Sled Pull · Trunk-Rope Alignment (Squat-Row)

Why this matters

Power is only free when the chain is straight. If the trunk and the rope point the same way, the leg drive runs up the spine and straight out along the rope into the sled — nothing wasted. When they diverge, some of that force escapes sideways: the athlete is strong, but a fraction of every pull is being spent bending the trunk against the rope instead of moving the sled.

Under tension this alignment is either there or it isn't. It only matters while the rope is loaded, so it's read mid-drive at peak tension.

What good looks like

From the side, mid-drive, the trunk line and the rope line lie nearly on top of each other — within about 15°. Force travels in one straight line from the driving legs, up through the trunk, out along the rope. The athlete looks like a single lever, not a body pulling against an off-axis rope.

Reading the result

• Aligned (0°–15°): force runs through the spine — efficient, maximum work-to-effort.
• Off-axis (15°–30°): trunk and rope diverge; a modest power leak. Cue "rope and spine in one line"; anchor the feet more deliberately.
• Very off-axis (>30°): a significant leak — the trunk is fighting the rope rather than transmitting through it.

Coaching cues

• "Rope and spine in one line" — names the target directly.
• "Pull the sled through your chest, not across it" — biases the trunk onto the rope's axis.

How to mark

1. Use a lateral-view clip. Pause mid-drive, when the rope is most tensioned.
2. Trunk line: greater trochanter (hip) → acromion (shoulder).
3. Rope line: along the visible rope, sled end → the athlete's hand.
4. The tool reports the deviation between the two lines.

Common mistakes: drawing along the arm instead of the rope; picking a sagging-rope frame — the alignment only matters under tension.

Related measurements

• Knee at Catch (Squat-Row) / Knee at Drive-End (Squat-Row) — the leg drive whose force this alignment either keeps or leaks.