Hyrox Sled Pull: Technique, Weights, Strategy & Best Training Tips

What is the Sled Pull at Hyrox?

The Sled Pull is the third station in a Hyrox race. After your third kilometer you enter the RoxZone and pull a weighted sled 50 meters (divided over 4 lanes of 12.5 meters) towards you via a rope. You remain in a demarcated zone of 1.8 meters depth, the so-called Athlete's Box.

Officially, Hyrox describes the station as an exercise for "glutes, back, biceps & the entire trunk". But in practice it is also a test of rope management, coordination and the ability to deliver force while already fatigued.

A crucial difference with the Sled Push: you pull the sled towards you. This means that the sled gets closer to you and the rope accumulates more and more around your feet. Anyone who does not check this will stumble. Literally!

Official Sled Pull weights by category

The weights below include the sled itself (typically 30-40 kg). Additional weight plates are loaded onto the sled to reach the total.

Rules & Standards

Mistakes at this station will cost you time and could lead to a penalty. The most important rules at a glance:

• Both athlete and sled must stand completely behind the starting line before the start of each track.
• You remain within your Athlete's Box at all times. You may not touch the front and back white lines with your feet.
• The sled must completely cross the 40-foot finish line before changing directions.
• You should never sit or kneel while pulling. You remain standing the entire time.
• The rope may extend behind your box, but may not hinder the adjacent lane.
• For doubles: the resting partner may not assist with the rope.

Rope management is an unofficial but critical skill. The rope bunches up around your feet as the sled approaches. Keep it out of your walkway. The seconds you lose kicking your rope are seconds lost.

The 3 techniques: which one works for you?

There is not 1 universally correct method. Which technique works best depends on your physique, your strength-endurance ratio and how much fatigue you have already built up. Here are the 3 options:

1. Stepping backwards (walk-back technique)

You grab the rope and step back as you pull. Your legs generate the movement while your arms and back direct the sled. Limited by the small box (1.8 m), but effective as a supplement.

• Benefit: actively engages the legs, gives some rest to the upper tension muscles
• Disadvantage: you have little space, so you quickly reach the box boundary.

For 80% of participants this is the most stable option.

2. Hip extension (hip drive technique)

You grab the rope, bend slightly through your knees into a deadlift-like starting position and drive the force from your hips. Your arms act as an extension. The power comes from your glutes and hamstrings. This is the technique most experienced athletes prefer for heavy weights.

• Advantage: much more power output, less strain on the arms.
• Disadvantage: requires more technical control and hip strength.
• Setup: neutral spine, hips slightly lower than shoulders, arms at approximately 90° bent.

3. Hand-over-hand (arm technique)

The classic method: you stand more or less upright, feet planted, and pull the rope towards you hand over hand. You mainly use your biceps and back. Works well for athletes with a strong upper body base and relatively light weight.

• Advantage: easy to learn, easy to combine with rhythmic breathing
• Disadvantage: heavier weights quickly exhaust your arms
• Tip: keep your pulls short and explosive instead of big and flowy. Small movements are more efficient.

Setup & rope management: the details that make the difference

Most time lost on the Sled Pull does not come from having too little force. A bad setup and sloppy rope management. These are the two points that you really need to hone in on during training.

Remove the slack before you start

The ropes at Hyrox have a slight stretch. If you start pulling with slack in the rope, you will use the first pulls purely to get that stretch out without the sled coming in your direction.

Grab the rope, pull in the rope until you feel tension and the sled just starts to shift. Only then do you start to pull (or step back).

Keep the rope out of your path

As the sled gets closer, the rope will bunch up behind you. Many athletes stumble over this. Try to keep the rope on one side, so that you have the other side free to operate in.

Keep your arms straight for the hip drive technique

With the hip extension technique it is tempting to bend your elbows. Don't do this too early. Straight arms act like a lever and directly convert the force of your hips into moving the sled. Do not bend until the sled is already moving.

Which muscles does the Sled Pull use?

The Sled Pull is a complete posterior chain exercise, supplemented with grip and core:

• Back (lats, trapezius, rhomboids): the primary pulling muscles in the hand-over-hand technique.
• Glutes & hamstrings: the motor for hip extension, the most powerful muscle groups in your body.
• Biceps: supporting all 3 techniques.
• Core: provides stability and prevents energy from leaking through a curve in the back.
• Forearms & grip: don't forget this. After station 3 you still have the Farmers Carry. Whoever exhausts his grip here will pay for it later.

