Strength & Training for Track & Field Outside the Weightroom

Categories of Training Exercises Training exercises for the field can be broken down into different groups based on what type of movement is involved in the exercise. For the purposes of this article, these exercises will be broken down into the following categories: 1) edicine !all, ") #gility $ %onditioning &rills, ') (pper !ody )lyometrics, *) #bdominal +outine.

Medicine Ball Exercises 1. ,ip Flexor &rill: -hile the athlete is hanging from a bar, have a partner lob the medicine ball toward them so they can kick it back to their partner with the bottoms of both feet. ". .eg %urls: -hile the athlete is lying on their stomach, have a partner roll the medicine ball down the back of their legs so they can kick it back to the partner with their heels. '. /verhead Throw from 0neeling )osition *. %hest )ass 1. Trunk Twists 2. /verhead Throw from 3tanding )osition 4. Tricep Tosses 5. +oll6back Throw: The athlete will throw the ball to a partner from a seated position with their back to their partner. The athlete will perform the throw by rolling on to their back as they throw the medicine ball with both hands back over their head., 7. Foot Throw: The athlete will hold the medicine ball between their ankles while in a standing position and then flip the medicine ball up to their partner by kicking both feet up simultaneously. 18. edicine !all 3it6ups

11. Fish /ut of -ater Throws: # partner will roll the ball to the thrower who is lying on their stomach, facing their partner, with their arms outstretched to receive the medicine ball. The thrower will pull the ball behind their head and throw it back to their partner. Agility and Conditioning Drills 1. #lternate )ush off 9with 561": box) ". .ateral !ox 3tep6up

'. 3ide to 3ide !ox ;umps 9with 561": box) *. Front !ox ;ump 9double legged with 561": box) 1. .ateral !ox ;ump 9double legged with 561": box) 2. .ateral %one ,ops 4. !ounding: &ouble leg, 3ingle leg6alternate, 3ingle leg6same leg, &ouble leg6diagonal hop 5. Two6footed #nkle ,ops 7. 3<uat ;ump 18. 3plit 3<uat ;ump 11. &ouble6legged Tuck ;ump -ith 0nees (p 1". &ouble6legged Tuck ;ump -ith a ,eel 0ick 1'. -alking .unges 1*. -eighted 3led +uns 11. 3low 3<uats with !ody -eight 12. ;umping Toe Touches 14. %alf +aises on 3tair or %urb Upper Body Plyometrics 9For athletes with advanced upper body strength only) 1. )ush6ups with wide to narrow arm stance ". 3ide6to6side )ush6ups '. )ush6ups with a clap *. 3ide6to6side )ush6ups with one arm up on box 9with 561": box) 1. -heelbarrow -alks Abdominal Exercises 1. %runches ". 3eated +ows

'. .eg %ross6overs *. .eg +aises 1. ,ip +aises 2. Trunk Twists 4. ,anging .eg +aises

Training Considerations !efore getting started with a training circuit for your track and field program, a number of pre6 training considerations need to be looked at before prescribing exercises for all of your athletes. First of all, the coach should look at the age, body weight, and the physical state of development of each of their athletes. 3econdly, the coach should look at the training levels of each athlete with regard to strength and speed training and their prior training experience. Finally, the coach should evaluate the strength training needs of each group of athletes as classified by their event specialties. /nce these variables are all taken into account, the coach can set up a training circuit for their athletes. How to Set Up t e Training Circ!it The training circuit should be performed on the grass infield of the track for the ma=ority of the exercises. This should be especially true for the lower body plyometrics to reduce the shock of the ground impact, and it will allow the track to be clear for running workouts to be held concurrently with the strength and conditioning session. The training circuit can be performed up to three times a week on a schedule that allows for at least *5 hours of rest between sessions. /nce the competitive season begins, the training circuit may be cut back to only twice a week to allow for ample rest before competitions. >f the coach chooses to go on a schedule that uses the training circuit only twice a week, they may want to allow for 4" hours of recovery between sessions by going on a onday6Thursday, or Tuesday6Friday schedule. The coach should also start their training circuit with more low intensity exercises and gradually increase the intensity as the year advances. >t is actually a good idea to start the season with general conditioning period for a few weeks before beignning a training circuit such as this, although athletes who had =ust finished another sport season should be in good enough condition to begin right away. -hen setting up the training circuit, the coach should pay special attention to the order and fre<uency of the exercises that are to be performed. >t is recommended that each training session consist of " to * exercises from each of the four exercise categories, and that there is ade<uate rest time between stations. The order of exercises should follow a pattern upper body to lower body to abdominal exercises, and then repeat the same order. This type of arrangement will allow for more recovery time for a specific muscle group because it is not being used in successive exercises. # sample workout with this type of ordering is as follows: M"#DA$ ?o through each exercise twice 9" minutes rest between stations) 1. %hest )ass with medicine ball 9"8 reps) ". Front !ox ;umps 9"1 seconds)

