Sled Drag: How Hard?

So I’ve started doing sled dragging (could’t get a prowler) for conditioning along with my powerlifting. The question I have is how hard should I be working during the sled drag, all out or a “easy” run or what. At the moment I do 6x 30 meter runs with 60kg and feel fairly gassed but not burnt out.

I find its better for recovery work, walking forwards and backwards with a light weight. That said, if you want to have some serious conditioning, really up the poundage and move as quickly as possible.

As hard as you physically can on the way there. Rest until recovered. Eventually your rest times will decrease.

Drag shit backwards, then drag shit forwards. Repeat.

Don’t make it so complicated. Really light weight, or an empty sled to start, if you want to actually sprint with resistance. Heavy weight if you want to really work hard. Light weight if you want to recover. Whatever feels good.

It’s for conditioning right so why would it be easy

If it’s for conditioning, you should be able to move quickly and do it ~10 times, like hill sprints. If you’re doing it for strength or practice moving against a heavy load, then you should move as explosively as possible (which will be slow), and probably only hit it 3-5 times. Weight will vary.

For recovery, GPP shit, I hit a sled with weight where I’m not too worried about getting it moving. But I get a big burn and go for 200ft. When I’m going heavy, my goal is SPP and I hit 5 sets of 100ft, and I AM worried about it stopping and having to get it moving again. If my goal is strength or struggling against a heavy load, I’d hit a weight where I’d need a rope to get myself going, like a truck pull or something. Which may or may not be SPP, I’m not really sure. Don’t know all the acronyms.

another variation: use it for 20 seconds all out with a 10 second rest and repeat this for 8 reps.

also I still have the article written on westside from the sept 2007 flex mag and will post by the

end of the weekend on how Louie has his guys and gals use it in their system : )

Thank you all of you

Hey I don’t want to hijack this thread but I have a little problem with sled dragging and people here might have some solutions… I pull my sled in a field but my feet keep slipping whenever I get heavy, so I can’t really go all out on my legs. I don’t pull on concrete either in fear of slipping and falling (I don’t mind in a field). Anyone have this problem?

get a good pair of running cleats or something similar.I use an old pair of rugby boots, haven’t slipped once since.

Its a matter of what you are using it for. “Conditioning” is a very general term. Conditioning for WHAT?

I do not do sprints with my sled (a tire sled). I will do as LouiK mentioned and fill it with heavy weights for a short distance to work on power output or light stuff and go for time or longer distance for recovery/GPP.

OP, lots of ways to use a sled or prowler. Heavy pushes/pulls are actually assistance strength work. Medium weights (read: you can accelerate relatively quickly but never reach what feels like top speed) are awesome for conditioning. Speed work is estimated to be ~10% of bodyweight, but that depends on surface. Speed work shouldn’t alter your running mechanics.

[quote]Fezzik wrote:
OP, lots of ways to use a sled or prowler. Heavy pushes/pulls are actually assistance strength work. Medium weights (read: you can accelerate relatively quickly but never reach what feels like top speed) are awesome for conditioning. Speed work is estimated to be ~10% of bodyweight, but that depends on surface. Speed work shouldn’t alter your running mechanics.[/quote]

X2

But as you say it depends on the purpose. Using weights as little as 5-10kg can make your hamstrings work considerably harder. Much heavier and form goes out the window. Of course if you are just aiming for some “eccentricless” grunt work then load it up eh.