The sled push is the second station of a HYROX race, and it is the one that humbles the most first-time racers. You come off two kilometers of running and a SkiErg feeling fine, then the sled will not move. Your legs burn, your calves scream and you stall halfway down the lane. Most of that is not a strength problem. It is a body angle problem, a footwork problem and a pacing problem, and all three can be trained.
Here is how we coach the sled push to athletes getting ready for their first race.
What the HYROX sled push asks of you
Based on the current official HYROX Singles rulebook, the sled push is 50 meters in total, split into four lengths of 12.5 meters. You push down the lane, turn around, push back, and repeat. The weight includes the sled itself:
- Women: 102 kg including the sled
- Men and Women Pro: 152 kg including the sled
- Men Pro: 202 kg including the sled
A few rules matter on the day. A judge assigns your lane and you have to stay in it. You and the sled both start fully behind the white line. The whole sled has to pass the 12.5 meter mark before you change direction, and the station is done when the sled fully crosses the line after the fourth length. A first infringement gets a warning, and after that each one costs you a 15 second penalty. Rules can change between seasons, so read the current rulebook for your race before you go.
One more thing nobody tells you: the floor matters. Turf, carpet and rubber all create different friction, and the same weight can feel very different from one venue to the next. That is why technique and pacing matter more than a number on the plates.
Get your body angle right
The biggest mistake we see is standing too tall. If your hips are high and your chest is up, a lot of your force goes down into the sled instead of forward. The goal is a long, straight line from your head through your hips to your back heel, at roughly a 45 degree angle to the floor.
- Hands on the poles at about chest or shoulder height. Grip firm, but do not white knuckle it.
- Arms long or slightly bent. Lock them out and you turn your body into one solid lever. Bend them a lot and your arms tire before your legs do.
- Core braced like you are about to get hit in the stomach. A soft middle leaks power and lets your hips sag.
- Head neutral. Look at the floor a meter or two ahead, not straight down and not at the end of the lane.
If you only fix one thing, drop your hips and lean into the sled. Most people feel it move better on the very first try.
Footwork: short, fast, on the balls of your feet
Think of the sled push as a slow sprint start. Drive off the balls of your feet and take short, quick steps. Long strides feel powerful, but each one puts your foot out in front of your hips, where it brakes you instead of pushing you.
Every step should land under or slightly behind your hips and push straight back into the floor. Keep the steps going. The hardest moment in any length is starting the sled from a dead stop, so once it moves, your only job is to keep it moving. A slow steady rhythm beats sprinting, stalling and starting again every time.
The turn: where races are won and lost
Each length ends with a turn, and those turns are where a lot of time goes. Make sure the whole sled crosses the 12.5 meter line first. Then walk around to the other side, set your hands, drop your hips and get your first step going right away. Do not stand there catching your breath with your hands on your knees. Take two deep breaths while you walk to the other side, then go.
How to pace the sled push
The sled push comes early in the race, with six stations and six runs still ahead. Burn your legs here and the sled pull, burpee broad jumps and lunges all get harder. For a first race, we like this plan:
- Length 1: controlled. Find your angle and rhythm. Do not try to win the station in the first 12.5 meters.
- Lengths 2 and 3: steady and unbroken if you can. If you have to stop, stop for a few seconds with your hands still on the poles, then restart with short steps.
- Length 4: this is where you can push harder, because the next thing is a run, not another heavy station.
After the station, the first few hundred meters of the next run will feel heavy. That is normal. Settle into an easy pace and let your legs come back before you pick it up.
How to train the sled push
Not every gym has a sled, and that is fine. You can build most of what the sled push needs with simple tools.
- If you have a sled: push lighter than race weight for longer distances to practice rhythm, and practice heavier pushes for short lengths to build strength. Practice the turn every time.
- If you do not: heavy leg presses, walking lunges, step ups, wall drives (lean into a wall at the same 45 degree angle and drive your knees in a fast march) and treadmill pushes with the motor off all build the same pattern.
- Train it tired. Run 1 km first, then push. That is how it feels on race day, and it is the only way to learn your pace.
Once or twice a week is plenty for most people. Pair it with a sled pull day if you can. Our guide to HYROX sled pull technique covers the other half of the sled work.
Common sled push mistakes
- Standing too tall, so the sled gets pushed into the floor instead of forward.
- Long, slow strides that brake every step.
- Stopping mid length and fighting to restart from a dead stop.
- Going all out on length one and paying for it for the rest of the race.
- Resting too long at the turn.
Where to start
New to hybrid racing? Grab our free 2-week Hybrid Race Starter Plan. It lays out your first two weeks of runs, stations and strength, sled work included.
Want someone to look at your technique and build your plan around you? Founding 1:1 Hybrid Coaching gives you a coach in your corner. Prefer a set program to race day? Hybrid Race Prep (8 Weeks) takes you through every station with progression built in.
Drop your hips. Short steps. Keep it moving. Change your state.
New State is not affiliated with HYROX®, DEKA, Spartan or any race organizer. This content is general fitness information, not medical advice. Check with a qualified professional before starting a new training program.