Prowler Sled: Benefits, Exercises, Workouts, Muscles Worked

Prowler sled exercises are a powerhouse tool for anyone looking to build explosive power, speed, strength, and endurance while burning calories and fat.

This fitness tool has earned its reputation for delivering results, whether you’re chasing peak athletic performance or striving for a leaner, stronger physique.

As a professional basketball player, I’ve experienced how beneficial the prowler sled can be at many different points in my career.

Notably, during the 2016-2017 offseason, while rehabilitating an ankle injury at home in Washington, D.C., I trained at a gym in Southern Maryland with a speed coach who introduced me to prowler sled workouts.

These sessions completely changed my body—I got leaner, more powerful, and better prepared for the upcoming season. It was one of the best off-seasons of my career.

The prowler sled isn’t just for athletes—it’s an incredible tool for anyone who wants to improve their fitness, boost metabolism, and achieve real results. Whether you want to build muscle, shed fat, or simply improve your overall health, this training method offers something for everyone.

In this guide, I’ll share the benefits of prowler sled exercises, recommend the best prowler sleds to buy, and provide expert tips, workouts, and answers to frequently asked questions to help you get the most out of your training.

What is the Prowler Sled Exercise?

The prowler sled is a versatile piece of fitness equipment designed for pushing, pulling, and dragging exercises.

It consists of a heavy-duty metal frame, typically equipped with vertical handles for pushing and attachment points for ropes, straps, or harnesses for pulling.

The sled’s base is designed to slide smoothly on various surfaces, such as turf, concrete, or gym flooring, making it a staple in athletic training facilities, gyms, and even home setups.

Key Features of the Prowler Sled

1. Adjustable Load: Weight plates can be added or removed to customize the resistance, making it suitable for all fitness levels.
2. Dual Handles: Most sleds feature two sets of handles—a high push bar for powerful drives and low handles for more intense, ground-level pushing.
3. Multi-Directional Training: The prowler sled can be pushed forward, pulled backward, or dragged sideways, allowing you to target various muscle groups and movement patterns.

Who Can Benefit from Prowler Sled Workouts?

The prowler sled is widely used by athletes, strength trainers, and general fitness enthusiasts. It’s particularly beneficial for:

• Athletes: Enhancing explosive power, speed, and agility for sports like football, basketball, and soccer.
• Fitness Enthusiasts: Building strength, improving conditioning, and burning fat.
• Rehabilitation Patients: Recovering from injuries while maintaining functional movement and strength.

Why is the Prowler Sled So Effective?

The prowler sled is a low-impact yet high-intensity training tool that allows you to develop strength, endurance, and functional movement patterns.

Its unique design ensures proper biomechanics, making it safer than traditional lifting exercises while still delivering powerful results.

This tool is a must-have for anyone serious about improving their fitness, athleticism, or overall health.

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, the prowler sled can be tailored to meet your training needs.

How Often Should You Do Prowler Sled Workouts?

The frequency of prowler sled workouts depends on your goals, fitness level, and overall training program.

Generally, incorporating prowler sled exercises 1-2 times per week can provide significant benefits without overtaxing your body.

Ensure sufficient recovery time between sessions to promote optimal muscle growth and prevent injury.

Safety Tips

1. Prioritize Proper Form: Maintain a neutral spine and engage your core to minimize the risk of injury.
2. Progress Gradually: Increase the weight, distance, or intensity of your prowler sled workouts over time to continue challenging your body.
3. Warm-up and Cool-down: Include a light warm-up and cool-down to reduce the risk of injury and enhance recovery.
4. Mix It Up: Incorporate various exercises and workout structures to keep your training engaging and challenging.

Benefits of Prowler Sled Workouts

Prowler sled workouts are an excellent way to elevate your fitness routine, offering a unique combination of strength, power, speed, and conditioning benefits.

Whether your goal is to increase your vertical jump, shave seconds off your 40-yard dash, or shed stubborn fat for a more aesthetic body, prowler workouts can be adapted to suit your needs.

From beginners to advanced athletes, the prowler sled is an indispensable tool that delivers results.

Let’s explore the top benefits of prowler sled workouts and how they can transform your fitness:

Safe and Easy to Learn

One of the primary benefits of prowler sled exercises is their simplicity and accessibility.

The foundational movement—the sled push—is as natural as walking or running, making it beginner-friendly while still challenging for experienced athletes.

The design of the sled ensures proper biomechanics, reducing the risk of injury.

It’s almost impossible to push a heavy sled with poor form, as your body instinctively adjusts to maintain proper posture. This makes it a safe and effective option for building strength and power.

For added variety, attach a harness to move forward, backward, or sideways, or use a rope for upper-body pulling exercises.

For instance, basketball and baseball players can benefit from lateral banded drags that mimic defensive slides.

Progression is easy—add weight, increase distance, boost speed, or extend duration, making prowler sled exercises suitable for all fitness levels.

