Sled Push
50m
TL;DR
Hyrox sled push is station 2 — 50m of a loaded prowler sled, done right after the SkiErg while legs are still fresh. That's why it catches people out: treat it as a pure strength test and you drag dead quads into the 1km run that follows. Weight is 152 kg (Open Men), 102 kg (Open Women), 202 kg (Pro Men), 152 kg (Pro Women). Across 224,008 recorded races, the median split is ~2:52 (Open Men) and ~2:44 (Open Women) — but the split that decides your race is the run right after it.
Hyrox Sled Push Race Day Strategy
This station rewards a hard effort cap, not a max effort. Pushing continuously at 80-90% is genuinely fast; if you can't hold that, plan your rest rather than gutting out a slower push — the rest, not the push, is usually where time disappears. A workable rhythm: roughly 10 steps (five per leg), a controlled 2-3 second breath, then go — break before you have to break, since a full stop means everyone else effectively gets a head start while you recover. The 50m lane is officially divided into 4 lengths of 12.5m each, with a marked line the sled must fully cross before the direction change — this is the standard format everywhere, not a venue-specific extra. Use those 12.5m marks as internal checkpoints instead of pacing blind for the full distance. The bigger decision — shoulder-push or elbow-pits — should be made in training based on whether your run splits or push splits are the weaker number, not mid-race.
Median Race Times (real data, 82,000+ athletes)
Overview
Hyrox sled push is station 2 — 50m of a loaded prowler sled, done right after the SkiErg while legs are still fresh. That's why it catches people out: treat it as a pure strength test and you drag dead quads into the 1km run that follows. There are two real ways to push it: 'shoulder push' (arms extended, shoulders sliding through above the sled) is quad-dominant with the chest open for easier breathing — most strength-background athletes default here. 'Elbow-pits' (forearms tucked close, hands near the body) pulls hips and feet closer to the sled's centre of gravity, shifting load onto glutes and hamstrings. Neither is universally correct — it depends on whether the push itself or the run right after is your real limiter. Sled resistance also isn't what you trained on: gym turf lets the sled slide under momentum in a way race carpet never does, and U.S.-style sleds sit lower than European ones, changing body angle entirely.
Hyrox Sled Push Weights
| Division | Weight / Format |
|---|---|
| Open Men | 152 kg / 335 lb |
| Open Women | 102 kg / 225 lb |
| Pro Men | 202 kg / 445 lb |
| Pro Women | 152 kg / 335 lb |
| Doubles Men | 152 kg / 335 lb (matches solo Open Men; partners split the 50m via a self-selected 'You-Go-I-Go' switch, not a fixed per-length turn) |
| Doubles Women | 102 kg / 225 lb (matches solo Open Women) |
| Doubles Mixed | 152 kg for both partners — Men's Open weight applies regardless of which partner is pushing |
| Pro Doubles Men | 202 kg / 445 lb |
| Pro Doubles Women | 152 kg / 335 lb |
Step-by-Step Technique
- 1
Start feet together, not staggered — a jumping-stance start (feet under you, knees near 90°) generates more initial momentum, and getting the sled moving from a dead stop is the hardest part.
- 2
Get hands as low as the handles allow, then pick your arm position: slide shoulders through/over the crossbar for 'shoulder push', or tuck forearms into your elbow pits for a hips-closer, quad-sparing push.
- 3
Hold roughly a 45° angle between hip and back foot on both legs — a front leg reaching too far forward goes vertical at the shin and can't drive; keep both legs set slightly back so both dig in.
- 4
Drive in short, quick steps, extending each leg fully — short/fast beats long strides for momentum, and full extension brings glutes into the movement, not just quads.
- 5
Flare elbows instead of pinning them to your ribcage — a tucked-tight arm position compresses the diaphragm, which is the fastest way to wreck your breathing before you're off the sled.
Training Tips
- 1
Push the sled at least twice weekly — one heavy/short-distance session for raw strength, one fatigue-inducing session to learn your real sustainable pace, not your gym-fresh pace
- 2
Build the base with heavy squats and walking lunges early, then shift to muscular-endurance work once you can move the weight — this becomes an endurance problem, not a strength one
- 3
Time the heaviest strength block roughly 6-8 weeks out, sustained 3-4 weeks — pushing that volume inside the final 2-3 weeks risks under-recovery
- 4
No sled, or turf that doesn't replicate carpet? Rubber gym mats stand in better than turf, which lets the sled slide too freely — test your own equivalent load rather than copying someone else's plate count
Top 5 Mistakes (and Fixes)
✕Mistake 1: Standing too upright
Fix: Get your chest low — almost parallel to the floor. The lower your angle, the more horizontal force you can apply to the sled.
