I can be a meathead and surprise I like meathead things (occupational hazard)!! Sometimes I imagine they have late night informercials for cool stuff. Even if it is just cool for the gym set. An infomercial for gym equipment would be amazing! So instead of crying to Sara McLoughlin song pledging money to animal shelter, or Ron Prepeil hustling a home rotisserie cooker, if your old enough Suzanne Summers pushing the thigh master. Lets set the scene:
A video pops up with a host who looks like a Swole Billy Powell:
You want to build muscle? I got you!
You want to get faster? I got you!
You want to burn fat? I got you!
Ladies you want a bigger butt? I got you too!!
I got you!
Whats is Swole Billy Powell selling?
The most versatile piece of fitness equipment. When properly used can have multiple benefits ranging from hypertrophy, endurance building, increase in speed, conditioning tool, and all around help you to be more resilient. We are talking about utilizing the sled.
Where do I start?
Some quote about the merits of hard work, “Life doesn’t get any easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient” Steve Maraboli.
Utilizing the tools we have at hand? “Do what you can with what you have, where you are.” Theodore Roosevelt
Or possibly soothe your anger and or disappointment with some stoicism? “Any person capable of angering you becomes your master.” Epictetus
If you train or exercise you should be comfortable being uncomfortable and if not make the proper adjustments. If you train your body and your mind to be comfortable in an uncomfortable position, this change can cause a major shift in your mind eventually change your life. It can allow you to shift perspective, think about the bigger picture, be present but realize it is temporary. It will help remove barriers either external or self imposed. Unfortunately are times of barriers, times of change, as well as times of being uncomfortable. The limiting factors in evolving your situation are knowledge and creativity which can be stunted if you are not in the right mindset.
But what does this have to do with fitness? What does this have to do with using a sled, or doing loaded carries? One of my clients has been quoted with “I hate that fucking thing“ talking about using a sled or doing loaded carries. He hates it but he does it because he knows it will make him better, stronger, raise his level of endurance and in the end more resilient. We are looking at building a training base that is the difference becoming an Average Athlete or a Great Athlete. This is the definition of general physical preparedness as per Louis Simmons. He goes on to speak extensively about building a training base for three years in his book the “Rule of Three”. This philosophy was attributed to the Russians Athletic coaches who used this to build their young athletes general training before specific. The Russian Coaches and Sports Scientists feel that GPP is that important, it is not a point I will argue. I will use GPP as a base and determine how can a sled and other tools within the GPP Wheel house help to get not only my clients, but my readers to reach their goals.
We have touched on a few of the benefits of utilizing a sled or sled work in you're training. It allows you to work on physical and mental aspects of self development. In regards to the physical it helps to build training base of strength, increase your endurance, as well as preparing for greater physical adaptability. The mental benefits include developing resilience the use of the sled captures the key components of developing resilience as per the research of leading psychologist Susan Kobasa. They are challenge meaning that resilient people see difficulty as challenging not a paralyzing event with no negative reflection on their self worth or abilities. The second key element is commitment resilient people are committed to their goals, they have a clear compelling attachment to their goals, relationships, and friendships. The last element is personal control as resilient people spend their time and energy focusing on situations that they can control allowing them to feel empowered and confident.
Onto the workouts!!!! The workouts will be driven by a number of different factors goals, current training level, current recovery levels ie whoop score, and compliance. All of the factors can vary on a daily basis given the parameters of sleep, nutrition, stress, time and other constraints.
Upper Body Pump Aka Welcome to the Gun Show!
30 Yard Sled Pull with a rope hand over hand into a
30 Yard Sled Shove from a Squat Position
with this you want to use 20% of your bodyweight
Glute March muscle building in the Glutes and Legs
60 Yard Sled March with a good lean driving your knees towards your hands
Down and back 30 yards a run.
This the weight should be anywhere from 1-1 1/2 times your bodyweight. The key is the higher the knee the greater the activation.
Joe Defranco Contrast Sled Guidelines “Defranco Prowler Training”
Drag or push the sled 10 seconds or less
Take off 30-90 seconds
Heavy enough to where you have to lean
Using this technique please be sure to recover fully between sets
West Side Barbell Max Effort Sled Workout
This workout is done with a weighted sled attached to a belt around your waist.
Strike with the heel first not the ball of the foot. Sled Trip should be 60 yards.
Warm up with 30% of your perceived Max
Pull the sled 60 yards per trip increasing the weight each set.
Your should be at your max at around your 7th trip.
Above we have four workouts two that are effectively will work for either upper or lower body muscle building or hypertrophy. They were both written by myself the other two workouts came from Joe Defranco and West Side Barbell/Louis Simmons both of whom are innovators in the health and fitness industry. What I did not include was a rehab or a workout for someone returning to fitness. In those two instances the workouts would and should be individualized according to a number of factors.
This article is part of a series where we will explore General Physical Preparedness and its components. As you can see I feel that it is important to have a good foundation and GPP is one way there. Yes, I can be described as a meat head, I love the gym and working out. But I full well know thats not everyones jam. The goal is to shine a light on the many ways we can workout; as well as the reasons some of us workout mental health, spiritual quest, meditation, and many other reasons. So interspersed with articles about fitness, nutrition, recovery, and self care. We will be touching on mental health, issues of the day, and self development. If you want or need a sled workout for rehab or for someone who is trying to get back in shape please feel free to contact me.
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