HYROX Sled Pull
The sled pull rewards technique over strength. Anchor a wide low stance, pull hand-over-hand through a long range using your bodyweight rather than your arms, and reset your feet instead of fighting from a compromised position.
Loading: Typically ~103 kg for Open men and ~78 kg for Open women, higher in Pro. HYROX revises division standards between seasons — always check the official rules for your event.
Why this station decides races
It comes immediately after the sled push, so you arrive with your legs already compromised, and it taxes grip that you still need for the farmers carry. Athletes who muscle it with their arms arrive at the farmers carry with nothing left to hold on with.
Typical splits
| Level | Sled Pull split |
|---|---|
| Elite | 2:25–3:06 |
| Competitive | 2:54–3:51 |
| Age-group | 3:29–4:45 |
| First-timer | 4:21–6:16 |
Computed from 18,930 of our own results with recorded splits, pooled across categories and genders — see our methodology.
Technique
- 01
Set a wide, low anchor
Feet wide, hips back, chest up. You want a base you can pull against without being dragged forward.
- 02
Use bodyweight, not biceps
Sit back and let your bodyweight do the work as you pull, the way you would in a heavy row. Arms-only pulling burns grip you need later.
- 03
Long hand-over-hand range
Reach far, pull all the way to your hip. Fewer, longer pulls beat many short ones and keep the sled moving continuously.
- 04
Manage the rope
Let slack rope fall to one side rather than piling underfoot. Tangling costs seconds and breaks your rhythm entirely.
- 05
Reset rather than grind
If your position collapses, take one second to re-anchor your feet. Grinding from a bad position is slower than resetting.
Common mistakes
- Pulling with arms and shoulders alone, arriving at farmers carry with destroyed grip.
- Standing too tall, so you get pulled forward rather than moving the sled.
- Short choppy pulls that let the sled stall between reps.
- Standing on your own slack rope.
How to train it
Seated rope pulls
5 × 12.5 m seated, hand-over-hand. Removes the legs entirely so you learn to generate the pull from your back and bodyweight.
Heavy bent-over rows
4 × 8 at a challenging load. Builds the pulling strength pattern the station actually rewards.
Grip endurance holds
4 × 45-second heavy holds. Directly transfers to both this station and the farmers carry.
Common questions
- What is the best HYROX sled pull technique?
- Anchor a wide low stance with hips back and chest up, then pull hand-over-hand through a long range using your bodyweight rather than your arms. Keep slack rope clear of your feet and reset your stance rather than grinding from a collapsed position.
- Should I pull the HYROX sled standing or seated?
- Both are permitted and both are used at elite level. Standing is generally faster if you can hold a strong anchored position; seated is more stable and saves grip if your legs are already compromised from the sled push.