Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Sled Lying Squat: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The sled lying squat is a lower body exercise performed on a sled machine, targeting the glutes as the primary muscle group. It also engages the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. The movement involves lying on your back, pushing the sled upward with your legs, and then lowering it back down in a controlled manner.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Quads , Hamstrings , Calves
Equipment
Sled Machine
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the sled lying squat
Front view: muscles worked by the sled lying squat. Primary: glutes. Secondary: quads, hamstrings and calves.
Back view: muscles worked by the sled lying squat. Primary: glutes. Secondary: quads, hamstrings and calves.
Primary Secondary

How to do the sled lying squat

  1. Step 1: Adjust the sled machine to a comfortable weight.
  2. Step 2: Lie on your back on the sled machine with your feet on the footplate.
  3. Step 3: Position your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly angled outwards.
  4. Step 4: Grip the handles of the sled machine for stability.
  5. Step 5: Engage your glutes and core muscles.
  6. Step 6: Push through your heels and extend your legs to lift the sled.
  7. Step 7: Lower the sled back down by bending your knees and hips.
  8. Step 8: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the sled lying squat by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Sled Lying Squat alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

See the best glute exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.