Sled Pull Workout: Power Sleds Workouts for Athletes

Total2

Share via

Learn Why the Power Sled May Be Your SECRET WEAPON to Getting in Top Physical Condition

You May Be Surprised at How Versatile a Sled Pull Workout Can Be

If you are not a personal trainer or fitness enthusiast, you may not see the potential of the power sled just by looking at it.

Many people see pictures of sprinters and football players running with the power sled attached with a shoulder harness or waist belt and think they are only for sprint training, but they are far more versatile.

Who Can Benefit from Power Sled Pull Workouts?

Do You Need to Explode?

If you are involved in a sport which relies on quintessential power (i.e. all sports), a power sled pull workout will be a terrific addition to any strength and conditioning program.

Since every repetition involves whole body coordination and an explosive contraction, power sled exercises can be very similar to the motions required in sports.

A strength and conditioning program needs sports-specific exercises and the power sled can be used in many ways to mimic the activities of every sport.

You Can Use Power Sleds to Achieve a Variety of Health and Fitness Goals

Power Sled exercises not only help you train for explosive power; you can also use a Power Sled to train for strength, stabilization, and balance.

Power Sleds are versatile enough that you can use them by themselves for dynamic Power Sled workouts or along with other classic forms of resistance like free weights, body weight, or cables.

Power Sleds Provide Significant Resistance

You can add Olympic plates to the power sled to make it weigh well over 200 pounds. If you really want, you could add even more weight on the handles.

Power Sleds Allow You to Exercise Anywhere

All you really need is about 20 yards of relatively flat ground. You can use the power sled on grass, Astroturf, field turf, track, gravel and even cement if you do not care about the Power Sled getting scratched.

If you do not usually perform outdoor workouts, a sled pull workout outside in the beautiful weather will be a great experience which may rejuvenate your fitness program.

Power Sleds Allow You to Control the Speed of Contraction

You can control the speed of your muscular contractions to create a strength training workout or power workout.

If you perform a power workout, you will be pulling the Power Sled as hard as you can with good form to get it to slide on the ground as far as possible. If you are going for strength, you will use heavier weights and perform slow contractions.

What Are Some Power Sled Pull Exercises?

You can create workout solely with power sled exercises or you can add other resistance training, calisthenic exercises, and cardio exercises alongside Power Sled exercises to create dynamic and intense beginner, intermediate or advanced workouts.

Warm Up

The Power Sled was designed to help improve sprint performance, and while you will see that is far more versatile, sprints and resistance running are great ways to warm up as well as work out.

Your Power Sled should include a waist strap or shoulder harness which you can strap to yourself while you perform some interval sprints or form running for a dynamic warm-up.

You can also warm up by performing dynamic flexibility, calisthenics, or any form of cardio activity for around 5 minutes to circulate the blood into your periphery, raise your body temperature, and ready your body for an intense sled pull workout.

Core / Abs

Power Sleds are very effective for working your core and abs. Before you perform any Power Sled workouts, make sure you have mastered the best core exercises and that you know the difference between the core and abs.

Power Sled Twists

Power Sled oblique twists are a great exercise to start off your sled pull workout, especially when combined with floor abdominal and core exercises.

If you need explosive power in your activities perform them powerfully; if not, perform them slowly.

Start: Grab both handles together or connect the cables together. Collect the slack from the cables, draw in your core, and assume an athletic stance.

Begin the motion: Keeping your core drawn in and tight, turn your arms across your body pulling the sled as far as it slides. Walk, run or sidestep away from the sled until the cables are taut and repeat the motion.

Modifications: Besides increasing the resistance by adding weight plates, you can also change the surface on which you are pulling the power sled. With any rotational obliques exercises, the closer your feet are, the more difficult the exercise will be, and this sled exercise is no different.

Legs & Back

For sled workouts, you’ll want to perform some sprints or leg exercises sometime close to the sled workout, including sled running.

After you have performed some sled running your legs will be fatigued, which will make all of the upper body sled exercises also difficult leg exercises.

Power Sled Squat & Row

The Power Sled squat and row should be the cornerstone of your sled pull workout.

This exercise will allow you to use the greatest resistance and work all the muscles in your back, legs, and biceps.

Start: Load the power sled with enough weight to pull with your full body strength. Assume an athletic stance.

Begin the motion: Keeping your shoulders and back in neutral alignment and your arms straight, lean your hips backward into a squat.

Explode upward after your thighs reach around parallel with the ground and perform a row, pulling the sled towards you. When you row, make sure you lead with your elbows pulling your hands towards your ribs. Walk backwards, collect the slack and repeat the motion.

Modifications: You can choose whether to perform the exercise explosively or slow and under control. Besides adding resistance by increasing the weight of the sled you can change the surface or the incline which you are pulling it.

Chest

Chest exercises on the Power Sled allow you integrate your core, legs and upper body pushing muscles in one explosive functional movement.

This motion is optimal for football players or any athletes who require an explosive push, but it’s also great for anybody looking to increase chest strength or build the body.

Power Sled Chest Press

Any upper body sled pull workout should include the chest press.

Start: Collect the slack of the cables facing away from the Power Sled.

You can hold the handles so that the cables are on top or below your arms.

The cables should be taut and your hands should be on the side of your chest at around nipple level. Assume an athletic stance with both feet parallel or a staggered stance.

Begin the motion: Keeping your core tight and legs slightly bent, perform an explosive push forward. You can either bring your hands together or push them straight ahead.

