The Prowler

Training Q&A [Moderated]
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Okay, so I know, it’s the Prowler, you push it. But I still think I’m doing it wrong. (Some of us just are clueless to performing certain things–I can take apart and repair a computer blindfolded–it’s intuitive, but when it comes to exercise, programming, biomechanics, etc, I’m a functionally fixated mess) I was wondering if you could produce a video, or an article, or address it via your vlog on how to properly perform this exercise? I rudimentary google search brings up thousands of results with varying degrees of non-information. But there’s got to be a right and wrong way of doing this, right? I’ve read the old article “Death By Prowler” but it doesn’t seem to really answer the question the article posits. It’s more of a do it, and here are some ideas.

Is it a sprint? Is it a sustained steady slow push for time? When should I choose one over the other? What are the best ways to program for it? How much weight should you use? Is there a form technique? How does a prowler/sled pull LISS differ from a HIIT workout? What is the optimal practice or implementation as paired with your endurance template vs. a strength template. Is it as simple as a 15 second push and a 2 minute rest, or should it be titrated so exercise bouts increase and rest period’s decrease?

For instance, I program mine to be 10 rounds at 30 seconds each, with a 2 minute rest. I increase the weight every other round (I start off with four plates and work to 10-12 plates and that when the turf starts bunching up due to the weight of the sled).

I realize I’m likely overthinking this, but that’s what I do. And you guys, generally, don’t mock what may well be a stupid question, publicly.

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The answers to your questions depend on what outcome(s) is/are important to you. If you have no specific outcome you’re doing conditioning for, but rather it’s a general outcome like “improved conditioning” or “decrease body fat” then there are no wrong ways to push the prowler.

You can load it light and push it like a sprint- high velocity, short intervals, long rests. You can also load it light and push it slow for long, sustained efforts (like a march).

You can load it heavy and walk with it to near-failure levels. You can load it heavy and push it fast, but short of failure.

There are no wrong ways to do it IF YOU DON’T have a specific goal you’re training for.

I generally like people to do some LISS work and some HIIT work if there’s nothing specific they’re training for. For you this may be a 30 min walk with an empty prowler strapped to you (or light prowler) and a session of 20-30s sprints with a fairly heavy prowler where you’re running (but not quite sprinting) for the duration of the interval.

1 Like
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Thank you for your answers and also for allowing me to bombard you, as I usually do, with questions. Appreciated more than you know.

4

Hello,

I currently do LISS 2x a week instead of alternating LISS and HIIT for compliance reasons mostly (don’t like HIIT).

Do you believe that HIIT carries over better to resistance training and that I am therefore missing out on some benefits?

I have noticed that I get out of breath quite easily on sets of 6 or above and I was wondering whether that would improve thanks to HIIT rather than LISS.

Or should I just carry on?

Thanks!