What if you could find a training tool that helps you work on all your fitness goals at the same time? One that could help you build muscle mass, increase strength, lose weight, become more toned, make you better at your favorite sport, and improve flexibility? Does it sound too good to be true?
It’s not! A fitness sled—also known as a push sled, prowler sled, or resistance sled—is one of those tools. While there are several different models of fitness sleds, each one operates on a fairly simple premise: you load the sled with weight and push or pull it across a surface. Great for either indoor or outdoor training, fitness sleds engage a host of muscles, burn lots of calories, train your heart and lungs, and more.
Adventure Fitness Athletic Club is proud to provide members of our Thornton gym with what we believe is the best fitness sled available at any gym in our area—The TANK M4. This is a wheeled fitness sled, which has many advantages over a traditional fitness sled with skis on the bottom. Read on to learn more about The TANK M4, and feel free to ask any member of the AFAC staff about how to include this innovative fitness sled in your personal workouts. We also use the TANK M4 in some of our classes.
What is a TANK M4 push sled?
Manufactured by Torque Fitness, TANK push sleds are innovative workout tools that offer endless training opportunities. Features of TANK push sleds include:
- Bi-directional movement—The TANK is bi-directional, which means it can be pushed or pulled without having to turn the sled around. This saves time and narrows the path required for your TANK workout.
- Any surface training—Thanks to its heavy-duty rubber tires, The TANK can be pushed and pulled on grass, concrete, asphalt, wood, rubber, carpeting, artificial turf, and other indoor/outdoor surfaces.
- Several levels of resistance—The TANK offers three or more levels of resistance which can be set independently at each end. This allows you to make your workout as hard as you want it to be. It also lets you set one level of resistance on the push and another on the pull.
- Resistance increases with speed—The faster you try to push The TANK, the harder it gets, so there’s no need to stop and load or unload plates. As soon as first-time users realize that resistance increases with speed, they’re pleasantly surprised and love the experience.
- Many workout options—With a single TANK, you can push, pull, run, row, and perform many other workouts.
- Electrostatic paint coating—The TANK’s durable electrostatic paint coating allows it to be used outdoors or indoors without damage to the sled.
- Towing capability—A weight horn is available for those who want to participate in more intense towing workouts.
- Benefits to many athletes—Professional athletes, collegiate athletes, sports teams, training facilities, and well-equipped gyms like AFAC all use The TANK.
- Safety—If The TANK’s resistance feels dangerous, it can be backed down instantly during the run. This allows you to adjust The TANK on-the-fly according to the user’s age, fitness level, and fitness goals.
- Real world movement—The best kind of training you can get is real world movement, as opposed to simulated, controlled movements that exercise machines provide. The TANK is the only real world resistance trainer available that enhances quickness, endurance, and explosive launching power. Plus, you can use it on any surface including football fields, running tracks, and basketball courts. You can also wear whatever shoes your sport requires.
What are the benefits of TANK M4 training?
Don’t let the simplicity of The TANK M4 fool you. Sled training has the power to enhance every athletic trait you desire, whether it’s cardiovascular conditioning, fat loss, building muscles, or training for a specific sport. The TANK M4 will work every muscle in your body and it will also work your mind.
All this is possible by pushing, pulling, or dragging The TANK M4. More benefits of sled training are listed below.
It’s low impact
Unlike jumping rope, sprinting, or running, sled training is low impact and friendly to your joints. There’s also little risk of injury. Sled training is easier on the back, shoulders, knees, and nervous system than high-impact workouts.
There’s no soreness
One of the main reasons why lifting weights causes sore muscles is because of the lowering of the weight (for example, lowering the weight to your chest when you do a bench press). This is called eccentric movement, and it results in the muscle damage that causes your muscles to hurt for days after the workout. Sled training does not involve any eccentric movement and therefore, it will not make you sore. This does not mean that sled training is any less effective, though! This also makes sled training ideal for injury prevention and rehabilitation.
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)
The TANK is a natural for HIIT. Bursts of acceleration and speed for 14 minutes on The TANK equals an hour on the treadmill.
Group efforts
A portable Group Anchor Station that houses all the weights and training tools makes it easy for several people to get together for a TANK M4 group workout, indoors or outdoors.
Mental toughness
The TANK M4 forces you to tolerate and endure physical discomfort, which enhances mental toughness. The ability to push through the discomfort helps you in sports and in regular life.
Full body engagement
The TANK M4 will push your upper body, core, and legs to the limit.
Sport-specific training
Among other sports, The TANK M4 is helpful for those involved in football, track and field, court-based sports, and even cycling. That’s because The TANK M4 provides incredible explosive training—which is important for athletes who need to generate a quick burst of maximum effort—but without the strain of traditional training.
What are some examples of TANK M4 exercises?
While the team at AFAC is here to coach you through some great exercises to perform with The TANK M4, here are a few examples of common fitness sled workouts.
- Push the sled as hard as possible for 15-20 yards. Rest as long as needed and repeat 3-5 times.
- Push the sled for 15-20 minutes in light/easy mode, keeping your heart rate under 150 beats per minute.
- Drag the sled for 20 yards, then push it back to the starting point. Rest for 30-60 seconds. Repeat for 8-12 minutes.
- Pull the sled 20 yards at a time. Do 4 sets, but rest for 2 minutes in between each set.
- Push the sled for 5 yards and then push it back to the starting line. Then push it 10 yards and back, followed by 15 yards down and back. Rest and repeat the exercise.
Learn more
At Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, we offer the latest and most effective equipment like The TANK M4 so that our members have every tool they need to reach their fitness goals. That’s why we are the best gym in the Thornton area. To find out more about The TANK M4 resistance sled, talk to the team at AFAC. You can also call Susan at 720-849-0245 or email her at susan@adventurefitness.club.
To read more articles from Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, check out our Adventure Corner blogs by clicking here.