The benefits of hyrox sled push exercise

The sled push in Hyrox provides a multitude of benefits, contributing significantly to an athlete’s overall fitness. Here’s a breakdown:  

• Hyrox, as a whole, is a very high-calorie-burning event. Participants can burn a significant amount of calories throughout the entire race, which includes running and various functional exercises.  
• The sled push is a very demanding exercise that engages large muscle groups, so it contributes substantially to the overall calorie expenditure.  

• Lower Body Strength and Power:
  • The sled push primarily targets the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, building significant lower body strength and power.
  • It’s a compound movement that engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, leading to greater muscle activation.  
• Cardiovascular Endurance:
  • The sled push is a demanding exercise that elevates heart rate and improves cardiovascular endurance.  
  • It’s a great way to increase your anaerobic capacity and improve your ability to perform high-intensity exercise.  
• Core Strength and Stability:
  • Maintaining a stable posture during the sled push requires significant core engagement.  
  • This exercise strengthens the core muscles, improving stability and balance.
• Mental Toughness:
  • The sled push is a challenging exercise that requires mental fortitude and determination.
  • It helps athletes develop mental toughness and the ability to push through discomfort.
• Functional Fitness:
  • The sled push is a functional movement that mimics real-life activities, such as pushing heavy objects.  
  • It improves overall functional fitness and the ability to perform everyday tasks.
• Hyrox Specific Training:
  • Sled push is a key part of the hyrox event, so training this event will increase your ability to perform well during the competition.  

• Link: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/high-intensity-interval-training/faq-20058511

National Institutes of Health (NIH) – High-Intensity Interval Training for Health and Fitness:

• This research-backed article from the NIH discusses the physiological benefits of HIIT, including improvements in aerobic and anaerobic fitness.
• Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6763680/

Harvard Health Publishing – High-intensity interval training:

• This article from harvard health publishing explains the benefits of HIIT, and also gives some cautions. ¹   1. 10-minute HIIT workouts for busy days – Kaiser Permanente healthy.kaiserpermanente.org
• link: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/high-intensity-interval-training-the-pros-and-cons
• Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 – NHS:
• This page details the recommended levels of physical activity, including descriptions of moderate, vigorous, and very vigorous intensity activities.
• It explains how high-intensity activities can provide significant health benefits.
• https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/