Hyrox sled push: technique, weight, and how to actually train it

The sled push is the second station of every Hyrox race. It is also where most first-time athletes lose 90 seconds they were not expecting to lose. The combination of the just-finished 1km run, the load (152kg for Men's Open), and the burning quads is brutal — and the technique you used in the gym does not always survive race day.

This guide covers what the sled push actually demands, the technique that holds up under fatigue, the load you should be training at, and three specific sessions that prepare you for it.

What the sled push demands at race weight

Sled weights at the major Hyrox divisions:

• Men's Open: 152kg total (102kg sled + 50kg added)
• Women's Open: 102kg total
• Men's Pro: 202kg total
• Women's Pro: 152kg total
• Doubles + relay: Same as the corresponding Open weights, split between partners

You push 4 × 12.5m, totalling 50m, with no rest between rep blocks. Most age-group athletes finish in 1:30–2:30. The fastest open athletes finish under 1:00.

The technique that survives Station 2

Three things differentiate a fast sled push from a slow one:

1. Hand position low, hips low

Hands belong on the lower handles, not the high ones. The lower hands give you a longer leg-drive arc and force you into the position you actually generate force from — hips driving forward, chest angled at roughly 45°. Athletes who push from the high handles tend to walk the sled rather than drive it.

2. Short, fast steps

Long strides feel powerful but waste time getting your foot back to the ground. Short, fast contact-times keep the sled moving. Aim for 2 contacts per second once the sled is under way.

3. Don't lock out

If your knees fully extend on each step, you've stopped pushing forward and started pushing up. Stay in a constant slight knee bend through the whole rep. The leg never straightens, the leg never rests.

What weight to train at

The standard mistake is training only at race weight. Race weight builds technique under exact conditions but does little for capacity. A better split:

• Heavy (130% race weight): 1 session every 10 days, 6 × 10m max effort with 90s rest. Builds raw drive force.
• Race weight (100%): 1 session per week, 4 × 12.5m at target pace. Locks in the exact stimulus you'll face.
• Capacity (70-80%): 1 session per week as part of a brick (after a 1km run), 6 × 25m continuous. Builds the ability to push when the legs are pre-fatigued.

If you only have access to one sled and one weight: prioritise the capacity session. It's the closest match to what race day asks of you.

Three specific sessions to add to your block

Session A — pure power (early in the block)

5-minute warm-up jog. 6 × 10m sled push at 130% race weight, 90 seconds full rest. Focus on the first three steps off the line — they're the hardest. Cool down 5 minutes.

Session B — race-pace simulation (mid-block)

10-minute warm-up. 1km run at race pace immediately into 4 × 12.5m sled push at race weight. 5 minutes rest. Repeat the round 2-3 times. This is the brick that closes the gap between your gym sled work and your race-day sled work.

Session C — finisher (late block, race-week)

Standard warm-up. Full 8 stations + 1km runs simulation at 70% race weight on the sleds (everything else at 100%). Time it. This is your race rehearsal — confidence and pacing more than fitness gain.

Common mistakes

• Resting between rep blocks during training. The race doesn't have rest. Keep moving even at slow pace between the 4 × 12.5m blocks.
• Treating sled push as a leg day. Skip leg day the day before any heavy sled session. You'll just be teaching yourself bad form under fatigue.
• Skipping the warm-up. A cold quad against a 152kg sled is how athletes pull a hip flexor 4 weeks out from race day.
• Wearing flat-soled shoes. A small heel lift gives you a better drive angle. Most Hyrox athletes race in trainers, not weightlifting shoes — but a 4mm drop shoe outperforms a zero-drop shoe at this station.

Frequently asked questions

Can I substitute a sled push if my gym doesn't have one?

The closest substitute is a heavy weighted carry (farmer's carry at 90% bodyweight) or a Prowler. Neither is identical, but both train the same hip-drive position. If you're in a commercial gym with no sled or Prowler, sled push is the one station you'll need to find a Hyrox-specific gym for at least once a month.

How fast should I aim to be?

Targets by division: Men's Open under 1:50, Women's Open under 2:00, Men's Pro under 2:00, Women's Pro under 2:15. Sub-elite athletes go faster — but at age-group level these are realistic season targets.

What if I struggle even to move the sled?

Drop the weight to 80% of race weight and work back up. Building the position with repetition matters more than failing at race weight. Most athletes who can't move it have a hip-flexor mobility limit, not a strength limit — add 5 minutes of couch stretch and 90/90 daily for 4 weeks before returning to heavy pushes.

If you want a structured 15-week plan that prescribes your sled push sessions in order, integrates them with the runs, and adapts as you log times, the Hyrox Training Planner builds it from your race date and current fitness in 6 questions.