SledIntermediate

Sled Push

A loaded push where you drive a weighted sled across the floor, one of the most decisive, leg-destroying stations in Hyrox.

GIF · Demo Sled Push

What is the sled push?

The sled push is a horizontal loaded carry: you grip a weighted sled, lower your hips, and drive it forward with short, powerful steps. In Hyrox it's the second station, 50 m of pushing a heavy sled across turf, right after a 1 km run. It builds leg drive, full-body tension and grit, and it punishes anyone who paces it badly.

How to do the sled push

Set your grip and height

Grab the uprights (or the top of the sled) with straight arms. The higher your hands, the more upright you stay; lower hands mean a stronger push but harder turns.

Get your body angle

Lean in until your body is a straight line from heels to head, hips low, core braced. Think "sprinter against a wall."

Drive with short steps

Push through the balls of your feet with quick, choppy steps. Keep your hips down; standing tall kills your leg drive.

Never fully stop

Static friction is the enemy. Once the sled moves, keep it moving; restarting from a dead stop costs far more energy.

Coach tip

Practise pushing immediately after a hard run. The sled feels twice as heavy with a racing heart rate, train that exact state.

Common mistakes

Hips too high. You lose leg drive and shift load to your lower back. Keep hips below your shoulders.
Stopping and restarting. Breaking static friction repeatedly drains you. Keep a steady, unbroken pace.
Looking up. Craning your neck raises your hips. Keep a neutral neck, eyes down the track.
Long strides. Big steps reduce power. Short, fast contacts move the sled best.

Hyrox standards

Official Hyrox standards by division. Always confirm the current weights on the official Hyrox site before a race.

Division	Distance	Men	Women
Open	50 m	152 kg	102 kg
Pro	50 m	202 kg	152 kg
Doubles / Relay	50 m	152 kg	102 kg

Variations & progressions

Easier

Light sled / high handles

Drop the load and grip the uprights high to groove the movement and protect your back.

Harder

Heavy low push

Add weight and grip low for maximal leg drive, closer to a Pro-division load.

No sled?

Plate push & leg press

Push a plate on turf, or build the same drive with heavy leg presses and split squats.

How to program it

Three protocols by goal. Pick one per cycle and aim for progression on load or distance.

Goal	Sets × Distance	Load	Rest
Technique	4 × 15 m	Light	Full
Strength-endurance	5 × 25 m	Race weight	60–90 s
Race simulation	2 × 50 m after a run	Race weight	As in race

Log every rep

Add the sled push to your ZON program

Track load, distance and progression in one timeline.

Download ZON →

Sled Push FAQ

Why does the sled feel so much heavier in a race?

Because you hit it with a spiked heart rate straight off a 1 km run, on turf that adds friction. Always train the push in a fatigued state, not fresh.

Should I grip high or low?

High keeps your back protected and is easier to start. Low gives maximum leg drive but needs strong abs and steady form. Start high while learning the movement, drop lower as you get stronger.

How do I train the sled push without a sled?

Plate pushes on turf, heavy leg presses (focus on the push-off, not the lower), Bulgarian split squats with explosive intent, and sprint hill repeats. Combine them all in one session to mimic the fatigue.