Sled Drag

The Sled Drag is a functional strength and conditioning exercise where you pull a weighted sled while moving forward, building lower body power and endurance. It places constant tension on the quadriceps and glutes while requiring core stability, making it excellent for athletic performance and injury prevention.

How Iridium Helps

Since this exercise is often performed for time or distance, our AI analyzes your duration and RPE to ensure you are training at the correct intensity for your current recovery status. By integrating your daily HRV and sleep data, the app can recommend lighter loads or shorter distances on days when your systemic recovery is low, reducing the risk of burnout. Over time, the system learns your work capacity and pain thresholds, suggesting this low-impact movement as a viable alternative if you report lower back or knee sensitivity during heavy axial loading.

Form Cues

Do
  • Lean forward at a 45-degree angle from the ankles
  • Drive forcefully through the balls of your feet
  • Brace your core to keep a neutral spine
  • Maintain a consistent and powerful stride
  • Look straight ahead to keep your neck aligned
Don't
  • Don't round or hyperextend your lower back
  • Don't look down at your feet
  • Don't use your arms to pull the weight
  • Don't take short, choppy steps unless sprinting
  • Don't let the harness line go slack between steps

Common Mistakes

  • Standing too upright
  • Rounding the spine
  • Inconsistent pacing
  • Looking at the ground
  • Pulling with the arms

Muscles Worked

This exercise is a powerhouse for the lower body, primarily targeting the quadriceps and glutes as you drive the weight forward against resistance. It also heavily engages the erector spinae and core musculature to maintain a rigid torso, ensuring efficient force transfer from your legs to the sled without compromising your lower back.

Primary

QuadricepsGlutesErector Spinae

Secondary

HamstringsGeneral CoreForearms

Get Personalized Coaching for Sled Drag

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