Builds Strength, Power, and Speed

Prowler sled workouts uniquely develop strength, power, and speed simultaneously, making them a favorite among athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

By adjusting the sled’s weight and movement tempo, you can target these key areas effectively:

• Strength: Use heavy weights and slower movements to maximize muscle engagement and force production. This is ideal for building a solid foundation of strength.
• Power: Push the sled explosively with 70–85% of your maximum weight to develop your ability to generate force quickly. This carries over to dynamic sports movements like sprinting and jumping.
• Speed: Use lighter weights (50–60% of max) and move as quickly as possible to train fast-twitch muscle fibers, essential for rapid, powerful movements.

A study in the Journal of Sports Science demonstrated that the prowler sled is a reliable tool for enhancing horizontal plane power output, which is critical for sports like soccer, football, and basketball.

Improve Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditioning

Prowler sled workouts are unmatched for improving both aerobic and anaerobic conditioning. With strategic programming, you can target both energy systems:

• Anaerobic Conditioning: Use heavy weights over short distances with longer rest periods to build explosive power and short-term energy output.
• Aerobic Conditioning: Opt for lighter weights with longer pushes or shorter rest periods to improve stamina and cardiovascular fitness.

This dual benefit makes the prowler sled an ideal tool for athletes and anyone looking to enhance their overall endurance and heart health.

Increase Core Strength and Stability

One of the significant benefits of prowler sled exercises is their ability to develop core stability.

Prowler sled exercises are an underrated way to develop core strength and stability.

While the movements primarily target the lower body, they also engage the core muscles—abdominals, obliques, and lower back—to maintain posture and balance during the exercises.

A stable core enhances athletic performance by providing a solid foundation for explosive movements like sprinting and jumping.

It also improves balance and coordination during dynamic actions, ensuring efficient and controlled transitions between movements.

Prevent Injuries

Prowler sled workouts are not only effective for performance enhancement but also invaluable for injury prevention and rehabilitation.

These exercises strengthen stabilizing muscles, tendons, and ligaments, particularly in the lower body, reducing the risk of common sports injuries like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, and jumper’s knee.

By addressing muscle imbalances and improving joint stability, prowler exercises create a resilient body that’s better equipped to handle the demands of high-impact activities.

Best Prowler Sled Exercises

There are many unique ways to use a prowler sled, but here are some of the best prowler sled exercises you should consider trying.

Prowler Push

The prowler push is a fundamental sled exercise that targets the lower body and core muscles. To perform this exercise:

• Load the prowler sled with the desired weight.
• Stand behind the sled and grip the handles at chest height.
• Adopt a staggered stance and lean forward, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
• Drive the sled forward by pushing through your legs, maintaining proper form.

Prowler Sled Pull/Row

The prowler pull is another basic sled exercise that targets the upper body, particularly the back muscles. To perform this exercise:

• Attach a rope or strap to the prowler sled.
• Grasp the rope with both hands and step back until the rope is taut.
• Lean back and maintain a straight back, engaging your core.
• Pull the sled towards you by engaging your back muscles and driving your elbows behind you.
• Slowly let the sled return to its starting position and repeat.

Prowler Sled Drag

The prowler drag exercise with backpedaling is a versatile and effective posterior chain exercise that targets the posterior chain muscles, such as the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.

To perform the backpedaling prowler drag exercise:

1. Secure a strap or harness to the prowler sled and attach it to your waist. Ensure that the harness is tightly fastened and positioned comfortably.
2. Stand facing away from the sled, with enough distance to create tension in the strap or harness.
3. Adopt a slightly bent-knee and athletic stance, keeping your chest up and your core engaged.
4. Begin to backpedal, driving through your heels and pushing your hips back while maintaining a straight back and engaged core. Keep your arms relaxed by your sides.
5. Continue to backpedal, pulling the sled with controlled, steady steps. Focus on maintaining proper form and posture throughout the movement.
6. Complete the desired number of repetitions or distance before resting and repeating as necessary.

By incorporating this variation of the prowler drag exercise into your workout routine, you can build functional strength and stability, which are essential for various athletic activities and daily tasks.

Additionally, the backpedaling prowler drag can aid in injury prevention and rehabilitation by promoting balanced muscle development and reinforcing proper movement patterns.

Prowler Sled Lateral Slide/Drag

The prowler sled lateral slide exercise is a functional and dynamic movement that targets the hips, thighs, and core muscles.

This exercise is particularly beneficial for athletes needing lateral strength and stability, such as basketball and baseball players, as it mimics the movements required in these sports.

To perform the prowler sled lateral slide exercise:

1. Attach a strap or harness to the prowler sled and secure it around your waist. Ensure that the harness is comfortably fastened and positioned correctly.
2. Stand sideways to the sled, with enough distance to create tension in the strap or harness.
3. Adopt a slightly bent-knee and athletic stance, keeping your chest up and your core engaged.
4. Start the movement by stepping laterally (sideways) with the foot farthest from the sled, followed by the foot closer to the sled. Make sure to maintain an engaged core and an upright posture throughout the movement.
5. Continue performing lateral steps, pulling the sled with controlled and steady movements. Keep your weight centered and avoid leaning too far forward or backward.
6. Once you have reached the desired distance or completed the desired number of repetitions, switch sides and repeat the exercise, stepping laterally in the opposite direction.

