Sleds, also known as prowlers, have become emblematic of football training, because they’re used to replicate the effort of pushing an object that doesn’t want to budge (like an offensive lineman). But more gyms are starting to offer them—typically if there’s a turf area.
“Not many training methods can challenge your power, strength, and endurance all at once quite as well as the sled,” says Patrick Jones, a strength coach at Performance Lab by the Wright Fit in NYC.
Sleds are foremost a lower-body test. First, the glutes engage to get the contraption moving, then the quads and hamstrings activate to maintain momentum. The core fires throughout, protecting the spine and helping to transfer force to the…
