HYROX sled push and sled pull: technique, the carpet and pacing

The sled push feels harder at a HYROX race than in your gym mainly because of the surface. The sleds run on a thin carpet laid over a concrete hall floor, which grips the sled more than typical gym turf, so the same load takes more force to move. This guide covers why that happens, how to push and pull efficiently, how to split the 50 m, how to train without a sled, and the rules that cost people time at stations 2 and 3.

How heavy are the HYROX sleds?

Both sleds cover 50 m, done as 4 lanes of 12.5 m. The weights below come from the 26/27 rulebook and include the sled itself.

Division	Sled push	Sled pull
Open Women	102 kg	78 kg
Open Men	152 kg	103 kg
Pro Women	152 kg	103 kg
Pro Men	202 kg	153 kg

Doubles uses the same loads: Doubles Women match Open Women, Doubles Men and Mixed match Open Men, and Pro Doubles match the Pro loads. Relay racers use the Open load for their own sex. For every station, see our weights by division page.

Why is the sled push so much harder at the race?

It's the carpet, plus the fact that you arrive on it tired.

• More friction. The race carpet is taped over concrete, and coaches who have raced on it describe it as grippier than most gym turf. A sled that glides at home can feel stuck at the race.
• Not your sled. You can't choose your lane or sled. Judges assign both, and every sled and lane surface behaves a little differently.
• You're not fresh. You've already done 2 km of running and 1,000 m on the SkiErg, often too fast because of race-day adrenaline.

Coaches commonly suggest training about 10–15% above race weight, especially on turf. Gym surfaces vary, so judge it by feel rather than the number on the plates.

How do I push the sled? Body position

Aim for a low, long body line that sends force forward rather than down.

• Hips low, back flat. Bend at the hips and knees until your torso is around 45 degrees to the floor. Keep your spine neutral, not rounded.
• Head neutral. Look at the floor a meter or two ahead, not up at the end of the lane.
• Pick an arm position that suits you:
  • Straight arms (locked out) keep you upright enough to breathe and put less load through the shoulders.
  • Bent arms, shoulders close to the poles let you get lower, which helps on a heavy or sticky sled, but it's more tiring to hold.
  • Hands low on the poles lower your angle further. Hands high stands you up. If the sled stalls, try moving your hands lower.

If your arms are burning, you're pushing with them instead of your legs.

Foot drive: where the push actually comes from

Think of the sled push as a series of small, hard leg drives, not a walk.

• Short, quick steps. Long strides leave you over-extended and the sled slows between steps.
• Drive through the ball of the foot and fully extend each leg behind you before the next step lands.
• Keep your feet roughly hip-width apart and stay in your lane.
• Shoes matter. Test your race shoes on a sled before race day. Some running shoes with soft or smooth outsoles slip on carpet and turf.

To get a stuck sled moving, sink lower, take two or three short, hard steps, and then settle into a rhythm.

How should I break up the 50 m push?

The best plan is the one you can keep up without stopping in the middle of a lane.

• Use the turns. The rulebook splits the push into four 12.5 m lanes. Each time the sled fully crosses the line, you walk around to the other end and push back. That's a built-in breather. Take a breath or two there instead of stopping mid-lane.
• Start slower than you want to. The first lane should feel controlled. If you sprint it, lanes 3 and 4 tend to fall apart.
• If you must pause, pause short. Keep your hands on the poles, take a few breaths, and go again. Long rests let the sled settle and make the restart harder.
• Practice your plan. Unless you've done an unbroken 4 × 12.5 m at race weight (or heavier) in training, plan for short pauses at the turns.

In Doubles, partners can swap at any point. The resting partner must walk directly behind the working partner, and wandering into a neighbouring lane counts as an infringement.

How do I do the sled pull?

You stand at one end of your lane and pull the sled toward you with a rope until it fully crosses the line. Then you walk to the other end and pull it back, four times in all.

Key rules for the pull:

• Stay standing. You can't pull from a seated or kneeling position. Older guides showing a seated pull are out of date.
• Stay in your Racers Box. Each end of the lane has a small working box. While you're holding the rope you can't step on the solid line at its front or back.
• Start with you and the sled inside your Racers Box. (On the push, you start behind the white line instead.)
• Keep the rope in your lane. It can trail out the back of your lane, but it can't get into a neighbour's.

Sled pull: hand over hand or walking back?

Most racers mix them: hand over hand, plus a step or two back inside the box for leg drive.

Hand over hand (static):

1. Take a wide, athletic stance, knees bent, and lean back slightly.
2. Take the slack out of the rope before your first pull. Pulling a slack rope wastes effort.
3. Reach forward, grab low, and pull the rope to your hip, alternating hands.
4. Keep the pulls short and continuous. One long, dramatic pull followed by a pause is usually slower than steady, shorter pulls.

Walking back (using the box):

1. With the rope tight, sit into a quarter squat and step backward with small steps, pulling as you go.
2. When you reach the back of your Racers Box, stop. Don't touch the back line while you're holding the rope.
3. Step forward again with the rope still tight, and repeat.

