Track and Field Training: Sprints, Jumps, Throws, Plyometrics and Periodization

This article contains affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

January, 6 a.m., a field house that smells like rubber and chalk. Sprinters doing A-skips down the straight, jumpers counting steps on the runway, throwers in the weight room before school. Nobody is racing yet; the meets that matter are months away. That’s the thing about track and field: almost everything that decides a race or a jump happens in training you’ll never see on meet day. This page covers the basics for sprints, hurdles, jumps and throws: what to train, how plyometrics and strength fit in, and how to plan a year with an indoor and an outdoor season. Distance runners will find their weekly mileage and long-run advice on our running training page.

Start every new program with your coach, and if you’re returning from injury, with your PT or athletic trainer. Back to the track and field hub.

What each event group asks of your body

Event group	Main qualities	Typical training pieces
Sprints and hurdles	Acceleration, top speed, speed endurance (200/400), rhythm over barriers	Starts and accelerations, flying sprints, technique drills, hurdle drills, strength and plyometrics
Jumps (long, triple, high, pole vault)	Speed on the runway, a powerful take-off, body control in the air and on landing	Approach runs, short-approach jumps, bounding and plyometrics, strength, gymnastics-style drills for vaulters
Throws (shot, discus, javelin, hammer)	Strength and power through the legs and trunk, rotation or approach speed, a healthy shoulder	Technical throws, medicine-ball throws, Olympic lifts and squats, trunk and shoulder strength
Combined events	A bit of everything, plus the stamina to perform across two days	Rotating technical days, sprint and strength work, 800 m / 1500 m conditioning

Sprint and hurdle training basics

Speed is trained by running fast, fully rested. Coaches usually split it into acceleration (block and standing starts over short distances), maximum velocity (flying sprints after a build-up), and speed endurance (longer reps for the 200 and 400). Quality matters more than volume: long rests between short sprints keep every rep fast, which is also how a timing system like Freelap earns its place. Technique drills (A-skips, B-skips, wickets) and mini hurdles such as the SKLZ Speed Hurdle Pro help rhythm and foot contact. Resisted sprints with a parachute like the SKLZ Speed Chute or a sled add a strength element to acceleration work.

Sprinting itself is part of hamstring health: in a study at the 2018 European Championships, athletes in sprint-based events did more sprinting and hamstring-specific work, and hamstring injuries were part of most sprinters’ careers. Building back up to full speed gradually after a break matters; see track and field injuries.

Jump and throw training basics

Jumpers spend a lot of time on the approach: a consistent run-up is what puts the take-off foot on the board or the right spot. Short-approach jumps let you practise take-offs many times without the full load of a full approach. Pole vaulters add plant drills and gymnastics-style work, always with a qualified coach and proper pit setup.

Throwers build technique with many controlled throws, often with lighter or heavier implements, plus medicine-ball throws to train power through the legs and trunk. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) stresses conditioning, technique and recovery time for throwing athletes, along with shoulder-blade, upper-back and core strength. Count your throws the way a baseball pitcher counts pitches, and back off when the arm is tired; AAOS notes that throwing with pain or fatigue is when injury risk is highest.

Plyometrics: jumping to get faster

Plyometrics (bounds, hops, box jumps, hurdle hops, depth jumps) train the quick stretch-and-spring action of the muscles and tendons. A 2026 meta-analysis of 30 randomized trials in track and field athletes found plyometric training improved 30 m sprint times (by about 3.5%), countermovement jump height (about 5%), vertical jump and standing long jump, and even running economy in endurance athletes. Only one trial measured injuries, so prevention benefits are still preliminary.

• Count contacts (every foot landing) and build volume gradually, especially early in the season.
• Land well first: soft, quiet landings with knees tracking over toes before adding height or speed.
• Do them fresh, early in the session, on a forgiving surface (track, turf, sprung floor).
• Watch the tendons: new jump volume is a common trigger for Achilles and patellar tendon pain.

