Sled Training for the Backcountry Athlete: Strength That Transfers to the Mountains
- XIP Training Systems
- Apr 12
- 5 min read
If you spend time in the mountains—hunting, hiking, skiing, or just logging long days on your feet—your training needs to transfer effectively. Gym workouts are great, but the squats and step ups will only get you so far.
That’s where resisted sled training stands out.
It’s simple, effective, and one of the best ways to build strength and durability without beating up your joints. No machines, no fluff—just work that translates directly to uphill climbs, stronger "brakes" on those rugged descents, and long days with a pack on your back, dragging a buck back to the truck or long trail runs with all the ups and downs.
At our facility in Vermont, sleds get used more than almost anything else in the gym. We use them with everyone from kids learning how to produce force, to competitive athletes building speed and power, to adults who just want to stay capable for the sport of life.
For backcountry athletes, it’s one of the highest return on investment tools you can use and this is why.
Why Sled Training Belongs in Your Program
There are a lot of ways to train your legs but few carry over to the mountains like sled work does.
Here are ten reasons it deserves a place in your program:
Full-body strength with minimal joint stress.
Sled training provides a ton of lower body resistance in positions that transfer to our sport(s) without the spinal compression of heavy barbell lifts, making it one of the safest ways to build strength.
Easy to scale intensity.
You can increase load, distance, or pace without dramatically increasing injury risk.
Trains the entire system.
Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core, shoulders, grip, and foot/ankle stabilizers all get trained at once.
Direct carryover to the mountains.
The positions and force demands closely match hiking uphill, controlling descents, and moving under a pack.
Builds grip strength and shoulder stability.
Dragging and pushing heavy loads reinforces upper-body tension and durability.
More joint-friendly than traditional lifts.
Compared to heavy squats, lunges, and step-ups, sled work reduces stress on the knees, hips, and spine—which is especially useful if you’re banged up. Less orthopedic cost than
Develops true single-leg strength.
Every step is unilateral force production, just like hiking, climbing, running, sprinting and descending on earth.
Strengthens feet, ankles, and lower legs.
Helps build in the strength and resilience in our plantar fascia, Achilles, and calves—areas that often fail in the backcountry because they are too compliant and weak from neglect in our training.
Affordable and accessible.
A basic sled setup is inexpensive and easy to use at home in the backyard. See how you can create your own DIY sled to train in your backyard.
Trains both endurance and strength.
Easy to scale and modify for building a rugged chassis and also the endurance you need for going up, coming back down and everything in between — covering the full spectrum needed for effective lower body strength and endurance training.
Forward vs. Reverse Sled Drags
A common question is whether you should focus on forward or reverse sled work.
The answer is both—but each serves a different purpose and should be considered in your training.
Reverse Drags: Building the Brakes
Reverse sled drags are all about deceleration. They’re quad-dominant and train your ability to control movement under load.
If you’ve ever come off a long downhill with your quads wrecked, you already understand why this matters. Whether you’re descending steep terrain or packing weight off a mountain, your quads are constantly working to apply the brakes and keep you under control.
Reverse drags build that strength in a very direct way, preparing you for the eccentric load your body takes on during descents, specifically during triple flexion of the knees, ankles and hips. The same is true for a field sport athlete who needs to make explosive changes of direction in their sport(s), and apply the brakes quickly. For backcountry athletes, this is a non-negotiable piece of training.
Forward Drags: Power for the Climb
Forward sled drags and pushes shift the focus to propulsion and uphill movement.
You’re driving through the ground with your hips and knees with contact on the front of the foot and your center of mass more out in front of you, bringing in more of the posterior chain (hamstrings and glutes) while still heavily involving the quads. At the same time, your heel stays elevated, forcing the foot and ankle to stabilize and transfer force efficiently.
That becomes critical on steep climbs, especially under load. Weak or unstable feet leak energy. Stronger, stiffer feet and shank help you move uphill more efficiently and with less fatigue.
Over time, this also helps reduce the likelihood of lower-leg injuries that tend to show up in the backcountry.
Simple Setup, Real Results
You don’t need much to get started. A basic sled, a rope or harness, and some weight will do the job. Even a simple plastic sled loaded with sandbags or plates works well. If you’re training outside or at home, this is one of the most practical ways to build strength that actually carries over.
No Sled? Start Here
If you’re in a gym without sleds, a treadmill can be a useful substitute. Pushing into a slow-moving belt can mimic uphill effort, while controlled backward walking can replicate some of the benefits of reverse drags.
It’s not perfect—especially without heavy loading—but it’s a solid starting point.
Sample Week of Sled Training for the Backcountry Athlete
This is a simple way to start implementing sled work into your week. You don’t need to overcomplicate it—just be consistent and progress over time by tweaking variables such as added load, added distance, number of sets in a training session, reducing your rest periods between sets, and increasing the speed of your movement. Here's a simple training plan.
Day 1 – Strength Focus (Short + Heavy)
Forward sled drag: 6–8 x 20–30 yards.
Reverse sled drag: 6–8 x 20–30 yards.
Rest 90 seconds between efforts.
Focus on strong, deliberate steps and quality movement.
Day 2 – Aerobic Capacity - Continuous forward sled drag: 15-20 minutes (Light to moderate load)
1:30 Forward Drag
Plank hold or Farmer Carry for 30sec.
Rest for 30sec.
1:30 Reverse Drag.
Plank Hold or Famer Carry for 30sec.
This should feel like a grind, not a sprint.
Start a 20 minute running timer (or more or less) and complete as many rounds as you can of:
15 yd reverse/forward facing sled drag.
5 sandbag squat cleans.
30 yd shoulder & carry - down and back.
8 Bag over push ups or you can just hold a plank here.
Train for What the Mountains Demand
Backcountry performance isn’t built on gym numbers alone. It’s built on how well your body handles steep terrain, heavy loads, and long efforts - one foot at a time. Sled training builds that kind of strength.
Add it in a couple times per week, use both forward and reverse variations, and gradually increase your load and volume.
It’s simple work—but it pays off when you’re deep in the mountains and still moving well.
Having a program built for the demands of backcountry adventure can help you be more effective in the mountains, more efficient with your training time and also stay safer and avoid injuries in your training and in your sport. The team at Ridgeline can build you an individualized plan to prepare for your next hunt, recondition after an injury or surgery, or dial in your current training regiment. Ridgeline also has a really amazing online team program that gives athletes from all over the map the ability to train anytime and anywhere with an amazing community of like minded individuals. This is the same program Coach Guyer, Ridgeline founder, follows throughout the year.
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