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← 4 x 4-Week Preseason Sessions

Session 2: Strength

Five lifts twice a week, each paired with a plyo, to build strength for the power session. Weeks 5 to 8 · 3 days a week · 30 to 40 minutes a day

Day 1

Shins, strength, event technique

Event:
Session 2 · Day 1 · Circuit A2 rounds, left to right

Shin quick sets A

Toe and heel walks

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Soleus walks

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Knee-to-wall ankle check

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

A-march

  • What: A slow march that builds the sprint leg action.
  • How: March forward tall. Lift the knee to hip height with the toe pulled up, step over the other knee, and put the foot down under your hip.
  • Cue: "toe up, step over"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 15 m every warm-up.

Strength: five lifts, each paired with a plyo A

Hip flexors

  • Sets & Reps: banded or pulley knee drive, 2 x 10 each leg.

Goblet squat

  • What: A squat holding one weight at your chest.
  • How: Weight held at your chest, lower for 3 s to thighs about parallel, stand up.
  • Cue: "chest tall, knees out"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 8, lower slow.

Romanian deadlift, dumbbells

  • What: A hip hinge with dumbbells, for the hamstrings and glutes.
  • How: Hips back, flat back, weights slide down the thighs, stand tall.
  • Cue: "hips back, flat back"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 8, lower slow.

Your event A

Long jump

Box-ground-box

  • What: The penultimate step feel: lower, then lift.
  • How: Two low boxes about 6 feet apart. Step off the first box, take one quick step on the ground, and step up onto the second. Walk it first, then jog.
  • Cue: "down, quick, up"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 6.
Triple jump

Short single-leg hops

  • What: Five hops in a row on one leg, for distance.
  • How: Stand on one foot. Hop forward 5 times, knee forward, foot landing under your hip, quick contacts.
  • Cue: "forward, not up"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 5 each leg.
Hurdles

Fence drill

  • What: The trail leg pulled over a low fence or hurdle, walking.
  • How: Walk beside a fence, rail, or the lowest hurdle. Step forward with the lead leg, pull the trail leg over on the wall drill path.
  • Cue: "lead with the knee"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 8 each leg.
Pole vault

Marching pole carry

  • What: The pole carry, marching.
  • How: Stubby pole in carry position. March with a big knee lift, keeping the pole still.
  • Cue: "bottom arm tucked"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 40 m.

Tap your events above.

Session 2 · Day 1 · Circuit B2 rounds, left to right

Shin quick sets B

A-skip

  • What: The A-march at skipping speed.
  • How: Skip forward. Knee to hip height, toe up, then snap the foot down under the hip. Opposite arm drives.
  • Cue: "knee up, snap down"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 20 m every warm-up.

Small pogos

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Straight and bent-knee calf raise

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 15 each way

Tib raise

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 15

Strength: five lifts, each paired with a plyo B

Split squat or step-up

  • What: The Session 1 split squat, or a step-up, holding dumbbells.
  • How: As Session 1, holding dumbbells.
  • Cue: "front heel, drive up"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 8 each leg, lower slow.

Hip thrust

  • What: A hip lift with the upper back on a bench.
  • How: Upper back on a bench, push the hips up, squeeze, lower slow.
  • Cue: "squeeze top, ribs down"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 10, lower slow.

Calf raise series

  • What: Weighted calf raises, straight knee and bent knee.
  • How: Straight knee standing, then bent knee seated, with weight.
  • Cue: "up tall, slow down"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 12 each, lower slow.

Your event B

Long jump

Fast-leg (quick feet)

  • What: Fast feet through close marks, for the last steps of the run-up.
  • How: Lines or cones 12 to 18 inches apart over 20 m. Run through with one foot between each, off the ground fast.
  • Cue: "stiff ankles, fast feet"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 20 m.
Triple jump

Hop-to-step

  • What: The hop landing straight into the step, with no pause.
  • How: Three easy steps into a moderate hop. On landing, lift the opposite knee and step out, then hold the step landing for two seconds.
  • Cue: "land and launch"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 6.
Hurdles

B-skip lead

  • What: A walking B-skip on the lead leg.
  • How: Walk; lift the knee, extend through, then pull the foot down under the hip.
  • Cue: "up, out, pull down"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 40 m.
Pole vault

1-step wall plant

  • What: The plant against a wall, from one step.
  • How: Stand one step from a solid wall in carry position. Step with the left foot, press both hands up, and set the tip at the base of the wall.
  • Cue: "hands to the sky"
  • Sets & Reps: 10 to 15 each side.