The Racers Box is only a step or two deep, so you can't walk the sled all the way in. Most of the work is hand over hand. The walk-back is what gets your legs and bodyweight involved. Strong racers often anchor with their legs and stay low, and use the box when their arms start to fade.

Rope management: as you pull, the rope piles up at your feet. Push it to the side, not behind you, so you don't trip on it or step out of the box while you're looking down.

Sled pull grip, chalk and gloves

• Chalk is allowed at the sled pull, but only the chalk HYROX provides at the station. Bringing your own, or taking station chalk somewhere else, is a 2-minute penalty.
• Gloves are permitted. Gymnastics grips are not. Try gloves on a rope in training first, because some lose grip once they're sweaty.
• Relax your grip between pulls and breathe with each drive. The farmers carry is still to come.

How do I train the sleds without a sled?

You can build most of it without one, but try a real sled at race weight at least a few times before race day.

Push substitutes:

• Heavy wall drives or wall push holds in the push position, done for time, to practice the body angle and leg drive
• Heavy sandbag or plate pushes along a turf or mat lane
• Leg strength: squats, split squats, step-ups and walking lunges

Pull substitutes:

• Cable rope pulls, hand over hand on a cable machine with a rope attachment
• Heavy rope drags with a weight tied to a rope you pull toward you
• Sandbag or tire drags walking backward
• Pulling strength and grip: rows, deadlifts, dead hangs, farmers carries and towel hangs

Make it race-specific. Once a week, run before and after your sled work, for example 1 km run, sled or substitute, 1 km run. That teaches you what pace you can hold afterwards.

Common sled no-reps and penalties

The sleds follow the standard warning system for stations 1–7. Your first infringement gets a formal warning, the second a 15-second penalty, and each one after that another 15 seconds without further warnings.

What gets flagged:

• Changing direction before the whole sled crosses the 12.5 m line. It must be entirely over the line before you turn it around.
• Using a different lane from the one the judge gave you.
• Leaving your lane or getting in a neighbour's way. For the pull, that includes your rope.
• Sitting or kneeling on the sled pull.
• Stepping on the front or back line of the Racers Box while holding the rope.
• An "unusual" technique that gains you time. The rulebook treats anything uncommon that gives you an advantage as a no rep.

The big one: missing a sled lane is a disqualification under the 26/27 rules, and the timing chips can detect it. Using chalk anywhere but the sled pull and farmers carry is a 2-minute penalty. See what's not allowed at HYROX.

Pacing the sleds inside the whole race

Treat the sleds as steady strength work, not a sprint. They come early, at stations 2 and 3, and an all-out effort there costs you on every run after. Expect the first few hundred meters of the next run to feel heavy: shorten your stride and let your legs come back. Our pacing and Roxzone guide has the full race plan.

FAQ

Why is the sled push so much harder at the race than in the gym?

The race sleds run on a thin carpet over concrete, which grips more than most gym turf, and you arrive tired. Training around 10–15% above race weight helps close the gap.

How do I push the sled at HYROX?

Get low with a flat back, torso around 45 degrees, arms either locked out or bent. Drive with short, quick steps through the balls of your feet so your legs do the work. Keep the sled moving, because restarting it costs more than pushing slowly.

What's the best body position for the sled push?

Hips and knees bent, spine neutral, eyes just ahead of the sled. Hands lower on the poles give a lower angle on a sticky sled; locked-out arms keep you more upright and breathing easier.

Should I push the sled unbroken or take breaks?

Only go unbroken if you've done it at race weight in training. Otherwise use the three turns between lanes as your planned breathers, and if you must stop mid-lane, keep your hands on the poles and restart within a few seconds.

How do I do the sled pull at HYROX?

Stand in your Racers Box, take the slack out of the rope, and pull hand over hand until the sled fully crosses the line. Walk to the other end and repeat, four lanes in total, standing the whole time.

Is hand over hand or walking back better for the sled pull?

Use both. Hand over hand does most of the work, and stepping back inside your Racers Box adds leg drive and bodyweight. The box is only a step or two deep, and you can't step on its back line while holding the rope, so you can't walk the whole lane.

How do I train for the sled push and pull without a sled?

Use wall push holds, sandbag or plate pushes, cable rope pulls, sandbag drags, and squats, lunges, rows and deadlifts. Run before and after these sessions.

What are the most common sled penalties at HYROX?

Turning the sled before it fully crosses the line, leaving your lane, pulling while seated or kneeling, and stepping on the Racers Box lines: a warning first, then 15 seconds each. Missing a lane is a disqualification.

Can I use chalk or gloves on the sleds?

Gloves are allowed on both. Chalk is allowed at the sled pull, but only the chalk HYROX provides there. Your own chalk, or chalk at the sled push, earns a 2-minute penalty.

Next steps

Check the loads for every station in our weights by division guide, then plan the race around the sleds with HYROX pacing and the Roxzone. When you're ready to test it, pick an event from the race calendar.