Issue 137
January 2016
Recruiting the humble sled for your training is no drag – it can revolutionize your MMA strength and conditioning program
The sled is one of the most versatile yet most neglected pieces of kit in the gym. Fighters from every corner of the globe can be found loading them up with weights before pushing and pulling them across gym floors and parking lots thanks to their suitability for full-body MMA strength and conditioning training.
“Virtually every single muscle in the body can be worked using the sled,” says former strongman turned S&C guru Jack Lovett, who has worked with UFC athletes for more than a decade.
“As well as developing strength, endurance and speed, the sled also increases joint stability and decreases muscle soreness due to the concentric movement. It really is ideal for MMA.”
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Jack prefers a flat-bottomed steel sled instead of a dual-runner design because it can be used on any surface.
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The following exercises can be added individually to any balanced S&C workout, or done in sequence on a ‘sled day.’ Aim to pull the sled for 50-100 feet, or do multiple reps and sets over shorter distances.
1/ Forward drag
Attach handles to the sled with duplex straps Hold one in each hand and lean your chest over your feet as you walk forward. This exercise develops strength in your legs, glutes, hip extensors and flexors. Use thicker handles to target grip strength too.
2/ Reverse drag with grappling grips
Replace the handles with grappling grips. This is done the same way as the forward drag except this time you face the sled, lean backwards and drive through your heels as you engage all the same muscle groups. This type of handle will seriously test and develop your grip strength.
3/ Backward row
Face the sled and hold the straps with your arms out in front of you. Load tension on the straps and forcefully pull the sled toward you. Take a few steps back and repeat. This can also be done one arm at a time. It’s great for your upper and lower back, posterior chain and your grip strength.
4/ Drag with kettlebell farmer’s walk
Attach the sled straps to the back of a lifting belt or martial arts belt and pick up a kettlebell in each hand. Walk forward like you did for the forward drag, but this time you’re carrying the extra weight to add grip and forearm strength to the exercise.
5/ Pull-throughs
Grab the sled straps and stand facing away from the sled with the handles held between your legs. Without bending your knees, hinge at the hips, load the straps with tension and explosively extend your hips forward. Make sure the straps are long enough that the sled doesn’t fly into the backs of your legs
6/ Drag with Zercher log carry
With the sled attached to the back of a lifting or martial arts belt, hold a log in a Zercher position – holding it in the crooks of your elbows. Pull the log into your chest and move forward. This time you’re adding upper back, shoulder, chest and full-arm strength work as well as engaging your core.
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