Sled training is becoming increasingly popular in the strength and conditioning community. This is due to its ability to effectively work the upper and lower body musculature. You can load sport-specific movements that involve triple extension (extension at the ankle, knee and hip), such as sprinting, changing direction and or jumping. When people start thinking about sled training, the first thing people consider is whether to focus on sled pushes or pulls. Both methods provide unique benefits; thus, the method you prioritise should depend on your training goals. With that said, as with every training programme, you should aim to work the full body to not have any asymmetries that could lead to injury. 

This blog post will dive into the sled training benefits and help you discover which method, sled push vs sled pull, is better for fat loss, strength and conditioning. 

What Is the Difference Between Sled Push and Sled Pull?

A common training method is to adopt push and pull days. That's why a weight sled is ideal to include in your training. 

Sled pushes include you driving the sled forward using your legs and bodyweight. This is typically performed in a forward lean position, whereby you get triple extension on the ankle, knee and hip, similar to the movement patterns during sprinting & running. These kinds of movements emphasise the activation of the quadriceps, glutes and calves.

On the other hand, sled pulls include moving the weight sled towards your centre of mass, in some cases using a pulling rope. Sled pulls typically emphasise activation of the posterior chain and upper body pulling movements. If pulling the sled directly (without the rope), you will primarily activate the hamstrings & glutes, with some activation of the upper back. If you include a pulling rope, you will shift the activation to predominantly the upper back, such as the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids and posterior deltoids. 

Sled Push vs Pull for Strength and Fat Loss 

Typically sled pulls allow for greater loads to be used as you are able to transfer force more efficiently, engaging the core and upper body, whilst pushing with the lower limbs to move the sled. We know that heavier loads are reccomended to be lifted to enhance muscular strength (Source), thus it may be argued that sled pushes may be more effective than sled pulls to increase strength. However, it is difficult to compare the two movements, considering the difference in the musculature engaged. The position to produce force during sled pulls relies more on repetitive contractions as opposed to fast ballistic movements. Therefore sled pulls may be more optimal for improving muscular endurance; however, if loaded correctly, you are still able to significantly improve pulling strength with sled pulls. 

If fat loss is your main goal, you are in luck. Both sled pulls and pushes are highly effective at engaging a wide range of musculature. As such, the more musculature engaged, the greater the energy expenditure and subsequent fat loss. 

Which Should You Choose? (Athletes vs General Fitness)

It is important to incorporate a variety of exercises to induce adaptations across multiple muscles. As such, we recommend performing a mixture of sled pulls and pushes. 

The main difference in exercise prescription between athletes and those training for general fitness is that athletes train specifically for sporting movements. For instance, athletes may choose to include sled pushes to increase the maximal force output and rate of force development of lower limb extension, to improve their acceleration and sprint performance. On the other hand, athletes may include sled pulls to improve eccentric strength, which is critical for deceleration, as well as to increase posterior chain strength. 

In comparison, if you are including sled training as part of your routine for general fitness is likely to increase fat loss, improve time efficiency, and provide low-impact training to reduce joint stress compared to high-impact cardio. Therefore, considering both the sled pull and sled push are effective in these areas, you are reccomended to provide a balance of both, to not develop any muscular asymmetries. 

Conclusion

Both sled pushes and pulls offer unique benefits that typically complement one another. They essentially target opposing muscle groups, which is great for you to build strength and conditioning symmetrically. You may want to focus on pushes if you want to emphasise improving your force development in concentric muscle actions (i.e., shortening of the muscle, in this case, when extending the lower limbs). Contrarily, if you want to improve pulling strength (that supports posture) or improve eccentric absorption (crucial during deceleration and change of direction) you may want to prioritise sledge pulls.

Ultimatley, there isn't a 'better' option. The best results come when combining both. Explore Exersci's range of sleds and pulling accessories to build strength, improve conditioning, and support fat loss!