The 6 Best Leg Workouts in the World. EVER.

Brett Sizeland writes: My sled is the simplest, cheapest, most hard-wearing piece of kit I own.

It’s also low-skill, mobility-friendly AND high-demand, giving a multitude of training benefits for everyone.

Here’s my guide to getting started with the Best Leg Workouts in the World EVER.

A basic sled with single loop attachment is probably the single cheapest bit of training equipment I own.

I bought it on a whim, wondering if it would help build up my legs. Given how cheap it was, I figured it was worth a punt.

A couple of years later and it’s probably the last piece of kit I’d ever get rid of. I am not a fan of exaggeration and false fitness claims. Quite the opposite. But the humble sled may indeed offer the Best Leg Workouts in the World. EVER.

Realising I was using this awesome apparatus pretty much consistently, I quickly introduced it into the sessions I coach. I’ve watched my members do pulls, drags and tows with what is little more than a flat bit of metal with a pole in the middle. And the results have been spectacular. Adan, pictured above, will offer testament to that.

Still don’t believe me? Fair enough — I admire your cynicism. But hear me out. Here are my observations which, I think, justify my epiphany and continued enthusiasm.

Pick a benefit, any benefit
What do you want from your lower body training? Increased strength? Tick, obviously. Increased muscle mass? Big tick there too. Improved anaerobic and aerobic endurance? That’ll be three ticks in a row then.

Well, the humble sled drag can offer them all. Depending on how you load it up, your sled will work each of these. Go super-heavy and you can gain glute and hamstring strength. Throw in some short-stride-on-the-toes work to hit those calfs, which are notoriously hard to target in the gym. Then, drop the weight a touch and work time under tension and trust me, you’ll get the lactic acid build up required for hypertrophy.

Throw these protocols in with a mix of work/rest ratios and you’ve got a conditioning format that will make the toughest of cardio bunnies wince.

What’s not to love about that?

Kind to knees
I might be able to find some other pieces of kit which can be that flexible. But none will be as kind to your joints.

I love squats, deadlifts and all manor of loaded exercises. But I cannot lie — after other lower body workouts I SERIOUSLY begin to feel it in my knees. You simply don’t get this with sled drags. They might drop you to your knees in a Charlton Heston-Like “DAMN YOU SLED DRAGS” moment because they build so much lactic. But I can honestly say my knees have never had a problem when working sleds.

In fact, the injury profile is remarkable. It’s unlikely, especially at heavier slower-dragging loads, that you’re going to pull something or stress the joints. It makes sled work almost instantly accessible to everyone, regardless of training experience or mobility.

Easy on the pocket
Did I forget to mention — sleds are frickin’ cheap. I picked up one of mine second-hand for £15. YEAH! £15! I’ve had rounds of team coffees that have cost me more.

Granted, you need some iron to go on it, but how much would a bar and bumper plates cost you to build up your legs to herculean fortitude? £500? Get a tow rope from your local ToolStation, an old weightlifting belt and jump on Ebay for the cheapest weights you can find. BOOM! You have yourself one hell of a piece of kit.

If you’re super-skint, grab some old tyres from a yard and connect them together using some bolts. You might get the ‘Stig of the Dump’ moniker when down at your local park. But who cares?

The beginners guide to sleds

Interested? Take a mate down to the park and try some of these:

1. Sled drags: With straight arms drag the sled as far as you can. Go heavy and slow to build quad strength or take it down a notch to build that burn.

2. Sled tow: Connect your sled to an old weight belt via some rope. With the sled behind, run forward for some weighted sprints. Your glutes (and your ‘gram fans) will thank you later.

3. Lateral runs / Monster walks: Now we’re talking! Find me an exercise that works the lesser-known glute and leg muscles than these. They’re also great for calf size too — bodybuilders should get with this program.

4. Sled pulls: It’s not just legs either. Sleds are great for upper body row strength. Pulls are explosive and work the whole of your back. They’re an amazing little drill that you can add into any other session. They’re also great fun as partner relays.

That’s just the start really — lunges, bear crawls, bunny hops. They can all be made better with the simple addition of a sled.

5. Intermediate sled-scapades
Once you’ve mastered the basics (shouldn’t take long) try 5–10 sets of 1 minute on, 1 minute off tows and drags with a moderately heavy weight. Time under tension and lactic acid will build up and stimulate that muscle growth.

Or how about 10–15 meter tows of super-heavy sled work? If it works in strongman training, it’ll work for you. Which is probably why Dan John (a legendary strength coach) also swears by them. Adjust the weight to improve speed and power respectively. Try 5–8 sets of these with sufficient rest. It’s very much about quality over quantity here.

6. Recovery & conditioning
Sleds aren’t all about smashing the life out of yourself when training either. The sled is also an ideal tool for leg recovery. In conjunction with heavy squat sessions they’re great for loosening legs and helping the lactic acid move from the muscles. Try a light EMOM protocol to get those legs moving.

And hey — if you’re a real masochist, try some total body conditioning using EMOM tows. Simple, brutal, effective. You’ll be breathing fire and questioning life choices in no time.

Now, what do you think? If that doesn’t make for the ‘Best Leg Workouts in the World. EVER.’ then please drop me a DM on Insta and let me know what I’m missing out on.

Like right now.