Training · ZENITH EDITORIAL
HYROX Sled Push & Pull Weights by Division
The HYROX sled weight is the total prescribed weight including the sled, rather than the plates alone. That is the first detail to confirm before you compare a gym session with a race specification. The next is your registered division: a Women Open push is a different task from Men Pro.
This guide uses the current official season 26/27 singles rulebook, checked on 9 October 2026. It explains the published numbers and gives practical ways to make your preparation more useful. The coaching examples are educational suggestions, not an official race-equipment calibration or an individualized strength program.
HYROX sled weights: Open and Pro singles
Both sled stations cover 50 m, organized as four 12.5 m lanes. The push and pull use different prescribed totals. Men Open and Women Pro share the same published sled loads, while Women Open and Men Pro sit at the lighter and heavier ends respectively. Use your actual division name when recording a session.
The figures below include the sled. A gym note saying “152 kg of plates” does not describe a 152 kg total unless the sled itself somehow has no mass. If the empty sled’s weight is unknown, label the session with the information you have rather than claiming a precise race-equivalent total.
| Singles division | Sled push | Sled pull | Distance at each station |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women Open | 102 kg | 78 kg | 50 m: 4 × 12.5 m |
| Women Pro | 152 kg | 103 kg | 50 m: 4 × 12.5 m |
| Men Open | 152 kg | 103 kg | 50 m: 4 × 12.5 m |
| Men Pro | 202 kg | 153 kg | 50 m: 4 × 12.5 m |
What about doubles, relay and adaptive divisions?
Do not automatically use a singles table for another category. Doubles, relay and adaptive racing each have their own rulebook. Your ticket category and the current official document determine the applicable specification. A social graphic that says “HYROX weight” without a division or season leaves important information out.
For doubles, decide how the two athletes will share work as well as what the total load is. Both athletes should understand the movement standard and practice the handover. Sharing a station does not make the equipment lighter, so a strategy still needs to account for who can move it effectively and recover for the next run.
How to calculate the plates you need
Subtract the verified empty sled weight from the desired total. For example, if your sled weighs 30 kg and the planned total is 102 kg, the added mass is 72 kg. That is an arithmetic example for a known gym sled, not a claim that every HYROX sled weighs 30 kg.
Check whether handles, a loading pin or other attached components are included in the empty measurement. If equipment information is uncertain, ask the gym rather than guessing. Record both the added plate weight and the stated empty sled weight. Keeping those two numbers makes your notes easier to interpret when you train on a different setup.
Why the same weight can feel different
The load is only one part of the experience. Surface, sled construction, contact area and how the sled moves all influence what you feel while pushing or pulling. Two gyms can use the same total mass without producing an identical training task. A difficult session is not proof that one venue’s race will feel exactly the same.
Use a consistent setup when tracking your own progress. Write down the sled, lane surface, distance and load alongside the time. If you change gyms, treat the first session as a new reference point. You can still compare movement control and pacing, while avoiding a false claim of precise equivalence between different surfaces.
Sled push: make the start and the lane repeatable
Begin with a manageable load and a clear lane. Practice finding a stable body position, applying pressure smoothly and keeping steps controlled. Ask a coach to help choose a setup that suits your body and the equipment, rather than copying one athlete’s posture from a photograph.
Pay attention to the beginning of the lane. A forceful first burst that immediately stalls may be less useful than an effort you can maintain. In training, complete short lanes with full recovery before adding fatigue. Record whether the sled moved continuously, where it stopped and whether your technique changed. Those observations explain more than the plate total alone.
Sled pull: organize the rope before adding speed
Use a clear lane with enough room for the rope and no other gym users in its path. Rehearse a light pull to understand how the equipment travels. Rope handling should be controlled and predictable; struggling with tangles makes it difficult to tell whether load or organization is limiting you.
Practice under supervision when the movement is unfamiliar. Check how your chosen technique relates to the current race standard and the permitted working area. A gym drill can be useful without representing every competition detail. If you are preparing specifically, include opportunities to practice the correct lane length and finishing position rather than only short pulls in a crowded corner.
