Get Jacked with the Gronkowski Family’s Favorite Sled Exercises
Sleds are great for building lower-body strength and power.
Besides traditional sled pushes and pulls, you can perform many other exercises with the sled, making it one of the most versatile pieces of equipment in the gym.
The Gronk Fitness Push Sled was designed for versatility. This single piece of equipment can serve as the base station for your total workout. With the sled and a few accessories, you can build both upper- and lower-body strength and power to develop the attributes you need to become a well-rounded athlete, just like Gronk.
Dan Gronkowski, who played tight end for several NFL teams, demonstrates some of the Gronk brothers’ favorite exercises using the Gronk Fitness Push Sled. Here are the moves:
RELATED: Get Jacked With Gronk’s Muscle-Building Circuit Workout
Sled Explosive Press
Builds explosive pressing power while standing, which makes it highly transferable to on-field performance.
Setup: Place your hands on the sled handles just below chest height. Lean forward until your body is at a 45-degree angle. Bend your arms to your sides as if you were at the bottom of a Push-Up and assume a staggered stance. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Explosively drive your arms forward. Release the sled when your arms are fully extended to push it forward. Walk to the sled and set up for the next rep.
Sled Landmine Rotation
Develops a strong and stable core that can resist tackles and other attempts to knock you out of position.
Setup: Place one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the opposite end of the barbell with both hands extended in front of your chest. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Slowly rotate the barbell from hip to hip in a semicircular path.
Sled Landmine Squat and Press
Improves full-body strength and develops the movement you use when driving off the line into an opponent.
Setup: Place one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the opposite end of the barbell with both hands extended in front of your chest. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Lower into a quarter squat. Explosively drive up out of the Squat and simultaneously press the barbell with both arms. Lower the bar to your chest and repeat.
Landmine Single-Arm Squat and Press
The benefits are the same as the double-arm version, but this one also helps to balance strength on both sides of your body.
Setup: Place one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the opposite end of the barbell with one hand in front of your shoulder. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Lower into a quarter squat. Explosively drive up out of the Squat and simultaneously press the barbell. Lower the bar to your shoulder and repeat.
Rope Sled Pull
Builds core strength and improves your grip. This is also a great total-body exercise, which can be used as a conditioning finisher at the end of a workout.
Setup: Attach a rope to the sled. Hold the opposite end of the rope and assume a quarter squat position. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Pull with your arms in an alternating fashion to drag the sled toward you.
Sled Tricep Overhead Extensions
Increases triceps strength and size while also challenging your core.
Setup: Attach a suspension trainer to a sled. Stand facing away from the sled with a staggered stance and a slight forward lean. Bend your arms so your hands are next to your ears with your elbows forward. Make sure there’s tension on the straps. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Without moving your upper arms, drive your hands forward to straighten your arms and pull the sled. Step forward and repeat.
Sled Low Push
Builds lower-body power with a focus on the glutes and quads.
Setup: Place your hands on the sled’s low handles with your arms straight. Assume a staggered stance with your back flat and almost parallel to the ground. Keep your core tight.
Action: Drive your legs backward to push the sled forward. Do not bounce up and down or sway side to side.
Sled Football Pad Push
This is similar to the Low Sled Push, but you can push greater loads because the weight is supported by your shoulders instead of your arms.
Setup: Lean forward and place your shoulders on the sled’s football pads. Hold onto the handles. Assume a staggered stance with your back flat and almost parallel to the ground. Keep your core tight.
Action: Drive your legs backward to push the sled forward. Do not bounce up and down or sway side to side.
Sled Backpedal
This drill helps keep your body balanced by improving backward movement. It also torches your quads.
Setup: Attach a suspension trainer to a sled. Lower into a quarter squat. Keep your back straight and core tight.
Action: Backpedal to pull the sled, pushing against the ground through the balls of your feet.
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Get Jacked with the Gronkowski Family’s Favorite Sled Exercises
Sleds are great for building lower-body strength and power.
Besides traditional sled pushes and pulls, you can perform many other exercises with the sled, making it one of the most versatile pieces of equipment in the gym.
The Gronk Fitness Push Sled was designed for versatility. This single piece of equipment can serve as the base station for your total workout. With the sled and a few accessories, you can build both upper- and lower-body strength and power to develop the attributes you need to become a well-rounded athlete, just like Gronk.
Dan Gronkowski, who played tight end for several NFL teams, demonstrates some of the Gronk brothers’ favorite exercises using the Gronk Fitness Push Sled. Here are the moves:
RELATED: Get Jacked With Gronk’s Muscle-Building Circuit Workout
Sled Explosive Press
Builds explosive pressing power while standing, which makes it highly transferable to on-field performance.
Setup: Place your hands on the sled handles just below chest height. Lean forward until your body is at a 45-degree angle. Bend your arms to your sides as if you were at the bottom of a Push-Up and assume a staggered stance. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Explosively drive your arms forward. Release the sled when your arms are fully extended to push it forward. Walk to the sled and set up for the next rep.
Sled Landmine Rotation
Develops a strong and stable core that can resist tackles and other attempts to knock you out of position.
Setup: Place one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the opposite end of the barbell with both hands extended in front of your chest. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Slowly rotate the barbell from hip to hip in a semicircular path.
Sled Landmine Squat and Press
Improves full-body strength and develops the movement you use when driving off the line into an opponent.
Setup: Place one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the opposite end of the barbell with both hands extended in front of your chest. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Lower into a quarter squat. Explosively drive up out of the Squat and simultaneously press the barbell with both arms. Lower the bar to your chest and repeat.
Landmine Single-Arm Squat and Press
The benefits are the same as the double-arm version, but this one also helps to balance strength on both sides of your body.
Setup: Place one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the opposite end of the barbell with one hand in front of your shoulder. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Lower into a quarter squat. Explosively drive up out of the Squat and simultaneously press the barbell. Lower the bar to your shoulder and repeat.
Rope Sled Pull
Builds core strength and improves your grip. This is also a great total-body exercise, which can be used as a conditioning finisher at the end of a workout.
Setup: Attach a rope to the sled. Hold the opposite end of the rope and assume a quarter squat position. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Pull with your arms in an alternating fashion to drag the sled toward you.
Sled Tricep Overhead Extensions
Increases triceps strength and size while also challenging your core.
Setup: Attach a suspension trainer to a sled. Stand facing away from the sled with a staggered stance and a slight forward lean. Bend your arms so your hands are next to your ears with your elbows forward. Make sure there’s tension on the straps. Keep your core tight and your back flat.
Action: Without moving your upper arms, drive your hands forward to straighten your arms and pull the sled. Step forward and repeat.
Sled Low Push
Builds lower-body power with a focus on the glutes and quads.
Setup: Place your hands on the sled’s low handles with your arms straight. Assume a staggered stance with your back flat and almost parallel to the ground. Keep your core tight.
Action: Drive your legs backward to push the sled forward. Do not bounce up and down or sway side to side.
Sled Football Pad Push
This is similar to the Low Sled Push, but you can push greater loads because the weight is supported by your shoulders instead of your arms.
Setup: Lean forward and place your shoulders on the sled’s football pads. Hold onto the handles. Assume a staggered stance with your back flat and almost parallel to the ground. Keep your core tight.
Action: Drive your legs backward to push the sled forward. Do not bounce up and down or sway side to side.
Sled Backpedal
This drill helps keep your body balanced by improving backward movement. It also torches your quads.
Setup: Attach a suspension trainer to a sled. Lower into a quarter squat. Keep your back straight and core tight.
Action: Backpedal to pull the sled, pushing against the ground through the balls of your feet.