RT journal article
T1 Exploratory Analyses of Distance, Load, and Reported Training Surface as Potential Moderators of Resisted Sled Sprint Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
A1 Góngora-Rodríguez, Pablo
A1 Rodríguez-Huguet, Manuel
A1 Góngora Rodríguez, Jorge Manuel
A1 Riscart López, Javier
A1 Castro Maqueda, Guillermo Ramón de
A1 Rosety Rodríguez, Miguel Ángel
A2 Didáctica de la Educación FísicaPlástica y Musical
A2 Enfermería y Fisioterapia
A2 Medicina
K1 resisted sprint training
K1 sled towing
K1 acceleration
K1 friction
K1 biomechanics
K1 athletic performance
K1 team sports
AB This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated resisted sled training (RST) efficacycompared to unresisted sprint training (UST), alongside the moderating effects of sprintdistance, sled load, and surface. Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Web of Science,Scopus and SPORTDiscus were searched up to May 2026. Risk of bias was assessed via thePEDro scale. Twelve studies (N = 324) were included. Data were analyzed using CorrelatedRobust Variance Estimation (CRVE). Overall, RST reduced sprint times compared to UST(Hedges’ g = −0.250, p = 0.046; I2 = 0.0%). While time reductions were significant for earlyacceleration (≤10 m; g = −0.360, p < 0.001), and not for longer-distance outcomes (>10 m;g = −0.168, p = 0.293), the between-distance interaction was non-significant (p = 0.094).Moderate loads (g = −0.352, p = 0.062) and indoor gym floors (g = −0.495, p = 0.096) showedlarger point estimates than natural grass (g = −0.180) and synthetic tracks (g = −0.197).In conclusion, no statistically significant moderating effects of distance, load, or surfacewere demonstrated. Because training surfaces influence the actual mechanical stimulus,prescribing sled loads based on velocity decrement (%Vdec) rather than percentage of bodymass (%BM) is a promising hypothesis to standardize resistance across terrains, requiringconfirmation via future prospective trials. PROSPERO: CRD420261415365.
PB MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)
SN 2075-4663
YR 2026
FD 2026-09-07
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/40645
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/40645
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 13-nov-2026