Forget hours on the treadmill – or heavy squats. This full-body exercise builds strength, power and fitness in on

When you think about the exercises behind a strong, sculpted Hollywood physique like 45-year-old Jessica Alba’s, you might picture squats, lunges, and plenty of hours at the gym. But one of the moves celebrity trainer Ramona Braganza recommends is much simpler: push.

And we believe her. The thing is, Braganza knows a thing or two about building strong bodies. After working with Jess for over 26 years and training many A-listers over the years, including Jessica Biel, Halle Berry, Zac Efron and Bradley Cooper, Braganza likes to keep her workouts interesting for her clients – and the most refreshing thing is, the 64-year-old does it all too.

“It’s never too old to start strength training,” she says. “And a sled push will not only torch calories while targeting the glutes, legs, core and back in a highly functional way but will help you stay strong carrying groceries, climbing stairs, travelling, lifting kids or grandkids, and moving confidently through life. Think of it as the gym version of pushing a heavy piece of furniture across the room,” adds Braganza.

And despite its reputation as a brutal gym exercise, you don’t need to be an athlete – or train like Jessica Alba – to benefit. Here’s how to do the move.

How to do a sled push

  • Place your forearms on the upper third of the sled poles, with your fingers facing down and your hands wrapped around them.
  • Lean forwards into the sled, positioning as much of your bodyweight over it as possible. Keep your chest lifted, your core engaged, and maintain a neutral spine.
  • Drive through the balls of your feet and press your upper body into the poles to start moving the sled forwards. Take small, powerful steps and push with controlled power rather than trying to sprint straight away. Focus on keeping your body strong and controlled throughout. Don’t rush the movement.
  • Continue pushing for the prescribed distance, then step away from the sled and recover.

How do I incorporate the sled into my workouts?

If you’re new to sled pushes, Braganza recommends incorporating them into your workout in one of two ways.
“The first is to use them as a full-body booster alongside another lower-body exercise. Perform a set of squats, then push the sled for 20 metres. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat for three sets,” she says. “Alternatively, use the sled as a finisher. Complete your regular workout, then finish with a 20 to 30-metre sled push. Rest for one minute and repeat four to six times.”

The beauty of sled training is that you can also adjust the load depending on your goal. Lighter loads and faster pushes will challenge your conditioning, while adding more weight and slowing things down places a greater emphasis on strength.

“The sled teaches strength, control, and resilience,” says Braganza. “To keep the workouts interesting for Jess, I mix things up in a variety of ways,” she adds. “Sometimes it’s reps and others it’s timing.”

What results can you expect from the sled push?

According to Braganza, regular sled pushes can help build strength through your legs while improving cardiovascular fitness and power output, with relatively little impact on the joints.

For women in particular, Braganza says maintaining lower-body strength becomes increasingly important as we age, helping to support mobility, balance and everyday function. Think carrying heavy shopping, climbing stairs or lifting children – the kind of real-world strength that can make everyday life feel easier.

And don’t be fooled into thinking this is purely a leg exercise. Your glutes, quads and hamstrings might provide much of the driving force, but your core has to stay braced while your shoulders and upper body work to maintain your position against the sled.

It can seriously challenge your cardiovascular system, too. Push hard for 20 to 30 metres, and you’ll quickly understand why. But “pushing through the hard moments when you want to quit builds a strong body and mind,” says Braganza.

For most people, Braganza describes the sled push as a high-effort exercise that can provide a potent combination of cardio and resistance training in a relatively short workout.

Jessica Alba might have a Hollywood trainer in her corner, but this is one piece of celebrity training advice the rest of us can easily steal. So next time you’re in the gym, find that strip of turf down the middle of the room (it’s usually pretty obvious) and give that sled a push. It could be well worth the effort.