Sled pull
/ slɛd pʊl / · noun
Also: rope pull, sled drag
A weighted sled positioned 12.5 meters from the athlete, attached to a long rope. The athlete remains anchored at one end of the lane and hand-over-hand pulls the rope, dragging the sled toward them along the floor. Once the sled crosses the line, the athlete returns to the start, walks the rope back out, and repeats.
HYROX standards
- Pro Men: 4 × 12.5m · 100 kg (220 lb) sled load
- Pro Women: 4 × 12.5m · 75 kg (165 lb)
- Open Men: 4 × 12.5m · 75 kg
- Open Women: 4 × 12.5m · 50 kg (110 lb)
- Total distance: 50m of pulling per athlete
Why it's station 3
The sled pull follows the sled push and tests grip endurance, posterior chain power, and the ability to recover heart rate while gripping. The two sled stations together (station 2 + 3) are sometimes called "the sled block" and account for ~12-15% of total race time for elite athletes.
Technique: three styles
Athletes choose between three pulling positions:
- Seated: sit on the floor with legs extended toward the sled, brace heels against the wall or barrier. Strongest leverage; most popular at elite level.
- Standing arm-over-arm: stand and pull rope to chest height. Faster turnover but less powerful per pull.
- Walking back: stand and walk backward, pulling rope hand-over-hand. Used by some when seated grip fatigues.
Common mistakes
- Gripping the rope death-style: closing the fist around every fiber burns the forearms. Hook the fingers; let the bicep do the work.
- Standing when seated would work: seated has better leverage. Switch only if the standing position is rehearsed and faster for that athlete.
- Resetting too slow: after the sled crosses, athletes lose 5-10 seconds walking the rope back. Sprint the reset.
Training the sled pull
- Seated row volume: heavy seated rows (4 × 8-12 reps) build the lat strength to pull a loaded sled fast.
- Grip work: dead hangs, farmer's carries (HYROX farmer's carry), and RowErg intervals all build pulling-grip endurance.
- Specific: rehearse the actual movement on a sled at race weight 1-2× per week in the final block.
Equipment notes
HYROX uses Eleiko-branded sleds with rubberized contact surfaces on standard rubber gym flooring. Indoor friction varies: some race venues feel 10-15% heavier than rehearsed weight at home gyms with smoother surfaces.