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New facilities are opening all of the time up and down the country, and the ‘hot’ piece of equipment that seems to be seen quite often are Prowler sleds.

During its rise in popularity, the prowler is now being used in many boxing strength and conditioning programs.

Often used as a strength or conditioning tool, we mainly prefer using more traditional resistance exercises and HIIT running protocols.

Boxing Science are a fan of the prowler and use it from time to time. However, we limit its involvement in our program as we want to make sure we use it in the right way.

This article looks at the Prowler benefits and how we make the most of this useful tools through our programs.

Can Improve acceleration

In sprinting mechanics, acceleration is when an athlete produces a lot of force in a short space of time in order to move quicker. Most of this force is produced horizontally, similar to straight punches, this is why we measure sprint performance in our fitness testing battery.

The prowler is one of few resistance exercises that encourages horizontal force production, therefore can have a positive effect on acceleration for boxers.

Can be a great conditioning tool

The prowler can be used to develop aerobic, anaerobic and local muscular endurance, it all depends on different sets, reps, distances and external loads used. It can be great on its own and for circuits.

In our old Combat Conditioning sessions, we tended to use it as part of a 3 man relay at a medium weight load, meaning that each boxer will have a 10 secs : 20 secs work to rest ratio. This is mainly targeting aerobic adaptations by working at a high intensity, but allowing a longer recovery time so lactic acid does not build up excessively.

For an aerobic stimulus – we have opted for Tabatas (20s on 10s off x 6-8 reps) at 75% of body mass. We have reduced load on these to make sure the lower body doesn’t become fatigue, and intensity can be maintained over an extended time to target central adaptations (>90% max heart rate)

However, the main session we use for the prowler is the 30s Max Effort Sprints.

The main reason we use 30s max effort sprints is to increase neuromuscular demand by producing high forces, deplete the energy status of the muscle cell and produce high-levels of lactate. The high-external loading of the prowler can help stimulate these adaptations.

We prefer the curve for 30s max effort sprints, however sometimes these are not appropriate. High body mass, running technique and running speed can increase injury risk and reduce the rewards of max effort sprints on the curve. So we often will use 30s max effort sprints on the Watt Bike or on the Prowler.

How to perform 30s max effort sprints on the prowler

Set up a track set out for 10-15m shuttles with a tape measure, and set out targets to hit at 10s, 20s and 30s to ensure maximum effort is applied. Load up the prowler equivalent to the athletes body mass.

Note down the meters covered at each 10s interval, then add up the total distance covered. It is important you record the 10s intervals as this will demonstrate your ability to produce high forces / intensities, and your ability to endure them.

Grab the high bars on the prowler, lean in and take long forceful strides to make sure you rapidly accelerate at the start.

Check out this video from our ‘Ultimate Coaching for Combat Sports’ as an example of maximum effort on the prowler, and how we record the data.

The full breakdown of this method is included in our Conditioning Workshop on 30s Max Effort Sprints

Core strength

To be fast and strong whilst staying in control of the prowler, you require a stable upper body. Furthermore, the weight of the prowler allows forceful leg flexion and extension whilst keeping the hips stable.

A combination of these movements challenges core strength and stability.

We also encourage boxers to lean into the prowler with straight arms, this challenges shoulder strength creating a full body workout and a positive transfer in developing physical performance for boxing.

Could be used for recovery

If you use the prowler, you may struggle to believe that the prowler can actually be used as a recovery tool.

One of the reasons is that it creates variety in a program, too much running conditioning can cause fatigue and overuse injuries.

Another reason is that there is limited eccentric activity. Eccentric is the negative action of a repetition, such as the descent on the squat. Eccentric actions causes muscle tissue damage that causes muscle soreness.

Therefore, the limited eccentric activity will have a reduced impact on muscle soreness.

So this means that the prowler is a great tool to get fitter, faster and stronger without making you too sore.

Conclusion

As said in the introduction to this article, we are a fan of the prowler but aim to use it wisely and with supported justification. When including the prowler or any other exercises into your program, always consider your justification for its inclusion rather than putting it in to ‘smash them up’ or because it looks cool.