Incorporating the prowler sled lateral slide exercise into your workout routine can help improve lateral strength, stability, and agility.

This exercise can also contribute to injury prevention and rehabilitation by promoting balanced muscle development, especially in the hip and thigh muscles.

Additionally, it helps reinforce proper movement patterns crucial for various athletic activities and daily tasks.

Prowler Sled Workout Example

A sample prowler sled workout routine could include the following exercises:

1. Warm-up: Light prowler push – 3 sets x 30 meters
2. Prowler Push – 4 sets x 20 meters
3. Prowler Pull – 4 sets x 20 meters
4. Lateral Prowler Pull – 3 sets x 20 meters (each side)
5. Prowler Sled Row – 3 sets x 10 reps
6. Cool-down: Light prowler push – 3 sets x 30 seconds

Rest for 60-90 seconds between sets and exercises.

The Best Prowler Sled to Buy (2025)

Owning a prowler sled is a smart investment for anyone serious about fitness, as this versatile piece of equipment offers numerous benefits.

With many options on the market, choosing the best prowler sled that suits your needs and budget is essential.

When choosing the best prowler sled for your needs, consider factors such as durability, versatility, and price.

Each of these options offers unique features and benefits, so carefully evaluate your training goals and preferences before making a decision.

Here are the top prowler sleds for 2025:

Torque Fitness Tank M1 Push Sled

In my opinion, the Torque Fitness Tank M1 Push Sled sets the gold standard for prowler sleds and promises to be a worthy investment.

This innovative sled features wheels, making it more comfortable and versatile for both indoor and outdoor use.

Its quiet operation and treaded wheels ensure usability on various surfaces, while its easy assembly and disassembly make it portable.

If you’re looking for the best prowler sled available, the Torque Fitness Tank M1 Push Sled is the one to choose.

Last update on 2025-04-15 / This article includes affiliate links/Images via Amazon Product Advertising API. I may earn commissions on purchases made through these links.

Valor Fitness Weight Sled

For those who prefer a more traditional prowler sled, the Valor Fitness Weight Sled is an excellent option.

Designed for use on grass or turf, this heavy-duty sled can handle up to 600 lbs of weight.

Weighing in at 72 lbs, the Valor Fitness Weight Sled is built to last and comes in at less than half the price of the XPO Trainer Push Sled, making it a great value.

Last update on 2025-04-15 / This article includes affiliate links/Images via Amazon Product Advertising API. I may earn commissions on purchases made through these links.

Best Prowler Sled Alternatives

If you’re seeking prowler sled alternatives for your fitness routine, there are a few excellent options to consider.

These alternatives can provide you with similar benefits as prowler sled exercises, such as improved strength, power, and endurance.

Here are the best prowler sled alternatives for 2025:

SKLZ SpeedSac Variable Weight Resistance Training Sled

The SKLZ SpeedSac Variable Weight Resistance Training Sled is a versatile and affordable prowler alternative that allows you to perform various sled exercises, particularly those involving dragging or pulling.

While it may not support a traditional prowler sled push, this sled trainer is an excellent option for those looking to incorporate sled exercises into their workout routine without the expense of a prowler sled.

Last update on 2025-04-15 / This article includes affiliate links/Images via Amazon Product Advertising API. I may earn commissions on purchases made through these links.

Treadmill Push Exercise

The treadmill push exercise is an effective prowler sled alternative that mimics the benefits of a prowler sled push without requiring specialized equipment.

To perform this exercise, run on a treadmill without turning it on, using your feet to drive the unpowered treadmill belt.

Be cautious not to damage the treadmill when performing this exercise.

The resistance of the treadmill belt provides a challenging workout that can help you build strength, power, and endurance.

By gradually increasing your workout duration or decreasing your rest periods, you can track your progress and improvement over time.

One of the key advantages of the treadmill push exercise is that it doesn’t require the purchase of a prowler sled or access to a gym with one.

Additionally, it takes up minimal space, making it an ideal exercise for those with limited workout areas.

Final Thoughts: Are Prowler Sled Workouts Good for You?

The prowler sled is hands down one of the best pieces of fitness equipment anyone can add to their current training program.

For those needing a change to their usual cardio workout, prowler sleds are a fantastic treadmill alternative because they provide a versatile, full-body workout that targets both strength and cardiovascular endurance.

Unlike treadmills, prowler sled exercises engage your core and upper body muscles while also offering a more functional and sports-specific training experience.

If you do not have access to a prowler sled, you can buy a prowler sled or give the treadmill push a try!

The prowler sled is safe, effective, and useful for various goals.

If you have any additional questions about prowler sled benefits or the best prowler sled to buy in 2023, please let me know!