Coastal Strength & Fitness

We’ve been pushing sleds at Coastal since we opened our doors in 2014.

There’s a reason they’ve remained a foundational piece of our training for more than a decade.

Sled pushes let us train the legs hard, get the heart rate up, and build work capacity without requiring a ton of technical skill.

They’re also incredibly scalable.

We can load them appropriately for someone brand new to exercise or make them brutally challenging for someone who has been training for years.

And there’s more than one way to push one.

1. Straight-Arm Sled Push

Hands on the uprights with the elbows extended.

This gives you a little more distance from the sled and is a simple, comfortable position for a lot of people. It’s often a great place to start.

2. Bent-Arm Sled Push

Bend the elbows and bring your body closer to the sled.

This lets you get into a lower position and can make it easier to drive through the ground, especially as the sled gets heavier.

3. Shoulder-Braced Sled Push

Bring yourself even closer and brace your shoulders/upper arms and forearms against the uprights.

You’ll see this position a lot because it can work particularly well when you’re trying to move a heavily loaded sled.

So which one should you use?

Whichever allows you to push effectively and comfortably for what you’re trying to accomplish.

There are small differences between each position, but for most of our members, we’re much more interested in appropriately loading the sled, pushing with intent, and doing it consistently than declaring one variation the “best.”

Sometimes personal preference is a perfectly good reason to choose an exercise.

12+ years later, sleds are still one of our favorite tools in the gym.

Asking the important questions around here...

🍍 + 🍕 = yes or absolutely not?

Let us know your take in the comments… does pineapple belong on pizza?