is an effective method for cardio training that can be tailored to individuals of all skill levels.
Sprint Interval Training
Sprint interval training (SIT) is a high-intensity interval training method involving short max effort sprints followed by rest periods. This type of training can enhance oxygen utilization and promote long-term fat loss.
Engaging in SIT can boost your VO2 max and improve your body’s ability to burn fat by enhancing oxygen utilization during aerobic metabolism.
For effective SIT, aim for intense intervals reaching 90-95% of your maximum heart rate. Focus on maximum intensity for the 30-second sprint intervals to achieve optimal results.
Sled Push
- How to Do it: Load the sled with a moderate weight, grab the handles, and sprint forward as fast as possible for 30 seconds. Take rest periods between intervals to recover.
- Sets and Reps: Start with 6 x 30-second intervals per workout, gradually increasing to 10 intervals.
- Rest time: Rest two to four minutes between each interval.
Sled Workout for Recovery
While there is no specific “recovery workout,” engaging in less strenuous activities can aid in relative recovery by reducing the overall physical stress on your body. Alternating intense workouts with lighter sled exercises can help promote recovery without overtaxing your muscles.
Incorporating different stressors, training types, or muscle groups in your workouts can also support relative recovery and prevent overtraining.
Better Recovery with Smarter Training
Consider using sled exercises for recovery as they involve minimal eccentric muscle contractions, which are associated with muscle soreness. Sled training can be less disruptive to your muscles, making it a suitable option when you need a lighter workout.
When you feel fatigued or need a lighter workout, consider incorporating sled exercises to support your recovery process.
Zombie Sled Walk
- How to Do it: Attach the rope to an empty sled, face away from it, hold the rope with your arms outstretched, and walk forward. This exercise targets different muscle groups and provides a light cardio workout.
- Sets and Reps: Perform three sets until your grip weakens or you reach 300 steps.
- Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.
Lateral Sled Walk
- How to Do it: Stand sideways to the sled, hold the rope, and drag the sled by sidestepping in a crossover pattern. This exercise engages different muscle groups and challenges your coordination.
- Sets and Reps: Perform three sets until your grip weakens or you reach 150 steps per side.
- Rest time: No rest before returning to the previous exercise.
Sled Pec Flye
- How to Do it: Face away from the sled, hold the rope in each hand at shoulder-height, and pull your hands together in front of your chest. This exercise targets the chest muscles and promotes shoulder stability.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 15
- Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.
Sled Reverse Flye
- How to Do it: Face the sled, hold the rope in each hand with arms outstretched, and pull your hands apart until they reach shoulder level. This exercise targets the rear shoulder muscles and improves posture.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 15
- Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.
Sled Face Pull
- How to Do it: Face the sled, hold the rope with a palms-down grip, and pull the sled towards you by bending your elbows. This exercise targets the upper back and shoulder muscles.
- Sets and Reps: 3 x 15
- Rest time: Rest one to two minutes before returning to the first exercise.
How to Warm-Up for Sled Workouts
While simply setting up your sled can raise your body temperature, a specific warm-up routine tailored for sled workouts can prepare your body for optimal performance. This warm-up focuses on mobilizing joints and preparing muscles for the movements involved in sled exercises.
The warm-up includes exercises that target various joints and muscle groups to ensure your body is ready for a productive sled workout.
Sled-Specific Warm-Up
- Supported Squat with Trunk Rotations: Use the sled handles for support as you perform deep squats with trunk rotations to mobilize your hips and spine.
- Deficit Push-Up: Perform push-ups with your hands on weight plates to engage your chest and shoulders.
- Resistance Band Three-Way Row: Use a resistance band attached to the sled to perform different rowing movements targeting various back muscles.
- Standing Dynamic Calf Stretch: Stretch your calves by leaning into the sled with one foot back in a staggered stance.
- Pogo Jump: Engage in ankle-driven jumps to warm up your lower body before sled exercises.
- Broad Jump: Perform broad jumps to activate your leg muscles and prepare for explosive movements.