Gym Hack: How To Do Treadmill Sled Pushes (Yes, Really)

The Problem: You’ve got sled pushes on the mind, and it’s 5:30 P.M. at your local gym. 

The Problem, Part II: The turf looks like an outdoor concert-picnic-campsite combo. Your sled is all loaded up with nowhere to go.

We’ve been there—one too many times, in fact. Sled pushes are a fantastic conditioning tool for burning calories, improving VO2 max, and engaging nearly every muscle in your body. For those reasons and more, they’ve long been a staple in cross-training programs. 

But for all of gym history, you’ve needed plenty of room to do sled pushes. Here’s how we got around that issue so you can make more gains in less space. 

What Is a Treadmill Sled Push?

The Strive™ Curved Treadmill is our answer to cramped or crowded gyms. Traditionally, sled pushes require a long, unobstructed lane. Most gyms have turf, but other gymgoers utilize it for warming up, core training, or what feels like fifteen sets of yapping to failure. 

So, we got to work. At REP, our engineers put their heads down to solve the problem of cardio workouts being spatially inefficient. 

The result: The Strive™ Curved Treadmill allows you to perform sled pushes (and pulls) on a stationary treadmill, alongside other core functionalities like distance running and HIIT support. 

How it works: “There’s a clutch on the frame that needs to be engaged to activate the sled mode,” says REP product analyst and CSCS Noah Tenenbaum. “After that, you’ve got eight levels of resistance available. You can also set the tread on an incline to push uphill.”

Once engaged, you'll have various grip positions to choose from to help you drive the belt backwards. Additionally, the head down display gives you quick-glance stats without needing to crank your neck out of position to view.

[Read More: Strive™ Series Overview]

Treadmill Sled Push Benefits

To start with the obvious, adding sled push on tread functionality to a standard treadmill means no more having to wait for turf space to clear out in a busy gym. Beyond the setup, sled pushes themselves confer plenty of science-backed benefits: 

• Some researchers argue sled pushes have better transfer to sprint mechanics than standard sprint training or weight lifting. 
• Other data tells us that sled pushes are likely superior to drags, especially for athletes who need to cover short horizontal distances quickly.
• Sled push workouts can serve as a quick and dirty warm-up tool, increasing blood flow and engaging muscles in your legs, trunk, and arms simultaneously when the work is tackled with proper form. 

But that’s just the nerdy stuff. Practically speaking, sled pushes on tread save a ton of space—a logistical perk you can’t afford to overlook if you’re outfitting a garage gym. 

Treadmill Sled Push Muscles Worked

Here’s the deal. When you push sled, your body is forced to work as a synchronous unit. This means engaging muscles in your limbs and torso, either isometrically or dynamically, to stabilize and move the weight.

However, not every muscle activated during sled push exercise is stimulated to the same degree. Here are the major players:

• Glutes: Your glutes fire to extend your back leg when you push.
• Quads: Your quadriceps engage to extend your knees with each stride.
• Core: Your abdominals and lower back contract to keep your trunk still so you can transfer force from your legs to the sled. 
• Calves: Your calves finish each push in your stride once your hips and knees are extended.

Other sled push muscles worked include your upper back, shoulders, arms, and chest depending on how you’re holding the sled rails. However, these muscles contract isometrically—they distribute and bear tension, but don’t stretch or contract, which is crucial for muscle growth.

As such, sled pushes on a treadmill (or turf) are great for warming your body up, but don’t expect much in the way of upper-body gains.

Treadmill Sled Push Workouts

The right sled push warm-up can warm you up for a great workout afterward, or be a conditioning workout unto itself. Here are two ways to utilize the sled; the first workout is an all-purpose primer for a lifting session, while the second maximizes the utility of the Strive sled treadmill.

Sled Push Warm-Up 

3 rounds of: 

• 20-pace sled push
• 20 seconds side plank (each side) 
• 20-pace sled pull 

Sled Push on Tread Workout

3-4 rounds of:

• 5 minutes brisk walk or light jog
• 30 seconds sled push with light weight
• 60 seconds slow recovery walk
• 30 seconds sled push with medium weight
• 60 seconds slow recovery walk
• 30 seconds sled push with heavy weight
• 60 seconds sled push with light weight 

Treadmill Sled Push Alternative

If you don’t have access to a Strive treadmill, we’ll throw you a bone. After all, a sled push on tread is pretty cutting-edge. If you have a regular weight sled and space to work, you can get many of the same benefits.

That said, sled pushes are hard to replicate with other types of equipment. Here are a few sled push alternatives that somewhat mirror the movement or loading patterns:

• Jacob’s ladder
• Walking lunges 
• Zercher Bulgarian split squat
• Mountain climbers

Strive for Greatness 

REP never sleeps. We’re always striving (apologies) to meet the evolving needs of the gym community with equipment that innovates and exhilarates. 

The Strive™ Series doesn't stop at the Strive™ Curved Treadmill. And just like the tread, the Strive™ Air Bike featuring VPR™ does more in less space than the competitors—you shouldn’t have to cordon off a bowling alley lane’s worth of space just to get a good workout in. We’re putting more functionality in less space so you can keep pushing toward your fitness goals. 

FAQs

Is pushing a sled a good workout?

Yes, sled push workouts work wonders, especially as a conditioning or calorie-burning tool. This is due to the exercise requiring you to use multiple large muscle groups in your upper and lower half simultaneously. 

How long should you do sled pushes?

For best results with sled push workouts, make it quick and dirty. Do brief but intense rounds of up to 30-60 seconds with short, frequent rest in-between.

Why are sled push workouts so hard?

Sled pushing is challenging because it requires full-body coordination. Most conditioning workouts don’t utilize heavy loads, but weight sleds let you load up heavy and still keep your heart rate high. 

Can sled pushes replace squats?

Sled push workouts can replace squats to a degree. They won’t build as much muscle or maximal strength, but can work as a substitution for beginners or if you’re trying to maintain the muscle you have.

References

1. Cahill, Micheál J. MSc1,2; Cronin, John B. PhD2,3; Oliver, Jon L. PhD2,4; P. Clark, Kenneth PhD5; Lloyd, Rhodri S. PhD2,4,7; Cross, Matt R. MSc2,6. Sled Pushing and Pulling to Enhance Speed Capability. Strength and Conditioning Journal 41(4):p 94-104, August 2019. | DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000460 

2. Gottlieb, R., Levi, A., Shalom, A., Gonzalez, J. C., & Meckel, Y. (2024). The Use of Sleds as a Unique Training Technique for Anaerobic Performance Development among Young Basketball Players. Applied Sciences, 14(7), 2696.