Four weeks of 10-yard Prowler sled sprints with descending rest periods. “This is a true measure of strength, speed, and power,” says Jim Smith, C.P.P.S., owner of Diesel Strength & Conditioning (dieselsc.com). “The goal is to perform as many ‘repeats’ as possible without any loss of speed or diminished quality of movement. Forward torso lean, positive shin angle, and full extension of each drive leg should be maintained throughout.”
How to Do It
Record an initial 10-yard Prowler sprint with a stopwatch. Multiply your time by 1.1 to get your goal time for each subsequent push. For example, an initial 10-yard sprint performed in five seconds will produce a goal time of 5.5 seconds. You’ll then perform 10-yard Prowler sprints until you’re no longer able to match or beat 5.5 seconds. You’ll do one “challenge” workout per week for four weeks. Each week, rest periods will drop by 15 seconds. In Week 1, rest one minute between sprints; in Week 2, rest 45 seconds; in Week 3, 30 seconds; and in Week 4, limit rest to 15 seconds.
When to Do It
If you’re using this challenge for conditioning (aka cardio), do it at the end of a lower-body workout as a finisher. If you’re using it for speed training, implement it at the beginning of a lower-body workout immediately after a thorough warmup.
Performance Tip
Aside from the aforementioned parameters, weight selection is key. “Load the Prowler with enough weight so you feel the resistance and have to lean forward into it but not so heavy that your sprinting speed is slow,” Smith says. If you want to extend the challenge, increase the weight on the sled after four weeks.
The Workout to Increase Your Speed
To sprint with optimal form, you need adequate strength in the posterior chain (calves, hamstrings, glutes, core, lats). Here’s a workout to help you prep this area for the Prowler challenge.
