Track Training Exercises

Runners who participate in track and field can greatly benefit from exercises that strengthen leg muscles and joints as well as duplicate the movements a runner makes while sprinting or long-distance running. Try performing the following training exercises, adapted from coaches, runners and fitness instructors. You will develop greater muscle strength, endurance and flexibility to perform better and faster on the track.

  1. Heel Raise

    • According to Michael Yessis, Ph.D., author of "Explosive Running," great running requires great ankle joint extension. The more you can extend your ankle, the greater the power of your push-off, Yessis says. In order to increase the strength and flexibility of your ankles, perform heel raises. On a stable surface 2 to 4 four inches off the ground, stand on the balls of your feet. Lower your heels over the edge just until you feel a stretch in the back of your ankle. Rise up as high as possible onto the balls of your feet. Repeat 10 times. For greater resistance, you can hold dumbbells or step onto resistance tubing fastened around your waist.

    Forward Lunge

    • Lunges, according to Yessis, stretch the hip flexors and duplicate the body's position while sprinting. To do lunges, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a giant step forward with your right leg, and as your right foot hits the ground, bend that knee and lower your body straight down. Be sure not to let the knee extend past the foot. Hold for one count, then extend the right leg to push yourself back to starting position. Repeat the exercise on the left leg. Continue alternating legs until you have performed 10 repetitions on each leg.

    Aqua Jogging

    • Performing running drills in the pool is recommended by Eddie Seese, running coach and former Penn State runner. This can help increase your speed without the heavy impact of running on a hard surface. Perform this exercise by running in the deep end of a pool while wearing an aqua jogger. Perform the same number of strides that you would normally run outside of the water. For example, if it normally takes you 100 strides to run 50 yards, and you're training for a 50-yard dash, then perform 100 strides in the pool.

    40-Yard Sprint

    • This is a speed drill recommended by Ron Jones, health and fitness instructor for the American College of Sports Medicine. For the first 10 yards, accelerate at a forward angle while holding your breath. This helps to stabilize your hips. After the first 10 yards, exhale, inhale, then hold your breath again until you've completed 40 yards. Throughout the drill, focus on keeping your core stabilized and keeping the body at a forward lean.