The Sled Pull arrives when you already have two kilometers and two stations in your legs.
Unlike the Sled Push, here you don’t push: you pull the rope to drag the sled toward you. The movement looks simpler, but it has traps. The grip tires sooner than you expect, technique breaks down if it’s not automated, and losing rhythm in this station will weigh you down at the end.
In this guide you will understand how the station works, what technical options you have, which fits your profile best and how to get out of it without burning your grip for the rest of the race (you still have Rowing and the Farmers Carry ahead).
Let’s break it down. First, the video on how to prepare this station:
COMPETING IN DOUBLES?
👉 If you’re competing in pairs, don’t miss this post that includes a video with the key points for this station in the doubles format
Velites is an international partner of HYROX, and we’ve developed specific resources for you to help you prepare for this competition: a complete video course with running technique and station-specific content, preparation for the doubles competition, free access to our app with exclusive training plans, gifts, discounts and much more. Join and enjoy.
Also, if you want to train a specific HYROX station, here are the athlete guides we’ve already unlocked:
- HYROX Guide: Running
- HYROX Guide: SkiErg
- HYROX Guide: Sled Push
- HYROX Guide: Burpee Broad Jumps
- HYROX Guide: Rowing
- HYROX Guide: Farmers Carry
- HYROX Guide: Sandbag Lunges
- HYROX Guide: Wall Balls
Want to train each station with technique, strategy and a reference video? Access the 8 Week Digital Training System — you have everything here on the blog, on YouTube and in the Velites Training App.
What is the Sled Pull in HYROX?
The Sled Pull is the third HYROX station. It happens right after the third kilometer of running and consists of dragging a loaded sled by a rope, without crossing the line marked on the floor.
The total distance is the same as the Sled Push: 50 meters divided into four segments of 12.5 meters. But the movement pattern is completely different: instead of pushing with the legs, you pull the rope with the arms and back while remaining inside the work area.
It’s a pull-dominant station: lats, biceps, hamstrings and core work in chain to move the sled efficiently.
Why training the Sled Pull makes you a better athlete
The Sled Pull develops posterior chain pulling strength in a horizontal pattern that greatly influences your overall HYROX performance.
Working it specifically improves:
- Lat and biceps strength under aerobic fatigue
- Coordination between arm pull and hip extension
- Grip endurance, which is also used in Farmers Carry and Rowing.
- The ability to maintain a steady rhythm in a repetitive movement under pressure
Grip is a limited resource. What you spend here you’ll notice in the Rowing and Farmers Carry. Training the Sled Pull efficiently not only improves this station: it helps with what comes next.
Official distance and weight in HYROX
The distance is always the same across all divisions: 50 meters total in four segments of 12.5 meters. The weights are:
| Women Open · Doubles Women · Women's Relays | 78kg |
| Men Open · Doubles Men · Doubles Mixed · Men's Relays · Pro Women · Pro Doubles Women | 103kg |
| Pro Men · Pro Doubles Men | 153kg |
| Mixed Relays |
F
78kg
M
103kg
|
Keep in mind the surface directly affects sled resistance. Carpet generates more friction than the box floor, which makes starting the sled harder.
Official rules of the station
- The athlete must remain inside the 2-meter work area at all times. Stepping out is an infraction.
- The sled must fully cross the line before changing direction. If it doesn’t cross, you must pull it again.
- The rope must be thrown to one side at the end of each segment — never behind — to avoid tripping and not interfere with other athletes.
- You may not use your body outside the marked area as a support point to pull harder.
- Enter through the IN and exit through the OUT of the Roxzone. Confusing them carries a 2-minute penalty per infraction.
Technique: the 2 most efficient options
There are several ways to pull the sled. These are the three most used in competition. Choose before you start and have it automated: it’s not the time to improvise with the sled already hooked.
Option 1: hand-over-hand in a static position
Lower into a squat. Feet flat and wide, rope taut, core engaged, chest up.
Pull the rope to the stomach with alternating arms, hand-over-hand. Keep the arms extended at the start and bend them only at the end of each pull. The rope stays between the legs and you throw it back when it accumulates.