'. %runches 9'8 reps) *. )ush6ups with a %lap 918 reps) 1. 3plit 3<uats 9"8 reps) 2. ,ip +aises 9"8 reps) 4. Tricep Tosses 9"8 reps) 5. -alking .unges 918 reps, each leg)

%ED#ESDA$ ?o through each exercise twice 9" minutes rest between stations) 1. /verhead Tosses with ' kg. medicine ball ". 3ide6to63ide !ox ;umps 9"1 seconds) '. ,anging .eg +aises 9"8 reps) *. Fish /ut of -ater Throws 911 reps) 1. 3low 3<uats with !ody -eight 9down in * seconds, up at moderate speed, 18 reps) 2. %runches 9'8 reps) 4. 3ide6to63ide )ush6ups 911 reps), %hest )asses with 5. .eg %urls with edicine !all 9* kg.) 9"8 reps) edicine !all 9* kg.) 9 "8 reps)

7. 3eated +ows 9"1 reps) Assigning Exercises -hen assigning the number of stations and the number of repetitions for each exercise, the coach may want to set up a series of circuits based on the level of physical development of their athletes. >f this is not possible, the coach may want to designate that certain athletes bypass some stations that have an exercise that is beyond the physical capabilities of the athlete at that particular time. >n terms of prescribing exercises for each event area, the coach should pay careful attention which exercises will help the specific needs for an athlete in their particular event. The agility and conditioning drills and abdominal exercises are good exercises for all track and field athletes, but the more ballistic exercises, such as the box =umps, should be used more by the power oriented athletes 9sprinters, =umpers, throwers). (pper body plyometrics are more advanced exercises that should only be used by athletes with well6developed upper bodies, such as throwers and pole vaulters. edicine ball drills can benefit athletes in all event areas, although athletes in the throws and pole vault may want to emphasi@e more upper body medicine ball drills.

> have tried to mention a number of different exercises that can be incorporated into a training circuit so that a coach can have a variety of exercises for all of their athletes to perform. This is one of the beauties of the field training circuit in which there are a number of different exercises that can accommodate all skill and strength levels for every type of athlete. >t will also provide sufficient variety so as to avoid the monotony of doing the same exercises over and over. The following table lists a basic guideline for how many contacts and repetitions can be performed for each typ8e of exercise.

Exercise &eps or Contacts per Set

edicine !all Axercises 186"1 reps per set !ox ;umps 186'8 contacts per set !ounding 18611 contacts per set .eg Axercises 18 reps per set ;umping Axercises 18611 reps per set (pper !ody )lyos 186"8 contacts per set #bdominal Axercises 186'8 reps per set For more information on these types of training exercises, please see the articles and books in the reference section. &eferences #llerheiligen, !., $ +ogers +. 91771) )lyometrics )rogram &esign, 3trength and %onditioning 149*), "26'1. #llerheiligen, !., $ +ogers, +. 91771) )lyometrics )rogram &esign, )art ", 3trength and %onditioning 1491), ''6'7. !aechle, T. +. 9177*) Assentials of 3trength Training and %onditioning. %hampaign, >llinois: ,uman 0inetics. %hu, &. 9177") ;umping >nto )lyometrics. %hampaign, >llinois: ,uman 0inetics. Batsiorsky, C. 91771) 3cience and )ractice of 3trength Training. %hampaign, >llinois: ,uman 0inetics. Article By' Don Babbit