Station 3 of 850 m (4 × 12.5 m)

HYROX Sled Pull

Station 3 has you standing at one end of a 12.5 m lane and pulling a loaded sled toward you with a rope until it fully crosses the line, then walking to the other end and pulling it back, four lanes in all. Good sled pullers stay low and braced, keep the rope tight with short, continuous hand-over-hand pulls, and use small steps back inside their Racers Box to bring the legs and bodyweight into it.

Grip and forearm endurance
Upper back and lats
Posterior chain: glutes, hamstrings and lower back
Trunk bracing under load
Pacing straight after the sled push

Open Women: 78 kg incl. sled
Open Men: 103 kg incl. sled
Pro Women: 103 kg incl. sled
Pro Men: 153 kg incl. sled

The perfect rep, in three positions

Side view. The darker arm and leg are nearest you; dashed lines show the alignment to hold.

Step 1
Set a low, braced stance
Stand in your Racers Box with feet wider than hip-width, knees bent and hips back, leaning slightly away from the sled. Take the slack out of the rope before the first pull so no effort goes into a loose rope. Your spine stays long and neutral, braced like the start of a deadlift.
- Feet wide, knees soft
- Hips back, chest proud
- Take the slack out first
- Brace before you pull
Step 2
Short, continuous hand-over-hand
Reach forward, grab the rope low and pull it to your hip, alternating hands without letting the sled stop. Short, steady pulls keep the sled moving and are usually faster than big pulls with pauses between them. Push the rope pile to the side, not behind you, so you don't trip or step out of the box.
- Reach, grab low, pull to the hip
- Keep the sled moving
- Short pulls beat big pulls
- Rope to the side
Step 3
Step back to add leg drive
With the rope tight, sit into a quarter squat and take small steps backward while you keep pulling, letting your legs and bodyweight do some of the work. The Racers Box is only a step or two deep, so stop before the back line, step forward with the rope still tight and repeat. Use it when your arms start to fade.
- Rope tight, sit back
- Small steps, keep pulling
- Stop before the back line
- Legs in when arms fade

Common faults and how to fix them

The fault

The fix: set a low, braced stance

What it looks like: The back rounds forward and the shoulders hunch over the rope, so the pull comes from the arms and lower back instead of the legs and hips.
Why it costs you: A rounded back leaks force and loads the lower back, and your arms and grip tire much sooner, which leaves you slower in later lanes and on the farmers carry.
The fix: Reset to a wide stance with hips back and chest up before each lane, and brace your trunk. Lean away from the sled so your bodyweight resists it and your legs share the work.

The fault

The fix: set a low, braced stance

What it looks like: Sitting or kneeling on the floor to anchor yourself and pull the rope, a technique older guides sometimes showed.
Why it costs you: It breaks the 26/27 standard that you must stay standing, so judges treat it as an infringement: a warning, then 15 seconds every time after that.
The fix: Stay on your feet in a low quarter-squat. If you need more anchor, widen your stance and sink your hips rather than dropping to the floor.

Pacing targets

Rough ranges to plan around, not official cut-offs. Your division, the floor and the run before it all move the number.

First race
about 6:00–8:00
Treat it as steady strength work and plan short breathers at the three turns. Keep the sled moving with small pulls rather than stopping mid-lane.
Intermediate
about 4:30–5:30
Aim for near-continuous pulls in every lane, mixing hand over hand with steps back in the box. Keep the turns brisk.
Advanced
about 3:30–4:30
Pull each lane unbroken with a fast, steady rhythm and run the turns. Hold something back for the burpee broad jumps and the next run.

Breathing

Breathe out on each pull and in as you reach, keeping a steady rhythm instead of holding your breath while braced. Use the walk between lanes for two or three deep breaths.

Kit

Gloves are permitted (grips are not), but test them on a rope in training because some lose grip when sweaty. Chalk is allowed at the sled pull, but only the chalk HYROX provides at the station, and closed-toe shoes with good grip on carpet help you stay planted.

Standards

From the 26/27 HYROX rulebook, in plain English.

✓Use the sled lane a judge assigns you; you can't pick your own lane or sled.
✓Start with both you and the sled completely inside your Racers Box.
✓Stay within your Racers Box at each end of the lane; while holding the rope you can't step on the solid line at the front or back of the box.
✓Keep the sled, yourself and your rope inside your lane and don't interfere with a neighbouring lane; the rope may trail out of the back of your lane.
✓The whole sled must pass the 12.5 m mark, completely over the white line, before you change direction.
✓Once the sled is fully past the line, run to the opposite end of your lane and pull it back.
✓Stay standing at all times; pulling from a seated or kneeling position is not allowed.
✓The station is complete once you've pulled 4 × 12.5 m and the entire sled has crossed the line.
✓Chalk is allowed here, but only the event-provided chalk at the station.

Penalties

What a judge can give you at this station.

!First movement-standard infringement: formal warning
!Second infringement: 15-second penalty
!Each further infringement: another 15 seconds, with no more warnings
!Missing a sled lane: disqualification (incomplete station)
!Using a lane or sled not assigned by the race crew: 2 minutes per infringement
!Bringing your own chalk or carrying station chalk elsewhere: 2-minute penalty

Drills to get better

1
Cable rope pulls
4–5 sets of 30–45 seconds of hand-over-hand pulling on a cable machine with a rope attachment, to build the pulling pattern and grip endurance without a sled.
2
Heavy rope drags
Tie a heavy weight or sandbag to a rope and pull it toward you hand over hand for 4–6 lengths of 10–15 m, practising a tight rope and a low stance.
3
Backward sandbag or sled drags
4–6 × 15–20 m walking backward in a quarter squat, to train the walk-back leg drive and posture.
4
Grip and pulling strength
Rows, deadlifts and dead hangs or towel hangs, 2–3 times a week in 3–4 sets, to build the back and grip the station leans on.
5
Run, sled, run
Once a week: 1 km run, a sled pull or substitute at race weight, then another 1 km run, to learn the pace you can hold afterwards.

Sled Pull FAQ

How heavy is the HYROX sled pull?+

The weight includes the sled: 78 kg for Open Women, 103 kg for Open Men and Pro Women, and 153 kg for Pro Men. Every division pulls it 50 m as 4 lanes of 12.5 m.

Can you sit down on the HYROX sled pull?+

No. The 26/27 rulebook says you must stay standing at all times, so pulling from a seated or kneeling position is an infringement. You get a warning first, then 15 seconds per infringement.

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 lines while holding the rope, so you can't walk the whole lane.

Can I use chalk or gloves on the sled pull?+

Yes to both. Gloves are permitted (grips aren't), and chalk is allowed at the sled pull, but only the event-provided chalk at the station. Bringing your own or carrying it elsewhere is a 2-minute penalty.

What happens if the sled doesn't cross the line?+

The whole sled has to pass the 12.5 m line before you change direction. Turning early is an infringement, and missing a lane entirely is a disqualification, which the timing system can detect.

How do I train the sled pull without a sled?+

Use cable rope pulls, heavy rope drags and backward sandbag drags, plus rows, deadlifts and hangs for strength and grip. Try a real sled at race weight a few times before race day.

The perfect rep, in three positions

Set a low, braced stance

Short, continuous hand-over-hand

Step back to add leg drive