Activate the lats and hamstrings from the start. The force doesn’t come from the arms: it comes from the posterior chain.
Option 2: walking backwards (drag back)
Position yourself near the line. Lower into a squat, tension the rope and keep the arms extended. Lean slightly forward using body weight to gain inertia, and drive the hip extension forcefully.
Cast the rope to one side as you move. Walk backwards without stepping on the line. Return to the line while you tension the rope and repeat.
This option is good for the first meters: it generates speed quickly and uses the legs more, which protects the grip early on.
Can they be combined?
Yes, and that’s what many experienced athletes do. A common strategy is to use the drag back in the first meters to gain speed and switch to the static position to maintain power in the final meters. What you cannot lose at any time is tension in the rope.
Common mistakes to avoid
Starting without tension in the rope
→ Create tension with your hands and body before pulling. If the rope is slack at the start, the first pull won’t move the sled and you waste energy on an empty pull.
Using the arms too early
→ Keep the arms extended and let the hips and legs initiate the movement. Bend the elbows only at the end of each pull. If the arms fatigue before the rest of the body, it’s a sign the posterior chain is not working.
Losing the pull rhythm
→ Maintain a steady rhythm. Slow is fluid, fluid is fast. Irregular starts and stops wear you out more than a sustained rhythm even if it’s slower.
Stepping outside the marked area
→ Respect the 2-meter area and always watch where you step. In the heat of competition it’s easy to step out without noticing, especially when walking backwards.
Race strategy for the Sled Pull
The Sled Pull has a trap: rhythm breaks more easily than in the Sled Push because the movement is repetitive and the grip tires progressively without you noticing until it’s too late.
Manage the rope from the first pull. Each time you cast it, it goes to one side — right or left — and never directly behind you. This habit must be automated to avoid wasting time repositioning it during the race.
If you need a short break, take it without letting go of the rope. Releasing it and re-tensioning costs more than a two-second pause with it in your hand.
At the end of each segment, check that the sled fully crosses the line before turning. A quick glance avoids repeating the segment.
How to train the Sled Pull for HYROX
1. Train with more weight than in competition
Working with more load than you’ll see in the race makes the official weight feel manageable. To simulate the competition floor resistance, you can add a sandbag in front of the sled during training: it increases friction and better replicates real conditions.
2. Train the grip specifically
Grip is the weak link of the Sled Pull. Dead hangs, heavy kettlebell farmer carries and battle rope have direct transfer for race day. In competition you can use chalk or gloves to protect it: choose in advance and train with what you’ll use on race day.
3. Reinforce pulling with accessory exercises
Strict pull-ups, barbell or dumbbell rows and horizontal pulling variations have direct transfer to this station. If you train CrossFit you already cover much of this, but make sure to include horizontal pulling exercises as well.
4. Always combine specific training with running
Isolated Sled Pull training does not prepare you for HYROX. Pulling the rope after two kilometers and a Sled Push in your legs is very different than doing it fresh. Always include running before and after each sled block.
5. Practice the three techniques until they are automatic
In competition there is no time to think which option to use or where the rope goes. The pattern must be so automated that the body executes it well even when the heart rate is at 175.
Workout of the day
HYROX Sled Pull Session
4 Rounds
400m Run at race pace
Sled Pull 25m (drag back on the first segment, static position on the second)
40 Double-Unders / 80 Single-Unders
Objective:
Maintain tension in the rope each round, manage its lateral position from the first pull and don’t lose rhythm. If the grip starts to fail before the third round, reduce the weight or shorten the segments.
More HYROX content
If you already have the Sled Push under control, the next station awaits you.
Remember:
Our 8-week digital program includes:
- Technical videos of all stations
- Strategy for doubles
- Structured week-by-week programming
Velites is an international partner of HYROX, and we’ve developed specific resources for you to help you prepare for this competition: a complete video course with running technique and station-specific content, preparation for the doubles competition, free access to our app with exclusive training plans, gifts, discounts and much more. Join and enjoy.