Pacing & strategy: how do you distribute your energy?

Station 3 is early in the race, but you are already tired. You ran 2 miles, did a SkiErg set, and survived the Sled Push. The temptation to 'give everything' now is big. Don't do it!

The golden rule: pull each length with a constant, controlled effort. No explosive sprint, no total exhaustion. You still have 5 stations and a 5 kilometer walk ahead of you.

• Aim for an even rhythm per lane. Not per pull.
• Take your 'rest' as you walk to the other end of the box. Those are free recovery steps.
• Breathe rhythmically. Don't hold your breath. Inhaling for a count of four and exhaling for a count of four works best for many athletes.
• Pro athletes complete each 12.5 meter course in 6 à 10 powerful pulls. Use this as a reference for your pace.

Solo vs Doubles: in the Doubles category you can switch within 1 court. Use this strategically! Those who are most exhausted take the shorter turns. Discuss a substitution strategy in advance.

Common mistakes - and how to avoid them

• Leaving slack in the rope = the most common mistake made by beginners. Always remove the stretch in the rope before using force.
• Too big, flowy pulls. Big & powerful. Short, fast movements no more control and less energy loss.
• Rounding = dangerous and inefficient. Always keep a neutral spine. Think of a deadlift position.
• Exhausting grip too early: those who give everything during the hand-over-hand will regret it during the Farmers Carry
• Tripping over the rope: actively keep it out of your walking path
• Forget legs: the Sled Pull is not a pure arm station. Anyone who does not use their legs misses 60% of their available strength.
• Start too high: standing upright at the start is a waste. Sink into your hips and connect with the ground.

How do you train for the Sled Pull?

With sled (best preparation)

Nothing replaces the real material on carpet. Visit a Hyrox affiliate gym and train at least a few sessions with the official weight before your race. Your muscular system must know the resistance.

• Technical work: 4x12.5m @ 70% competition weight. Focus on hip extension and rope management.
• Strength: 3x25m @ 110-120% competition weight. Heavier pull to build muscle strength.
• Race specific: 600m run + 25m Sled Pull + 600m run. This way you train the real feeling of compromised pulling

Strength training that provides immediate carryover

• Romanian Deadlift / Conventional deadlift: posterior chain in its entirety.
• Seated cable row: exactly the same movement pattern as hand-over-hand
• Single-arm dumbbell row: unilateral back and grip training
• Face pulls: shoulders and upper back stability
• Farmers Carry: grip + core + fitness in one (3 birds with 1 stone)
• Hip thrusts: isolate the glutes you use in the hip extension technique

Train grip separately

• Dead Hangs on a pull-up bar: 3x30-60 seconds
• Towel pull-ups
• Plate pinches: hold 2 discs between thumb and fingers
• Heavy Farmers Carry: 4x40m, as heavy as you can walk correctly

Alternatives if you don't have a Sled

No Hyrox gym nearby? No problem! These exercises simulate the load in a good way:

• Treadmill turned off in reverse: Turn off the treadmill, grab the handles and walk backwards. The resistance seems surprisingly good on a light sled.
• TRX / suspension strap rows: set low, heel into the ground and pull with full body tension.
• Seated row machine intervals: 6x30 seconds hard, 60 seconds rest. Simulates the sustained pull.
• Resistance band pull: Attach a band to a sturdy pole and pull with hip extension. Good for learning the movement pattern.
• Weight plate on smooth floor + rope: If you have a rope and a floor at home, you step as close as possible to the real situation.

Recommendation: Try to train with the real equipment at least once before your race. The combination of carpet resistance, rope management and fatigue is truly unlike any alternative. Find a Hyrox Open Day, a simulation race or affiliate gym in your area via hyrox.com/find-a-gym.

Sled Pull in Doubles: Specific Strategy

In the Doubles category you pull together, but the resting partner is never allowed to assist with the rope. You switch when you decide. Also in the middle of a job.

• Discuss a change strategy in advance: change per job? By feeling? Both work, but communicate.
• Let the stronger partner start. The longer the rope, the heavier the pull.
• Have the better runner start the first lane and finish the last lane. This way, the poorer runner gets some rest after and before running.

Summary: this is how you save time on the Hyrox Sled Pull

• Remove the slack in the rope before you start
• Choose the technique(s) that suits your profile
• Automate your movement with a focus on rope management
• Work in rhythm per lane
• Keep focusing on your breathing
• Train your grip structurally

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