Sled Pull

The sled pull is a conditioning exercise where you drag a weighted sled toward you using a rope. It trains your lats, biceps, forearms, upper back, posterior chain, quads, and glutes while building grip endurance and total-body stamina.

Face the sled with the rope running toward you. Take an athletic stance: feet about shoulder-width apart, hips back, knees bent, chest up, and spine neutral. Grip the rope with both hands and let your body weight anchor you into the ground.

Pull the sled toward you hand-over-hand or with big two-arm rips. Either style is fine, but pick one and stick with it for the whole set. Drive the pull from your back and arms while keeping your hips low and your weight behind the rope. Once the sled reaches you, walk back to the start, reset your stance, and repeat.

Breathe steadily and brace your core like someone is about to poke your stomach. This helps you keep your spine neutral and stops your lower back from doing all the work. To make it easier, use a shorter rope length or lighter sled so you finish each pull with good posture. To make it harder, stand farther from the sled or pull for a longer distance without letting your hips rise.

Fault: Standing up and pulling with only your arms. Fix: Sink into a low athletic stance, sit your hips back, and use your body weight to anchor the pull so your lats, upper back, and legs share the work.

Fault: Rounding your back as the sled gets closer. Fix: Keep your chest up and your spine neutral throughout; brace your core and think hips back, shoulders over hips.

Fault: Gripping the rope too tightly the whole time, especially on the walk-back. Fix: Relax your hands on the walk-back and shake them out briefly between pulls to manage grip fatigue and avoid elbow overuse.

Fault: Switching between hand-over-hand and big two-arm rips mid-set. Fix: Choose one pulling style before you start and stay consistent so your rhythm and output stay steady.