Pushing a weight sled is a fantastic workout. It builds total-body strength, burns fat, skyrockets your heart rate, and boosts lower-body power. But for many people who exercise at a commercial gym or at home, there’s one big problem: There’s no sled.
Luckily, there’s a way to get the same benefits of a sled push without the actual sled. It’s called the plate push. All you need are weight plates and at least 10 metres of empty space.
Gravity is already keeping the plate down, so you don’t need to push the plate into the ground, explains Aaron Kleinwolterink, C.S.C.S. and owner of ARC Performance in Kansas City, Missouri. Instead, you should keep your weight behind the plate, maintain straight arms and a flat back, bend your knees, and drive your feet into the ground. Think of it like a forward-moving mountain climber, he says.
Watch the video to see how to perform the move with perfect form. If you want to incorporate plate pushes into your own routine, try adding one of the five metabolic finishers below to the end of your workout. They’ll ignite muscle growth, accelerate weight loss, and turn any workout into a total-body sweat session.
FINISHERS
For each finisher, do the exercises in the order shown. The weight of the plate you choose will be dictated by the flooring in your house or gym. On a rubber or tacky surface, start with a 10kg plate. If your floor is a slipperier surface like tile, increase the weight.
LEVEL ONE
Plate push, 30 seconds
Rest, 30 seconds
Do 6 to 8 rounds.
LEVEL TWO
Plate push, 30 seconds
Swiss-ball hip raise to leg curl, 12 to 15 reps
Rest, 45 seconds
Do 4 to 6 rounds.
LEVEL THREE
Plate push, 30 seconds
Swiss-ball hip raise to leg curl, 12 to 15 reps
Farmer’s walk with heavy dumbbell in right hand, 15 seconds
Farmer’s walk with heavy dumbbell in left hand, 15 seconds
Rest, 60 seconds
Do 4 rounds.
LEVEL FOUR
Plate push, 30 seconds
Swiss-ball hip raise to leg curl, 12 to 15 reps
Farmer’s walk with heavy dumbbell in right hand, 15 seconds
Farmer’s walk with heavy dumbbell in left hand, 15 seconds
Kettlebell swing, 20 reps
Do 4 rounds.
LEVEL FIVE
Plate push, 30 seconds
Swiss-ball hip raise to leg curl, 12 to 15 reps
Farmer’s walk with heavy dumbbell in right hand, 15 seconds
Farmer’s walk with heavy dumbbell in left hand, 15 seconds
Kettlebell swing, 20 reps
Med-ball thruster, 15 reps
Do 4 rounds.
