by Sean St. Onge
Sled everyday?
Maybe…
But what if I were to say you can most definitely handle it? Sled training can be utilized for many modalities, it’s versatile to cover the following…
-strength training
-fat loss conditioning
-speed training
-general cardiovascular conditioning
Now we aren’t talking about doing the same resistance and frequency everyday, (although it would make you into a super unstoppable terminator!) but it is possible to do and you would reap many benefits.
There is very little eccentric taxing on the body when using a sled push or pull. Wikipedia describes “eccentric contraction” as “the motion of an active muscle while it is lengthening user load.” So, the “negative part of the exercise,” the eccentric loading, is usually when the muscles create large amounts of tension that causes the muscular damage and soreness. With sled work, although it will leave you with that burning feeling in your thighs, calves, and taxes your lungs, it is very rarely due to the motions performed in a sled push and pull.
So you should do it everyday right? Well….ya, you could.
If you were looking to gain speed, the lighter sled lets you hone in on your acceleration.
While loading a heavier sled assists in maximum strength and strength endurance. Performing in short intervals of 15-20 seconds or pushing a heavy load for 15-30 yards for 3 to 4 sets with no more than 60 seconds rest will help increase strength work.
When using the sled for speed, a much lighter load, say about 10 percent of your own bodyweight, can be used for acceleration benefits.
When to mix it up?
There are many uses for the sled.
-Forward Push
-Backward Drag
-One Arm Drag
-Chest Press & Lunge Combo
-Forward Slow March
-Squat and Row
-Lunge and Row
-Explosive Chest Pass
-Drag with Farmer Carry
I am sure there are plenty of others but these are the first to come to mind.
If you want a workout, one we use at 212 H & P it is aptly dubbed “Sled til you’re Dead”, which involves progressive overloading of the sled with each round adding one 45 pound plate after marching 15 yards. In-between each loading you would then Farmer Carry two kettlebells the same length of 15 yards with weights that make up half of your own bodyweight. This challenges your grip and cardiovascular levels as well. There is a time limit on this of 15 minutes. Trust me, you will get plenty of work in this time frame.
To use the sled everyday isn’t practical, yes we know. Yet, if you made the time, your body could handle it. Think of all the countless other things you do that you seemingly do for hours on end. Carving out a little quality cuddle time for you and your sled can have long lasting benefits and not to mention a better relationship. 😬
Here is a mock 5 day sled workout schedule:
Monday:
A: Heavy sled pushes: 4x30 yards @ 70% of bodyweight
B: Sled drag 3x30 yards @ 80% of bodyweight
Tuesday:
Sled sprints 5x30 yards @ 10% of bodyweight
Wednesday:
A1: Sled chest presses 4x30 yards @ 40% of bodyweight
A2: Squat and row (with TRX attachment) 4x30 yards @ 45-50% of bodyweight
Thursday:
A1: Sled drag sprints 4x30 yards @ 15% bodyweight
A2: KB Farmer Carry 4x30 yards
Saturday:
A: Sled push 6x15 yards @ 80-90% of bodyweight
At first few tries with these perform with as much rest as YOU NEED.
For more on sled work check out our Boiling Point Video series.
Til then, SOAP BOX…out.