✕Mistake 2: Tucking elbows tight to the ribcage
Fix: Flare elbows and push through the shoulders — a tight tuck compresses the diaphragm and chokes breathing under load.
✕Mistake 3: Front leg reaching too far forward
Fix: Hold roughly a 45° hip-to-back-foot angle on both legs so each can dig in, instead of one leg going vertical and dead.
✕Mistake 4: Pushing flat-out until forced to stop
Fix: Plan rest windows before you're gassed — roughly 10-15 steps, a 2-3 second breath, then go — rather than emptying the tank on your knees.
✕Mistake 5: Training only on gym turf
Fix: Overload heavily on turf, or switch to rubber mats, which replicate carpet friction far better — test the equivalent load on your own gym's surface rather than copying someone else's plate count.
Common Mistakes
- ✕
Standing too tall - kills your leverage
- ✕
Taking long strides - short and fast wins
- ✕
Gripping too high on the handles
4-Week Training Progression
| Week | Session |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | 6 × 25m sled push at 70% race weight, 90s rest. Focus on body angle and step cadence. |
| Week 2 | 4 × 50m sled push at 85% race weight, 2min rest. Target sub-2:00 for Open Men. |
| Week 3 | 3 × 50m sled push at race weight, 2min rest. Time each effort and aim for consistency. |
| Week 4 (peak) | 1 × 50m at race weight immediately after 1000m SkiErg — simulate the race sequence. |
Grip Training for Hyrox Sled Push
Baseline rule: hands as low on the handles as possible — a high grip forces the torso upright, cutting driving force regardless of arm position. The real decision is the tradeoff between two setups. Shoulder push (arms extended, shoulders through above the sled) keeps the chest open for easier breathing and lets you lean on quads for extra drive — most top-level athletes with strength to spare push this way, though it's also more quad-taxing. Elbow-pits (forearms tucked close, hands near the body) pulls hips/feet closer to the sled's centre of gravity, shifting load to glutes/hamstrings — worth using if you have a hard time running after the sled, though breathing is harder on lower U.S.-style sleds since your head sits closer to the plate stack. A third 'overhead extended arms' position exists — opens breathing further but is unstable — mentioned here only as a variant to know about, not a default to train. Bottom line: run splits falling apart after the sled → try elbow-pits. Push time itself is the limiter → try shoulder push.
Sample Workout
Technique-discovery (early block): 6 x 25m sled push at 70% race weight, alternating shoulder push and elbow-pits each rep, 90s rest — feel which position holds pace without flooding your quads. Race-specific (peak week): 1 x 50m sled push at full race weight after 1000m SkiErg, straight into an 800m run — log where run pace drops and adjust technique or rest-plan, not just push harder.
Equipment
The Prowler sled is what you'll use on race day. If you're training seriously, having access to race-day equipment makes a real difference in your preparation.
[AFFILIATE:prowler-sled](URL)
Frequently Asked Questions
How heavy is the Hyrox sled push?
152 kg (Open Men), 102 kg (Open Women), 202 kg (Pro Men), 152 kg (Pro Women). Doubles Men and Women push at their own division's weight (Pro Doubles matches solo Pro exactly — 202 kg / 152 kg); in Mixed Doubles, both partners push 152 kg (Men's Open weight) regardless of who's on the sled.
What is the average Hyrox sled push time?
Across 224,008 recorded races: approximately 2:52 (Open Men), 2:44 (Open Women), 3:32 (Pro Men), 3:48 (Pro Women). Doubles teams post faster medians since the distance splits between partners.
Why does the sled push wreck my running afterward?
Pushing all-out floods your quads before the race's first real run test. Elbow-pits shifts load toward glutes/hamstrings, and pacing at 80-90% with planned rest breaks — not pushing to failure — preserves your legs for the next 1km.
How do I train without matching race-day carpet?
Use rubber gym mats over turf, which lets the sled slide too freely. Otherwise overload past race weight on turf, plus one heavy/short-rest session and one fatigue-pacing session weekly. Any specific plate-load number you're given is gym- and surface-specific — test it on your own equipment rather than assuming it transfers exactly.