7 Benefits from using the Sled
Full-Body Strength Development
- Muscles worked: legs, hips, glutes, core, shoulders, and arms — depending on push or pull variations.
- Sled pushes and drags develop horizontal force production, a pattern essential for daily movement (walking, running, pushing, carrying).
- Because the sled provides accommodating resistance (it only moves when you do), it’s joint-friendly and scalable to any fitness level.
Functional Power & Acceleration
- Builds explosive power and acceleration by improving ground reaction forces — crucial for sports, sprinting, and real-world movement.
- Mimics the force angle and movement mechanics of running, which enhances stride strength and lower-limb drive.
Low-Impact Conditioning
- Offers a high-intensity cardiovascular workout without impact loading on joints.
- Ideal for adults over 40 who want to build fitness without excessive wear and tear.
- Can replace or supplement running for those with knee or hip concerns.
Core & Stability Integration
- Every sled push, pull, or drag demands trunk stiffness and postural integrity.
- Engages the deep core stabilizers and promotes better transfer of power between upper and lower body.
- Excellent for teaching bracing under movement, which improves real-life stability (e.g., carrying groceries, lifting kids, manual work).
Endless Variety & Progressions
You can manipulate:
- Load: heavy for strength, light for speed.
- Direction: forward push, backward drag, lateral pull, rotational push.
- Implements: ropes, harnesses, handles.
This allows you to program it for strength, power, metabolic conditioning, or rehab.
Metabolic & Fat-Loss Conditioning
- Short, intense bouts with sleds elicit a strong EPOC effect (post-exercise oxygen consumption), boosting calorie burn.
- Great for interval training — think 30–40s max effort push, 60–90s rest, repeat.
- Produces less central nervous system fatigue than barbell or plyometric work, allowing frequent use.
Postural & Gait Benefits
- Reinforces forward lean and triple extension (ankle, knee, hip), improving gait mechanics and walking/running efficiency.
- Backward sled drags strengthen the VMO (vastus medialis oblique), supporting knee health and improving deceleration control.
- Support: Builds base strength through stable foot contact and core activation.
- Protection: Enhances joint resilience via controlled resistance across chains.
- Anchor: Encourages grounded force transfer through fascia lines (especially superficial back and front lines).
- Movement: Develops natural locomotion patterns under load.
As you can see you get a lot of benefit from one piece of Equipment, hope you found this interesting.
If you are interested in Personal Training get in touch:
Call/Text Bri - 0410 663873
Email - hello@grangept.com.au
Cheers Bri (Personal Trainer/Owner)
Grange Personal Training Studio
Eat Well, Move Well, Live Well