Sled Push

The sled push is a full-body conditioning and strength exercise where you push a weighted sled across a surface, helping build power, endurance, and lower body strength.

Building power, speed, and endurance may be achieved by combining strength training with aerobic exercise. Furthermore, the sled push is among the most effective workouts for achieving this. As a complex exercise that engages several muscular groups simultaneously, the sled push is an excellent way to increase general strength.

However, because it also raises your heart rate, it may also be employed as a cardio training method. We’ll demonstrate how to perform a sled push workout in this post, along with some advice on how to maximize your training results.

What is Sled Push?

• A sled push workout is a powerful workout that blends dedication, strength, and endurance into one thrilling motion. A sled push is essentially leaning onto a weighted sled and pushing it forward with all of your might. This full-body, high-intensity workout works a variety of muscle groups, which makes it a great way to increase your general fitness and explosive strength.
• The quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves are the main lower body muscles that are worked during a sled workout. It doesn’t end there, though! The triceps, shoulders, and chest are among the upper body muscles that are worked while you hold the sled and push forward. Don’t forget about your core; these muscles are crucial for preserving control and stability during the exercise.
• Pushing a sled while exercising has several advantages. In addition to increasing physical strength and endurance, it also improves acceleration and cardiovascular fitness. It is also less demanding on your joints than other high-intensity workouts because it is a low-impact activity. Whether you want to increase your conditioning, break through a fitness level, or simply have fun while working out, the sled push is a game-changer.

Muscles Used While Performing Sled Push

Pushing a sled works your entire body. It is effective when done correctly:

• Abs
• Chest
• Shoulders
• Triceps
• Quadriceps
• Calves
• Hamstrings
• Gluteal Muscles

How To Do a Sled Push

To fully benefit from the sled push workout’s calorie-burning and muscle-building effects, mastering it is essential. Choosing a weight that is appropriate for your level of fitness is the first step in doing this thrilling sled workout correctly.

• Hold the grips firmly in your hands as you stand behind the sled. Maintain a flat back and slightly bent elbows.
• As you start pushing, concentrate on using the strength from your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves while engaging your core and driving through your legs.
• This is your powerhouse! To prevent injuries and boost productivity, maintain a steady and controlled speed.
• Maintaining an appropriate forward tilt in your torso without bending your spine is essential. You are engaging your triceps, shoulders, and chest muscles while keeping your shoulders engaged, eyes forward, and chest up. In addition to increasing your strength, this full-body workout provides you with great conditioning advantages from a low-impact workout.
• Using the perfect technique when working out with a sled push ensures that you are working the right muscles and that your session is thorough and productive.

Sled Push Form And Technique

• Sled Push To Build Power
• Sled Push To Build Speed
• Sled Push To Build Endurance

How to Increase Power With a Sled Push:

• Standing behind the sled, maintain a medium-to-high hold on the poles.
• The sled can be moved forward by extending your hips and knees. The posture of your feet should be similar to how you normally run.
• Aim for 10 to 25 yards.
• Take 30 to 60 seconds to relax.
• Repeat four to six times, taking a 30- to 60-second break in between.

How to Increase Speed With a Sled Push:

• If you are unsure, pick a weight that you can push for ten minutes while taking brief rests. Beginners can push the sled without any weight.
• Stand behind the sled and hold the poles in a high-grip hand position.
• You must utilize all of your leg and core muscles to accelerate the sled forward as fast as you can. The sled can be moved forward by extending your hips and knees. The posture of your feet should be similar to how you normally run.
• Aim for 10 to 20 yards.
• Take 30 to 60 seconds to relax.
• Repeat four to six times, taking a 30- to 60-second break in between.

How to Increase Endurance Using a Sled Push:

• 25% of your maximum load is a decent place to start when loading the sled. If you are unsure, pick a weight that you can push for ten minutes while taking brief rests. Beginners can push the sled without any weight.
• Stand behind the sled and hold the poles in a high-grip hand position.
• Pull the sled by using your entire leg and contracting your abdominal muscles. The sled can be moved forward by extending your hips and knees. The posture of your feet should be similar to how you normally run. Since power and speed are not the goal, pushing as fast as you can is not required.
• Take a minute to do this.
• Take 30 to 60 seconds to relax.
• After pushing for a minute, five to ten times, take a 30-second break.

Sled Push Video

Benefits Of Performing Sled Push

The sled push is one of the best full-body exercises for building strength, power, and endurance. It also speeds up movement and burns calories. Including this exercise in your fitness regimen has the following six advantages.

• Full-body workout
• Calorie burn
• Overall conditioning
• Improved speed
• Functional training
• Adaptability to all fitness levels

Full-body workout:

The right sled push technique engages the muscles in the upper and lower bodies.

