Sled Push (heavy)
Direct transfer to the leg drive in a tackle
How to do it well
The set-up and the rep in full, then the cues the app shows on the exercise card — the short version, for the moment you are standing in front of the bar.
Set-up
Load the sled heavy enough that you cannot run with it. Hold the high or low handles with the arms extended or slightly bent, body leaning forward at about 45°, so a straight line runs from the back heel to the head.
The rep
Drive one knee forward and push the ground back with the other leg, taking short, powerful steps. Keep the hips low and the body angle constant for the full distance. Every step is a separate push; do not let it become a jog.
On the exercise card
- Low body angle
- Drive each step
What goes wrong, and the fix
| What goes wrong | The fix |
|---|---|
| Standing up as the sled moves | The body angle is the exercise. Stay low; if you cannot, the sled is too heavy. |
| Arms collapsing | Brace through the arms and trunk so the force from the legs reaches the sled. |
| Long, loping strides | Short, hard steps, driving through the ball of the foot. |
Make it easier, or harder
- Easier
- Less load and a higher body angle.
- Harder
- More load, or sprints straight after each push to transfer the drive into speed.
How Train Smart prescribes it
The sets and reps below are the authored starting point. The actual weight you see is calculated from your own last top set and the week you are in within your four-week block.
Rugby league: it is the closest thing in the gym to driving through a tackle. The leg drive happens at the same low angle, against the same heavy resistance, and the loads are well above anything you could sprint with.
| Program | Session | Sets × reps | Load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rugby League | Power & Collision | 5 × 15m | Heavy |
What it trains, and who trains it
- Region
- Full body
- Classified as
- Power
- Prescribed in
- rugby league
If you cannot do this one
Rack taken, kit missing, or it does not suit you. These are the swaps the app offers, matched by movement pattern and body region — each with the reason it is a fair substitute.
| Alternative | Why it works as a swap |
|---|---|
| Battle Rope Waves | Upper-body conditioning that spares the legs |
| Sled Drag (backward) | Quads and knee health — brilliant restorative work |
| Assault Bike Intervals | Everything, all at once, with no impact |
| Ski-Erg Intervals | Upper body and trunk under fatigue |
| Rower Intervals | Legs and back together, self-limiting on technique |
| Farmer Carry | Grip, trunk and traps loaded while you move |
This exercise, in a program that knows why it is there
Train Smart puts this movement in the right session, at the right point in your block, at a weight calculated for you — and swaps it automatically if you do not have the kit.
Your first month is free, with nothing to pay today. Then A$24.99/month, cancel any time. On the App Store and Google Play.
- Install itFree to download on iPhone and Android.
- Tell it how you playYour sport, your season, the nights you train and the kit you have. No account needed.
- See your week, then start freeYour program is built before you pay anything. Start the free month to unlock it, and cancel any time in your store settings.