HYROX Sled Push
The sled push is where most athletes lose the most time relative to their fitness. A low body angle, short choppy steps and continuous leg drive beat raw strength — and the venue floor surface can swing your split by minutes, which is why sled times vary so much between events.
Loading: Typically ~152 kg total for Open men and ~102 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
No station separates athletes more. Two people with identical running fitness can differ by three or four minutes here. It is also the station most affected by factors outside your control — carpet, turf and the specific sled all change the effort — so comparing your sled split across different venues is often misleading.
Typical splits
| Level | Sled Push split |
|---|---|
| Elite | 1:29–1:57 |
| Competitive | 1:43–2:39 |
| Age-group | 1:53–3:01 |
| First-timer | 2:12–3:38 |
Computed from 18,930 of our own results with recorded splits, pooled across categories and genders — see our methodology.
Technique
- 01
Get low and stay low
Aim for roughly a 45-degree body angle with arms extended and elbows locked. Standing tall converts your push into a downward force that pins the sled to the floor instead of moving it forward.
- 02
Hands high on the posts
Gripping high lets you keep your hips low and your body behind the sled. Gripping low forces you upright.
- 03
Short, choppy steps
Quick short steps maintain constant force. Long strides create a stop-start rhythm, and every time the sled fully stops you pay the cost of overcoming static friction again.
- 04
Never let it stop
A moving sled is dramatically easier than a stationary one. If you must rest, rest at the turn — not mid-lane.
- 05
Drive through the whole foot
Push through the midfoot and heel rather than up on the toes, which lets you use your glutes and hamstrings instead of only your quads.
Common mistakes
- Standing too upright — the single biggest cause of a slow sled split.
- Stopping mid-lane, which forces you to break static friction again from a dead stop.
- Taking long strides instead of short rapid ones.
- Sprinting the first 12.5 m and then failing on the third and fourth lengths.
How to train it
Heavy short pushes
6 × 12.5 m at heavier than race weight, full recovery. Builds the specific position and the confidence that the sled will move.
Race-weight repeats under fatigue
4 × 50 m at race weight with a 400 m run between each. Rehearses pushing with an elevated heart rate, which is the actual race condition.
Wall drives
3 × 30 seconds driving into a wall in the push position. Trains the leg drive pattern without needing a sled.
Common questions
- Why is my HYROX sled push so slow?
- Almost always body position. If you are standing too upright, much of your force pushes the sled down into the floor instead of forward. Get your hips low, extend your arms, grip high on the posts and take short rapid steps without letting the sled stop.
- Does the floor surface affect the HYROX sled push?
- Considerably. Carpet, turf and different sled types all change the friction meaningfully, which is why the same athlete can post very different sled splits at two events. Comparing sled times across venues is unreliable for this reason.
- How heavy is the HYROX sled push?
- Loading differs by division and has been revised between seasons — Open is substantially lighter than Pro. Check the official HYROX rules for the current standard for your division and event.