• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workouts
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Creatine
      • AG1 Review
    • Equipment
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Home Gym Machines
    • Certifications
      • ISSA Review
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

Science Says Sled Training Improves Sprint Times

A recent study compared the effects of combined weighted sled training and sprint training against traditional sprint training on 10 and 30 meter speed in professional rugby players.

Joshua Wortman

Written by Joshua Wortman Last updated on June 25, 2012

Sled training has become a staple training method in the fitness world. Bodybuilders use it for conditioning and muscle-building purposes, whereas sprinters use it to improve acceleration. Acceleration is the rate at which velocity changes with time, or the rate at which something speeds up or slows down.1 Acceleration is a very important component of field sports, and is often considered necessary for success. A recent study compared the effects of combined weighted sled training and sprint training against traditional sprint training on 10 and 30 meter speed in professional rugby union players.2

The study consisted of 20 professional rugby players and compared the effects of a combined sled-tow sprint training program with a traditional sprint training program. The participants were placed into either a sled training group, or a traditional sprint training group. The sled group consisted of three 20 meter tows with 12.6% body mass on the sled, as well as two series of three 20 meter sprints. Recent research shows that a load of 12.5-13% of body mass is optimal for sled training since it does not alter sprint kinematics. The traditional sprint program consisted of three 20 meter sprints as well as two series of three 20 meter sprints. Each group performed training sessions twice a week for six weeks. Times for the 10 meter and 30 meter sprints were conducted before and after the training.3

At the end of the study, both training protocols resulted in significantly lower 10 meter and 30 meter sprint times. The changes in the participants 10 meter and 30 meter speed times showed the sled training group had more improvement than the traditional sprint training group. However, when compared to baseline times, the sled group produced changes of -2.4% (10 meter) and -2.5% (30 meter), compared to respective changes of -1.1% and -1.2% in the traditional sprint group.4

In addition to the findings of this study, prior research revealed that sprint training utilizing towing a sled loaded with 5 kilograms for a duration of 8 weeks resulted in improved acceleration performance. When using resistance, the body is forced to fire harder on each step. Over time, the athlete’s nervous system may learn to fire harder all the time, not just directly after use of the weighted sled.5

Although the results of the study show that each training protocol is successful for speed development, it appears that the combination of sled-tows with sprint training produce better gains. There are many designs and models of sleds being produced today, and for good reason – they work.

Joshua Wortman

About Joshua Wortman

Joshua began lifting in high school, but really doesn’t consider his effective training to have begun until the last few years. Joshua was always very strong for his bodyweight, but he didn’t just want to be strong, he wanted to look strong. At 140 pounds, no matter how strong he was for his age and weight, the size wasn’t there.

During his last year of college, Joshua began research on bodybuilding, and since his graduation, he has taken his bodybuilding to a whole new level. Josh experienced a minor setback in 2009 when he experienced an L5-L6 disc herniation while doing deadlifts. Consequently, his lower body training was very limited for almost a year. Thankfully, he has self-rehabbed his back to pretty much full strength.

Since he graduated from NC State University with his Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering, Joshua has taken his bodybuilding to a whole new level. His knowledge has increased ten fold since when he began, and both his knowledge anpersonal progress have also bred success in the fact he started up Get Right Get Tight Fitness.

View All Articles

Recommended Articles

Science Investigates Optimal Loads for Sled Pulls
Hugh Jackman Deadpool 3 Workouts Spring:Winter 2023
Hugh Jackman Returns to Wolverine Condition in Workouts for “Deadpool 3”
Method Man Incline Dumbbell Presses December 2022
Check Out Rapper Method Man Cruising Through 120-Pound Incline Dumbbell Presses for 10 Reps
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Leg Workout
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Crushes 5 “Monster Sets” of a Leg Workout

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

Low-Bar vs. High-Bar Squats: What’s the Best Lower-Body Builder for You?

Chris Bumstead is Building His Own Private Gym

Samantha Eugenie Crushes 122.5-Kilogram (270-Pound) Bench Press PR

Ronnie Coleman Says Derek Lunsford is His Favorite Modern Bodybuilder

Latest Reviews

Athletic Greens AG1

Athletic Greens AG1 Review: Is This Greens Powder Worth It?

ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Review

ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Review

Best Whey Proteins for Packing on Muscle, Shredding Down, Meal Replacement, and More

Best Pre-Workouts for Building Muscle, Running, Taste, and More

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2023 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About