Sled Pull
What you'll gain
Trains hip and knee extension with no lowering phase, so soreness stays low.
Reintroduces controlled load after injury at a speed and range you choose.
Combines lower body drive with an upper body pull in one conditioning piece.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Attach a rope to the sled and load the sled with the weight you can move smoothly.
- 2
Stand facing the sled with the rope taut and your feet in a wide, stable stance.
- 3
Sit back into a partial squat and lean forward, with both hands gripping the rope and your trunk braced.
- 4
Keep your hips and knees bent as you start pulling the rope toward you.
- 5
Pull the rope in hand over hand to bring the sled toward you.
- 6
Reset your stance and repeat for the prescribed distance, time, or rounds.
Common Mistakes
Shifting your stance with each arm pull, which makes it harder to pull the rope steadily.
Rounding the lower back to reach the rope, which loads the spine at the worst angle.
Standing too upright instead of keeping the hips and knees bent throughout the pull.
Loading the sled so heavily that it moves in jerks and the stance breaks down.
About This Exercise
The sled pull loads the body concentrically only. In the version shown here you hold a partial squat, lean forward, and pull the rope hand over hand to bring the sled toward you. Quadriceps and gluteus maximus hold the stance, the spinal erectors hold the torso angle, and the lats, rhomboids, and biceps pull the rope. Because there is no lowering phase, sled work produces very little muscle damage, which is why it is used to reintroduce load after injury and to add conditioning volume between heavy sessions. For a catalog this clip covers the conditioning and rehab end of a lower body library, where most assets show barbell or machine strength work. It suits circuit builders, athletic development plans, and return-to-training content.
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A hand-over-hand rope pull that brings the sled toward you while you hold a stable, crouched stance.
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Specifications
Built for
- Conditioning finishers in a gym or class programming app.
- Return to training blocks in a rehab focused plan.
- Athletic development content on horizontal force production.
- Machine and functional equipment collection pages.
