The Best Exercises for Track Athletes: A Complete Training Guide

The Best Exercises for Track Athletes: A Complete Training Guide

The Best Exercises for Track Athletes: A Complete Training Guide

Speed on the track is not just about running more laps. The athletes who improve fastest combine track-specific running with strength training, plyometrics, and drills designed to build explosive power, proper mechanics, and injury-resistant bodies. Whether you're a sprinter, a distance runner, or a multi-event athlete, this guide covers the exercises that actually move the needle.

Table of Contents

What Exercises Should Track Athletes Do?

Track and field training splits into four main categories, each building a different athletic quality:

Category Purpose Examples
Strength Training Build power and force production Squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts
Plyometrics Develop explosive speed and ground reaction Box jumps, bounds, hurdle hops
Running Drills Improve mechanics and efficiency A-skips, B-skips, high knees
Speed Workouts Train top-end speed and race pace Fly 30s, interval runs, tempo

The best programs layer all four together across a training week. Neglecting any one category leaves speed gains on the table.

Best Strength Exercises for Sprinters

Sprinters generate enormous force through the ground in a fraction of a second. Strength training teaches the body to produce that force more efficiently.

1. Squats (Back or Front)

The squat is the foundation of lower-body power development. It builds the quads, glutes, and hamstrings — the primary muscles driving each stride. Sprinters benefit most from heavy, low-rep work (3–5 sets of 3–6 reps) focused on moving the bar explosively on the way up.

2. Romanian Deadlifts

Hamstring strength is one of the biggest factors in sprint speed and the most common site of sprint-related injury. Romanian deadlifts isolate the posterior chain under a stretch load, building both strength and resilience. Source: SimpliFaster

3. Hip Thrusts

Hip extension power drives the push-off phase of each stride. Hip thrusts load the glutes at full extension — a position squats can't fully replicate — making them essential for sprinters and hurdlers.

4. Single-Leg Bulgarian Split Squats

Sprint mechanics are unilateral: you push off one leg at a time. Bulgarian split squats build single-leg strength and expose imbalances between your left and right side before they become injuries.

5. Nordic Hamstring Curls

One of the most evidence-backed exercises for hamstring injury prevention in sprinters. The eccentric loading of the hamstring during the lowering phase directly trains the muscle in its most injury-prone position.

6. Calf Raises (Heavy, Slow)

The ankle and calf complex absorbs and releases energy at every ground contact. Heavy calf raises on a step, done slowly, build the Achilles tendon stiffness that improves sprinting efficiency over time.

Best Plyometric Exercises for Track

Plyometrics train the stretch-shortening cycle — the ability to absorb force on landing and instantly release it as propulsion. Research consistently shows plyometric training improves step length, peak speed, and VO2 max in track athletes. Source: ISSA

1. Box Jumps

Develops explosive hip and knee extension. Focus on landing softly and stepping back down rather than jumping repeatedly — quality over volume.

2. Bounding

Single-leg horizontal jumps performed in sequence. Bounding directly mimics the horizontal force application of sprinting and is one of the most sport-specific plyometric exercises for track athletes.

3. Hurdle Hops

Jump over a series of small hurdles with minimal ground contact time between each. This trains the reactive strength and stiffness that reduces ground contact time in a sprint. Source: Athletics Coach

4. Single-Leg Hops

Hop forward on one leg for 10 contacts, then switch. Builds unilateral power and exposes strength imbalances.

5. Depth Drops

Step off a box, land, and absorb — no jump on landing. Trains the nervous system and tendons to handle rapid impact loads, preparing the body for the forces of sprinting.

6. Pogo Jumps

Fast, low-amplitude jumps with stiff ankles. Pogo jumps directly train the elastic energy storage and release in the Achilles tendon that makes fast runners efficient.

Programming note: Start with low volumes (30–60 total contacts per session) and build slowly. Plyometrics stress tendons and joints — more is not better, especially early in a training cycle.

Running Drills Every Track Athlete Needs

Running drills reinforce proper sprint mechanics and serve as an effective nervous system warm-up before speed work. Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles credits drills as a core part of his daily warm-up routine. Source: YouTube

A-Skip

Marching skip with an exaggerated knee drive and dorsiflexed foot. Teaches proper knee lift mechanics and foot strike position.

B-Skip

Same as A-skip, but the raised knee extends forward and sweeps down to the ground. Trains the pawing motion that pulls the foot back under the hip at ground contact.

High Knees

Running in place with rapid, high knee drives and an upright torso. Reinforces upright posture and quick hip flexor turnover.

Butt Kicks

Heels kick back toward the glutes with each step. Trains hamstring recovery and reinforces a compact leg cycle.