Strength training

Every event group lifts. Sprinters and jumpers use squats, deadlift variations, Olympic lifts and single-leg work to produce more force into the ground; throwers often lift the most. Strength also protects: a 2018 meta-analysis across sports found strength training cut sports injuries to about one-third, and a 2019 meta-analysis found programs including the Nordic hamstring exercise reduced hamstring injuries by up to 51%. A strap like the NordStick lets you do Nordics without a partner. A 2025 meta-analysis of track and field trials found exercise-based programs (strength, neuromuscular, conditioning) reduced injury rates.

More options are in our guide to the best speed training equipment and the best resistance bands for athletes.

Periodization: planning an indoor and an outdoor season

Many track athletes have two peaks a year. In college, the NCAA Division I indoor championships were held March 13–14, 2026 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and the outdoor championships June 10–13, 2026 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Internationally, the 2026 World Indoor Championships were in Toruń, Poland (March 20–22), and the next World Championships are in Beijing, September 10–19, 2027. High school schedules vary by state: some have a winter indoor season, almost all have a spring outdoor season.

Periodization means planning blocks so you’re fittest when it counts. A common shape for a two-season year:

• Fall (general preparation): build the base: strength, work capacity, technique drills, lower-intensity running and introductory plyometrics.
• Early winter (specific preparation): more speed and event-specific work, heavier and faster lifting.
• Indoor season: shorter sprints (60 m, 200 m on a tight track), fewer, sharper sessions, then a short taper for the championship meet.
• Short break, then a mini build: a week or two of lighter training before re-building for outdoors.
• Outdoor season: full events (100, 400 hurdles, javelin, hammer and discus are outdoor-only), with volume dropping as intensity rises toward the championship.
• Transition: a real break after the last meet. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends young athletes take at least 1–2 days off a week from their main sport and about 3 months off a year, in one-month blocks.

Nutrition follows the same plan. The 2019 consensus statement on nutrition for athletics from World Athletics (then IAAF) recommends periodized eating that matches each training phase; see track and field nutrition.

Warm-up

A good track warm-up moves from easy jogging to dynamic drills, strides and then event-specific work: block starts, short approaches or a few easy throws. A 2015 review of warm-up research found active warm-ups raise muscle temperature and prepare the body for hard efforts, and that keeping warm during the gap before competition matters. That gap is a big deal on meet day; we cover it on the Meet Day page.

Youth athletes and masters

Young athletes do best sampling several events (and sports), learning technique and general athleticism before specializing. Keep plyometric and throwing volumes modest, focus on landing and lifting technique, and respect the AAP’s rest guidance. Masters athletes can keep sprinting and jumping for decades; tendons usually need longer warm-ups and more recovery between fast sessions than they did at 20. More for both groups is on our track and field recovery page.

Track and field training: FAQs

How do sprinters train to get faster?

By sprinting fast with full rest (accelerations and flying sprints), plus technique drills, strength training and plyometrics. A 2026 meta-analysis in track and field athletes found plyometrics alone improved 30 m sprint times by about 3.5%.

Are plyometrics safe for high school athletes?

With good coaching, yes for most athletes. Start with low volumes and simple jumps, master soft landings, and build gradually. Stop and get checked if knee or heel pain builds after jumping sessions.

Should throwers lift weights in season?

Most do, with less volume as the big meets approach, so they keep strength without carrying fatigue into competition. Your coach will usually cut lifting volume during the taper.

What is periodization in track and field?

Planning training in blocks (general preparation, specific preparation, competition, transition) so you peak for key meets. Athletes with indoor and outdoor seasons often plan two peaks a year, with a short break in between.

How many days a week should a track athlete train?

It varies by age and level, but rest is part of training. The AAP recommends at least 1–2 days off a week from the main sport for young athletes. Hard speed or jump days are usually separated by easier days.