How to Train for HYROX Without a Sled

Sledpush Editorial Team · Updated October 17, 2026 · 1 min read

General information, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting a new plan, and train at your own risk. Read more.

The short answer

You can train for the HYROX sleds without a sled. For the push, use heavy leg work like walking lunges, step-ups and treadmill pushes with the belt off. For the pull, use heavy rows and rope pulls on a cable machine. Practise on a real sled at least once before race day if you can.

Sled push substitutes

Treadmill push. Turn the treadmill off, grip the handles and drive the belt with your legs. Many gyms allow it.
Heavy walking lunges. 4 x 20 m with dumbbells.
Step-ups. 3 x 10 per leg on a knee-high box.
Wall sit with a push. Lean into a wall at 45 degrees and drive your feet for 30 seconds.

Sled pull substitutes

Cable rope pulls. Hand over hand, using a long rope on a cable machine.
Heavy cable or bent-over rows. 4 x 10.
Backward walk with a resistance band anchored to a rack.

Sample session

4 rounds: 400 m run, 30 seconds treadmill push, 10 heavy rows per arm.

Before race day

The sled feels different from any substitute, especially on carpet. Try to book a session at a HYROX training gym at least once. Then read our sled push technique guide.

Quick answers

What can replace the sled push?

Pushing a switched-off treadmill, heavy walking lunges, Bulgarian split squats and step-ups all build the same leg drive.

What can replace the sled pull?

Heavy cable rows, rope pulls on a cable machine and bent-over rows train the same muscles.

Each guide is drafted with AI assistance, fact-checked against the current HYROX rulebook and reviewed by a human editor before publishing. This guide is general information for healthy adults, not medical, nutrition or coaching advice, and it isn't tailored to you. Talk to a doctor before starting a new training plan, diet or supplement, and stop if you feel pain or unwell. Rules and weights can change, so check the official rulebook before you race. See our Terms and Disclaimer.