Ankling

Fast, flat-footed contacts at low amplitude. Trains the ankle stiffness and quick ground contact that carries over directly to top-speed sprinting.

Straight-Leg Bounds

Long, stiff-legged bounding steps. Builds hip flexor strength and reinforces an active ground strike.

Perform these drills for 20–30 meters each, typically 2–3 sets, before every track session. They take under 15 minutes and have an outsized effect on mechanics over time.

How Many Days a Week Should a Track Athlete Train?

Most competitive track athletes train 5–6 days per week, but the structure matters as much as the frequency.

Level Training Days Notes
Beginner 3–4 days 2 track days, 1–2 strength days, full rest days
Intermediate 4–5 days 2–3 track days, 2 strength days, 1 active recovery
Advanced 5–6 days 3 track days, 2–3 strength days, 1 active recovery

The non-negotiable principle: never do two high-intensity sessions back to back. Speed work and heavy lifting both tax the central nervous system. Alternate hard days with easier or recovery days to let adaptations compound. Source: TrackStarUSA

Sample Weekly Training Plan for Track Athletes

This plan suits an intermediate sprinter in the early competitive season:

Monday — Speed Development

  • Warm-up: 10 min jog + dynamic stretches
  • Drills: A-skip, B-skip, ankling, straight-leg bounds (2×20m each)
  • Accelerations: 4×30m build-ups at 85–90% effort
  • Main: 6×60m at 95%+ with full recovery (4–6 min rest)
  • Cool-down: 10 min easy jog + static stretch

Tuesday — Strength

  • Squats: 4×4 at 80–85% 1RM
  • Romanian Deadlifts: 3×8
  • Hip Thrusts: 3×10
  • Bulgarian Split Squats: 3×8 each leg
  • Nordic Hamstring Curls: 3×6

Wednesday — Tempo / Aerobic

  • 6×200m at 75–80% effort with 90-sec rest
  • Core work: plank holds, dead bugs, side planks

Thursday — Strength + Plyometrics

  • Box Jumps: 4×5
  • Bounding: 3×20m
  • Hurdle Hops: 3×8 contacts
  • Upper body and accessory work

Friday — Speed Endurance

  • Warm-up + drills
  • 3×150m at 90–95% with full recovery
  • OR: 2×200m at race effort

Saturday — Active Recovery

  • 20–30 min easy jog or bike
  • Foam rolling, mobility work, stretching

Sunday — Full Rest

How Beginners Should Start Training for Track

If you're new to track training, the first priority is building a movement and fitness base before adding speed work.

Weeks 1–4 (Foundation):

  • Run 3 days per week at easy, conversational pace (20–30 min each)
  • Add drills before each run
  • Begin bodyweight strength: squats, lunges, push-ups, glute bridges

Weeks 5–8 (Introduction to Speed):

  • Add 1 day of strideouts: 6×80m at 80% effort with full rest
  • Increase strength sessions to 2 per week
  • Add a tempo run (20 min at comfortably hard pace)

Weeks 9–12 (Build Intensity):

  • Replace one easy run with interval work (e.g., 6×100m)
  • Begin plyometrics with low volume (pogo jumps, broad jumps)
  • Work up to 4–5 training days per week

The most common beginner mistake is doing too much too fast. Tendon and bone adaptations lag behind cardiovascular fitness — the body feels ready before it structurally is. Build volume gradually to stay injury-free long enough for the training to work.

What to Wear and Bring to Track Practice

The right gear makes practice more consistent and comfortable across a full season of outdoor training.

Apparel: Lightweight, breathable training tees and moisture-wicking layers keep you comfortable from warm-up to cool-down. The L2N2 Track & Field collection has athlete-designed tees, hoodies, and training tops built for active use — including pieces that work both at practice and postgame.

Hydration: A 32 oz insulated water bottle is the baseline. The L2N2 Stainless Steel Water Bottle keeps drinks cold through a 2-hour practice, fits in a standard bag side pocket, and has a foldable straw so you can sip without breaking stride.

Gear Bag: A sport-specific backpack with organized compartments for spikes, clothing, and nutrition removes one more variable on meet day. The L2N2 Track & Field Under Armour® Backpack is built with athletes in mind — water-resistant, with a laptop sleeve and 27L of organized storage.

Final Thoughts

The track athletes who improve fastest share one thing: they train all the qualities, not just the one they're already good at. Sprinters who skip strength get slower without knowing why. Distance runners who skip drills develop mechanics problems that compound into injuries.

Build the full picture — strength, plyometrics, drills, and smart speed work — and the results show up on the clock.

Start where you are, track your sessions, and increase one variable at a time. That approach works for beginners and elites alike.

Back to blog