A first useful sled session
After ten minutes of easy movement and light rehearsal, push four 12.5 m lanes at a load you can move steadily, resting two minutes between lanes. Then recover fully and pull four 12.5 m lanes with the same generous rest. Choose separate appropriate loads for the push and pull. Finish with easy walking.
This is technique and capacity practice, not a maximal test. If eight total lanes are more than you currently tolerate, use two of each and retain clean movement. Note total load, surface, lane times and the point where control changed. That creates a baseline you can repeat before increasing either load or the amount of work.
Progress one variable at a time
Once the baseline is consistent, choose one progression: a small load increase, an extra lane, shorter recovery or running before the sled. Each changes the task. Combining all four at once makes it hard to understand what caused the session to become unmanageable.
Retain enough recovery in your week to benefit from the work. If sled sessions repeatedly make the next running session poor, reduce the demand or adjust the spacing. Progress is not limited to adding plates. A cleaner start, fewer unplanned stops and a more controlled next run can all be useful developments when measured on the same setup.
Practice the run after the sled
Sled preparation should eventually include what happens next. After a controlled push, begin a short run with a deliberate first minute. Notice whether you can find rhythm or whether the station effort leaves you needing a long stop. Use the result to choose your next station pace.
Start with small mixed doses, such as two or three rounds of a 12.5 m push followed by 400 m running, resting three minutes between rounds. Use a moderate load and repeatable running effort. This is a training example, not the official station order. Record both segments so that faster sled work does not hide a much slower run.
If your gym does not have a sled
General lower-body strength, carries and pulling exercises can support preparation, but they do not reproduce the sled exactly. Use familiar squat, hinge and pulling patterns with appropriate coaching while arranging occasional access to the actual equipment. Label substitutes as substitutes in your training log.
Before booking a race-specific gym visit, ask about lane length, equipment and whether coaching is available. Arrive with a short list of things to learn: starting position, controlled lane completion and your division’s standard. One focused visit can give you useful information without turning the session into an attempt to prove every station at once.
What to confirm before race day
Recheck the official rulebook and athlete briefing for your race. Know your division, station sequence and how the lane is assigned. Practice listening and finishing the station correctly, rather than assuming a familiar-looking gym line represents the whole competition standard.
Build a simple pacing intention from your preparation. For example, aim to start smoothly, complete each lane deliberately and avoid a first effort that forces a long recovery. A specific intention is easier to use under pressure than “push harder.” After the race, review whether the problem was strength, movement, pacing or transition organization before changing the next training block.
Keep the equipment context with your training story
A sled video is more useful when it includes the distance, total load and surface. It lets training partners understand the task and ask better questions. Your future comparison also becomes clearer when the details live beside the content rather than disappearing into a separate note.
Zenith is being built around that connection between content, training and athletic identity. You can claim your founding account and username now through verified email, then continue with the same account at native launch. Use the training hub today to organize what you need to practice, and keep the context that makes your progress understandable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does HYROX sled weight include the sled?
Yes. The current singles rulebook lists the prescribed push and pull totals including the sled. Added plates and total loaded mass are different figures, so record both when the empty sled weight is known.
What are Men Open sled weights?
Season 26/27 singles specifies 152 kg total for the sled push and 103 kg total for the pull, including the sled. Each station covers 50 m in four 12.5 m lanes.
Why does my gym sled feel harder than another one?
Different surfaces and equipment can change resistance even at the same total mass. Keep your own comparisons on a consistent setup and document changes. There is no universal conversion from your gym’s feel to a race-day load.
Should I train heavier than race weight?
There is no universal requirement to do so. Choose the load for your current capacity and session purpose, and progress deliberately. A heavier session that damages technique or prevents useful running work may not serve the preparation you need.
Sources & Further Reading
Race standards and event details come from the official organizer. This independently written guide is not an official HYROX publication; check the current rules for your division.