More precisely, this workout will activate your:

• abdominals
• hip flexors
• shoulders
• triceps
• quadriceps
• glutes
• hamstrings
• Calf Muscles

All of these muscles will be used, no matter if the sled is weighted.

Calorie burn: If you have never pulled a weighted sled before, get ready for a difficult, calorie-burning workout. Sled pushes will improve the number of calories burned during your exercise, regardless of whether you include them in a full-body circuit or do a few sets of them at the end of your training.

Overall conditioning: A 2019 assessment found that training for both power and speed can be facilitated by switching between strong and mild sled pushes. Lower the weight and use more effort to increase your speed. You may also push the sled for extended periods of time at a slower rate without using the weight. This can improve your overall fitness and endurance.

Improved speed:

• Pushing a weighted sled is one technique to boost speed during a training session.
• 50 high school athletes participated in a 2019 study that looked at the effectiveness of loaded and unloaded sled pushing for sprint training. Researchers found that pushing a sled with any load is better than pushing one without any restrictions.
• They discovered, more precisely, that the biggest improvements in sprint performance over short distances may come from large loads.
• To determine this, the researchers divided the students into four groups: three with low, moderate, and high resistance, and one without resistance.
• Gains were greatest in the heavy group, even though all three of the resistant groups improved.

Functional training:

• Even while you might not have to carry a big sled while going about your daily business, you could occasionally need to push anything heavy (like a stroller up a hill or a piece of furniture).
• The National Strength and Conditioning Association states that in order to push with your upper arms while maintaining a stable body position, you must have static strength in your core muscles.
• To avoid damage, you also need to be aware of the right hip angles and how to protect your lower back.

Adaptability to all fitness levels:

• All fitness levels can benefit from the sled push. If you’re just starting out or recovering from an injury, push the sled instead of the weight. Add weight gradually as you gain strength.
• By pulling the sled more quickly and with greater resistance, athletes and other more fit people can challenge themselves.

Common Mistakes To Avoid While Performing Sled Push

• To become an expert at the sled push exercise, you must avoid a few common mistakes that might delay your progress and perhaps cause damage. Even though it might be tempting to pile on the plates, starting with a moderate load guarantees that you keep good technique and use the right sled push muscles for optimal effect.
• Another common error is not paying attention to your posture. To avoid unnecessary strain, maintain a strong core and a straight back. Many athletes hunch their shoulders or allow their hips to droop during the push, which can reduce the workout’s efficiency and place excessive strain on their joints and muscles.
• Eagerly, through the sled session in short, erratic spurts, might result in ineffective technique. Rather, concentrate on taking strong, deliberate steps that equally work your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and other upper body muscles.
• And finally, remember to warm up! Injury risk might be increased by diving right into a high-intensity sled push without warming up your muscles. Your muscles will be prepared for activity, and your blood will flow if you include an active warm-up.

Precautions While Performing Sled Push

The sled push’s ability to be modified to accommodate varying levels of fitness is one of its main advantages. You may transform a sport-specific power action into a general fitness workout by adjusting the weight and grip.

There are several guidelines to follow in order to make the move successful and safe:

• Push the sled in a natural jogging position.
• While doing the maneuver, maintain a neutral spine. Avoid rounding your back.
• Start with a small weight (or none at all) if your core is weak, and concentrate on using your abdominal muscles.
• When pulling the sled, pay attention to knee drive.
• For maximal acceleration, the arm should be extended. The best way to press the most weight is with your arms bent.
• Do the push on a level surface. The sled is slid across a stretch of grass seen in most gyms.
• Always wear shoes that provide enough support and traction.
• Between sets, take a break.
• If you have difficulty moving, stop and seek advice from a physical therapist or personal trainer. They can verify that you are using proper form when executing the activity.

If your lower back, ankles, or knees are causing discomfort, get your doctor’s or physical therapist’s permission.

Summary

• The sled push is an important full-body exercise that strengthens your quadriceps, gluteals, calves, hamstrings, core, triceps, hip flexors, chest, and shoulders.
• Depending on your goals, you can push the sled for a shorter distance with more resistance or for a longer period of time with less weight.
• Like any other activity, if you experience any pain or discomfort during the sled push, stop and assess your technique. If the pain persists, visit a doctor or a physical therapist.

FAQ’s

References:

• Lindberg, S. (2022, January 11). How to use a sled push to build power, speed, and endurance. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/sled-push#bottom-line
• Program, M. (2024b, September 30). The ultimate guide to the sled push workout. Musclefit Program. https://www.musclefitprogram.com/blog/sled-push-workout-guide
• Chalicha, E. (2024, December 16). Sled Push workout: How to use it to build power, speed, and endurance. BetterMe Blog. https://betterme.world/articles/sled-push-workout/