Make sure you keep your shoulder blades retracted and do not exaggerate the motion of shoulder protraction.

Modifications: You do not have to perform this exercise explosively. You can grind it out and perform a sustained contraction through the range of motion of the chest press.

Shoulders

Shoulder exercises are also great for the Power Sled workout. You can use any angle you like to strengthen your anterior, medial, and rear deltoids for sports-specific or muscle-building exercises.

Power Sled Shoulder Press

If your sport requires an explosive overhead motion or you are just looking to build your delts, this is a good way to perform shoulder press.

Start: Collect the slack of the cables facing away from the power sled.

Lean forward so your torso is parallel to the ground and hold the handles at around your shoulders. Your feet can be together in an athletic stance or staggered with one foot in front of the other.

Begin the motion: Keeping your core drawn in and your spine in neutral alignment, explosively push your arms forward while trying to keep your elbows and forearms inline with your torso.

Modifications: You can vary the angle of your shoulder press to accommodate a variety of sports-specific sled pull workouts.

Power Sled Rear Lateral Deltoid Raises

Many people become infatuated with working the muscles on the front side of the body and forget to work the important muscles in the upper middle back and shoulders.

This combination of a rear deltoid raise and lateral raise will strengthen the chronically weak muscles.

Start: Collect the slack of the cables facing towards from the power sled. Walk away from the power sled until the cable becomes taut and you are holding it at waist level. Your arms should be fully extended in front of you with your legs slightly bent.

Begin the motion: Keeping your core tight and arms and legs slightly bent, bring your hands back and up at the same time, pulling the sled towards you. Walk backwards as you collect the slack and repeat.

Modifications: You can change the angle to vary the emphasis on the different portions of the deltoids.

Arms

Arm exercises on the power sled are completely optional. If you are looking for athletic performance enhancement, isolation exercises for the arms are probably not worth your time. If you are doing your sled workout as an bodybuilding or strength training alternative, the following arm exercises are great for working the biceps, triceps, and forearms.

Power Sled Triceps Kickback Extensions

You can isolate your triceps with the power sled in numerous ways.

Perhaps the best way to isolate the triceps is to perform kickbacks, which allow a full range of motion.

Start: Collect the slack from the cables while you are facing the power sled.

Bend over at your waist with your knees slightly bent. Try to get your torso parallel with the ground. Keep your upper arms in line with your torso with your hands by your shoulders.

Begin the motion: Keeping your elbows at your side, extend your arms behind you towards your backside. Walk backwards until the cables are taut and repeat the motion.

Modifications: You can perform this slow or fast depending on your goals. Remember that you should be using a relatively low weight because you are trying to isolate a small muscle group.

If you face your palms upward at the beginning of the motion it will be more difficult than if you face them toward the ground.

Power Sled Biceps Curls

Male athletes or fitness enthusiasts refuse to omit biceps exercises even if they are unnecessary for their sport due to the aesthetic appeal of the biceps.

The power sled allows you to perform a few types of biceps curls while standing to integrate your core.

Start: Face the power sled and collect the slack of the power sled cables. Bend your legs slightly and draw in your core with your arms facing outward at shoulder level.

Begin the motion: Keep your elbows pointing straight ahead, draw in your core and keep your knees bent as you curl your hands towards your shoulders, making sure to keep your forearms in line with your upper arms. Walk backward until the cable is taut and then repeat the motion.

Full Body (Example)

Power Sled Squat & Row with Push-ups

Just because you are pulling, pushing, and running around with the Power Sled does not mean you have to solely use it for your Power Sled workouts.

This is just one example of how adding an exercise for an opposing muscle group in between repetitions can create dynamic and challenging workouts for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and anybody who wants a good workout.

Start: Load the power sled with enough weight to pull with all your full body strength and assume an athletic stance.

Begin the motion: Keeping your shoulders and back in neutral alignment and your arms straight as you lean your hips backward into a squat.

Explode upwards after your thighs reach around parallel with the ground and perform a row, pulling the sled towards you. When you row, make sure you lead with your elbows pulling your hands towards your ribs.

Walk backwards to make the cables taut, place your hands down next to the handles or rings, kick your feet back into a push-up position.

Perform your desired amount push-ups, kick your feet forward, stand up, and repeat the squat and row motion.

Modifications: You will likely find yourself thoroughly exhausted after doing any sets with multiple exercises, but the modifications are endless. With some education and imagination, a sled pull workout may be the new fun spark needed to rejuvenate your fitness program.

Looking to Buy a Power Sled?

These videos use the Power Sled with some Olympic plates along with Power Rings for handles.

You can use other cables for handles, but the Power Rings are versatile, as you can use them for many more exercises when they are mounted on an elevated surface.

$79. 99 Power Rings at Amazon

Online Vendor	Power Sled Price Comparison	Price
Amazon.com	Titan Power Running Training Speed Sled(black)	$69.95
	World Sport Power Sled	$69.99
	Power Sled w/ Shoulder Harness & Lead (featured in videos)	$164.95

Titan Power Speed Sled

World Sport Power Sled

Power Sled w/ Shoulder Harness & Lead

Power Sled is Great piece of Exercise Equipment

More About Strength Training Exercises

About Michael Behnken

Mike Behnken is a personal trainer who holds multiple NASM certifications and a MS in Exercise Science. Mike loves fitness, travel, and photography among many other interests.