Weight Sled

One of the most versatile pieces of equipment you can have in your toolbox is a weight sled, preferably one with handles of different heights, that is capable of being pushed or pulled to get the desired specific training effect.


Training with sleds is a great way to condition the body through various movements, attachments, pulling, or pushing on a safe, durable surface, such as grass, turf, or dirt.


In addition to using the sleds for general conditioning, it is also possible to execute specific acceleration drills, using lower-to-mid height handles to simulate the acceleration position of a track start. Explosive starts drills can be performed for distances of 5-15 yards to focus in starting speed and acceleration.


The weight sled can also be pulled using a harness, a rope attached to a belt (weight belt works just fine), or any other attachment that will allow you to pull the sled without sacrificing running technique and without causing any jerking type movements that may increase your risk of getting hurt.


Sled pulls are typically best done with weights of up to 10% bodyweight, not including the weight of the sled. So, if an athlete weighs 250lbs, he could use 25lbs on the sled.


Again, weights are selected that will not negatively affect running mechanics or increase the athlete's risk of injury.


We recommend progressing from pulling drills using an empty sled to pulling drills adding weight, and then up to 10% of bodyweight. We have used up to 20-25% bodyweight, but only in special circumstances, and only when the athlete had progressed over several years to be able to handle that weight efficiently to get the desired training effect.


Pulling drills can be programmed in a variety of ways, ranging from 10 yard sprints to 40 or 50 yard sprints, with sufficient rest to allow for full recovery, especially if speed is the desired training effect. We typically recommend a 1:5 or 1:6 work to rest ratio, but will make adjustments if we begin to see variances in running times.


What this means is that if an athlete is performing 40 yard sprints pulling the sled, and the first 3 repetitions take 4.9 seconds, and the fourth repetition takes 5.4 seconds, and the fifth one takes 5.6 seconds, then we need to adjust the rest to allow for a longer recovery. If we adjust the rest and the sixth repetition takes longer than 5.2 seconds, then it is most likely that fatigue has begun to set in.


At this point, we usually stop the training since it is no longer beneficial to train for speed.


As you can see, a simple piece of equipment such as a weight sled can be used to produce both general and specific training outcomes. That is why we like to use them so much.


We also like the fact that they are ultra-portable, and can fit in the trunk of a car to be taken and used anywhere we need them. We like to use them as a football training sled, a hockey conditioning sled, an acceleration training sled, a power training sled, or simply for some good old fashioned sled training.


At Finish First Sports Performance, we like to use a resistance sled that is better known as a power sled. We also like to use a pure speed and acceleration sled for pulling drills and for pushing drills for the first 10-15 yards. You can also find sample exercises, sled workout routines, and sled drills on these pages, or in our exercise encyclopedia video library.