5 Different Ways To Use A Drive Sled To Build Strength & Speed

The drive sled is an amazing tool to develop strength and speed. There are multiple movements that can be done, with the sled push usually being the most common of them all. In this post we are going to talk about how versatile the drive sled can be. The five movements I’ll touch on today are the high sled push, forward harness sled pull, backward sled pull, lateral sled pull and sled drag.

The high sled push focuses on shoulder girdle and core stability, while using the lower body to power the sled forward.  This is a great option for developing triple extension and hip drive. The upper body should remain as stable as possible while one leg performs triple extension and the other triple flexion. 

The forward harness sled pull is another option for developing triple extension and hip drive, but it gives you a little different feel then pushing. Having the sled almost feel as if it is pulling you back makes the hip drive that much more important. You are constantly fighting to pull the sled every inch. Same  coaching ques apply as above.

The backward sled pull is a killer for the posterior chain. The quads are getting worked when the knee is extended, but the focus will be on the hamstrings and glutes for this one. Tip: Make sure the legs are doing the work and keep your elbows straight the whole time. Also, do not let the shoulders round forward. 

The lateral sled pull is a great one for working on anti-rotation; you are also working on triple extension and hip drive in a lateral motion which many athletes need. Think about a runner on first baseball or a running back making a lateral cut before a forward sprint and you get the picture. 

The rope sled drag is one of my favorites. It combines a great amount of lower body and core strength to keep your body stationed and upper body strength to pull the sled towards you. Your arms and back will thank you…. actually they will be pretty sore so they might not. (FYI that is Benny our guard dog making sure things stay safe, good job Benny!)

These are some great ways to develop an extreme amount of strength and speed. Any athlete that wants to excel on the field should try to get their hands on a sled asap. Chime in and let me know what other ways people out there are using their sleds to get strong!