If you’re looking for a great new way to complement your workout routine and develop strength with effective work and sport-related movements, then a weight sled is the perfect solution.
Not only do they add an element of hardcore intensity to any workout circuit, but they also offer a wide range of health-related benefits that can help improve your overall fitness level.
In this post, we will look at why weight sleds have become popular amongst fitness enthusiasts and teach you some valuable exercises to get creative with them.
Read on to learn more about how incorporating weight sleds into your workouts will help transform your body:
Physical Benefits Of Using a Weight Sled
Are you eager to know about the physical benefits and advantages of using a weight sled? If so, we have got you covered with the top few of them:
- Improve Speed & Power
A weight sled is a great tool for developing explosive speed and power. By pulling or pushing the sled with maximum effort, you will engage your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for explosive movements.
- Increase Strength & Endurance
Weight sleds can also help to improve both strength and endurance. By increasing the resistance on the sled, you can challenge your muscles and cardiovascular system in a way that traditional weightlifting cannot.
- Enhance Agility & Balance
Using a weight sled for exercises such as lateral sled drags or diagonal sled pushes can assist in improving your agility and balance. These exercises require you to move laterally or diagonally while maintaining your balance, which can be challenging but highly effective.
- Burn More Calories
Weight sleds are recommended for burning calories and increasing your metabolism. Because sled exercises are high-intensity and involve multiple muscle groups, they can help you to burn more calories in less time than traditional cardio exercises.
- Reduce Risk Of Injury
Weight sleds are a low-impact exercise that can strengthen muscles and joints without putting too much stress on them. This can help to reduce the risk of injury, especially in athletes who perform high-impact sports or activities.
- Develop A Stronger Core
Many weight sled exercises require you to engage your core muscles to maintain proper form and balance. This can help to develop a stronger, more stable core that will benefit you in all areas of fitness and daily life.
5 Killer Weight Sled Exercises & Workouts
Listed below are the 5 amazing weight sled moves and exercises you can do to build out-of-the-ordinary strength:
Forward Sled Push
The forward sled push is a popular exercise that offers numerous benefits for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone looking to improve their overall physical performance. This full-body movement can help increase strength, power, speed, and endurance while also providing an intense cardiovascular workout.
How To Do It?
• Start by loading up your weight sled with a heavy weight that you can slowly push with maximum effort.
• Stand behind the sled with your hands on the handles and your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Push the sled forward with as much force as you can generate, driving your legs and keeping your core engaged.
• Continue pushing the sled for a predetermined distance or time, then rest and repeat for multiple sets and reps.
Lateral Sled Drag
The lateral sled drag is a challenging exercise that targets your lower body, especially your hips, glutes, and legs. This exercise is perfect for fitness freaks looking to improve their lateral movement, speed, and agility while also strengthening their lower body muscles.
How To Do It?
• Attach a sled harness to your weight sled and fasten it around your waist.
• Begin by standing perpendicular to the sled with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
• Start to drag the sled from the harness attached to your waist with your body remaining perpendicular to the sled. Keep your core engaged and maintain a stable base throughout the exercise.
• Continue moving laterally for a predetermined distance or time, then switch sides and repeat. Rest and repeat for multiple sets and reps.
Backward Sled Drag
The backward sled drag is a lower-body exercise that targets your quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and calf muscles in one movement. This exercise can help improve blood flow to your knees with little impact on the knee joint itself.
How To Do It?
• Start by loading up your weight sled with a heavy weight that you can pull backward with maximum effort.
• Stand behind the sled and place a harness around your waist and attach the other end to the weight sled.
• Begin to pull the sled as you slowly walk backward, with a focus on your quads, hamstrings, and calves.
• Keep your core engaged and your back straight throughout the exercise.
• Continue pulling the sled for a predetermined distance or time, then rest and repeat for multiple sets and reps.
Sled Sprint
The sled sprint is a high-intensity exercise that can improve your speed, power, and explosiveness. It is an effective way to build lower body strength while also challenging your cardiovascular system. This exercise is ideal for folks looking to increase their overall performance and conditioning.
How To Do It?
• Load up your weight sled with a moderate weight that you can sprint with maximum effort for 20-30 yards.
• Stand behind the sled with your hands on the handles and your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Begin to sprint forward, pushing the sled with as much force as you can generate.
• Keep your core engaged and maintain a stable base throughout the exercise.
• Continue sprinting for a predetermined distance or time, then rest and repeat for multiple sets and reps.
Sled Rows
The sled row is a challenging exercise that targets your back muscles, including your lats, traps, and rhomboids. This exercise can help improve your posture, grip strength, and overall upper body strength, making it a great addition to any strength training or conditioning program.
How To Do It?
• Attach a dual-handle rope or strap to your weight sled.
• Stand facing the sled with your feet shoulder-width apart, and your knees slightly bent.
• Hold the rope or strap with both hands and walk backward until you feel the tension in the rope. With your arms extended in front of you, bend slightly at your knees while keeping your back straight. This is your starting position.
• Keeping your core engaged and your back straight, begin to pull the rope or strap towards your chest, driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then take a couple of steps backward and get back into the starting position. Repeat for multiple sets and reps.
Over To You
A Weight sled is a great way to challenge your muscles and get a great workout that keeps you on your toes and mimics many real-life movements.
Both strength and capacity can be improved with the use of weight sleds, as well as increased speed, agility, and endurance.
Not only that, but this type of training also has the added benefit of little impact on the joints due to its low-load nature.
All in all, weight sleds are an effective and accessible piece of equipment with plenty of exercises to aid multiple areas of fitness, from strength to speed. So why not give weight sled training a try the next time you hit the gym, who knows you might be surprised by what you can achieve.
