Sled training is a highly effective and motivating training method for general and application-specific strength and conditioning programming. Although sled training still seems relatively new to mainstream fitness, it has been used in other sports for years.
The most widely used sled, the Prowler, was originally developed to improve the sport-specific conditioning of American football linemen. Surely everyone knows pictures or videos of football players pushing a packed sled screaming in front of them.
In the meantime, the Prowler and its variants are appearing in gyms all over the world.
Nowadays, sleds are used for interval training, high-speed strength training, strongman training and general cardiovascular training, for example. However, many of these applications can also be used specifically for various martial arts and self-protection systems.
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There are a variety of different sled models, but they all have the same thing in common - they can be pulled, pushed or shoved and have the option of adding weights to provide extra resistance.
The sled's versatility allows it to be used to create a range of different workouts, making it functional as well.
Especially when the sled is loaded with kettlebells, sandbags or slamballs, you can directly add more follow-on exercises.
An example of this is pulling a tyre loaded with a sandbag and directly carrying or shouldering the sandbag afterwards as a follow-up exercise.
However, regardless of the current Covid 19 pandemic and closed studios and gyms, not every gym has the facilities to train with a sled.
If you also look at the commercially sold models, not all of us have the prerequisites to use a metal sled at home or on the streets of the neighbourhood. In addition, the purchase costs can be high.
But it can also be done much more cheaply and in a neighbourhood-friendly way.
For little money, you can build your own sled and get started on the street, a car park or wherever.
All you really need is
- an old car tyre (you can get it in any garage)
- two straps, e.g. tension belts
- two swing bolts
- opt. two dumbbell handles, for example Fat Gripz
- opt. a weightlifting belt for a more comfortable fastening of the drag strap in the hip area
- if necessary a board as an insert
- Weights (weight plates, kettlebells, sandbags, slamballs, etc.)
To attach the two swing bolts, drill a suitable hole in the tyre with a little distance between them.
Simply attach the tension straps or other tow straps to the carabiners as a loop and you're ready to go - the DIY training sled can be loaded.
The optional dumbbell handles, in this case Fat Gripz, can be placed around the towing strap for a better grip.
Depending on the available weights, it may be advisable to place a kind of board base in the tyre.
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