Tap your events above.

Session 2 · Day 1 · Circuit C2 rounds, left to right

Shin quick sets C

Single-leg balance with eyes closed

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 30 s each leg

Single-leg broad stick

  • What: A one-leg jump forward with a frozen landing.
  • How: Stand on one leg, jump forward, land on the same leg, and hold still for two seconds, hips back.
  • Cue: "stick it"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 5 each leg.

Ball-between-heels calf raise

  • What: A bent-knee calf raise with a ball squeezed between the heels, for the soleus and Achilles.
  • Cue: "squeeze, rise, hold"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 12 with a 3 s hold.

Strength: five lifts, each paired with a plyo C

Calf wall push

  • What: A still push through the ball of the foot that loads the Achilles.
  • How: Hands on the wall, lean from the ankles, heels up halfway. Lock the ankle and push into the floor without moving.
  • Cue: "lean, lock ankle"
  • Sets & Reps: 30 s, 4 rounds, at least 70%, harder each week

Spanish squat

  • What: A deep sit-back hold that loads the knee tendon.
  • How: Loop a band behind both knees and anchor it in front of you. Sit back until your knees bend about 90 degrees, shins straight up and down. No band? Hold a wall sit.
  • Cue: "shins straight, sit back"
  • Sets & Reps: 30 s, 4 rounds, at least 70%, harder each week

Single-leg bridge hold

  • What: A one-leg hip lift held at the top, for the hamstring and glute.
  • How: Lie on your back, one heel on the floor, other leg up. Drive the hips high and hold, ribs down.
  • Cue: "heel down, hips high"
  • Sets & Reps: 30 s, 4 rounds, at least 70%, harder each week

Your event C

Hurdles

Quick draw

  • What: A fast trail leg snap from the seated hurdle position.
  • How: Sit in hurdle-seat position. Snap the trail leg forward to a sprint position as fast as you can.
  • Cue: "snap it through"
  • Sets & Reps: 8 to 10 each side.

Tap your events above.

Mental rehearsalevery day, three times

Find one video of an athlete in your event whose form you want, and study it. If you already know correct technical form from experience, picture yourself instead. Close your eyes and run your event in your head: walk through your warm-up drills, step onto the runway or into the blocks, and run one jump, one hurdle race or one sprint with correct form all the way through the finish. Feel each body movement. It takes as long as your race, plus a minute for your warm-up drills.

  1. When you wake up.
  2. Right after your circuits.
  3. Before bed.

This trains your nervous system. Imagery plus physical practice beats physical practice alone [8].

Daily shin ABCsevery day, rest days too

Every day, rest days too, 2 to 3 minutes.

  • Seated ABCs: trace the alphabet with your big toe, each foot.
  • Band ABCs: loop a band around your toes and trace the alphabet against it.
  • Foot on foot: cross one foot over the other and push against it, up, down, in and out, 5 s each way, then switch.

Day 2

General plyos, modified Nordics, tendons, hips and core, events

Back to top
Event:
Session 2 · Day 2 · Circuit A2 rounds, left to right

General plyos A

Lateral hops

  • What: Single-leg hops sideways over a line.
  • How: Stand on one leg beside a line, free knee up. Hop side to side over the line, quick and controlled, both directions on each leg.
  • Cue: "quick and clean"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 10 each leg.

Modified Nordics A

Soleus walks

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Knee-to-wall ankle check

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

A-march

  • What: A slow march that builds the sprint leg action.
  • How: March forward tall. Lift the knee to hip height with the toe pulled up, step over the other knee, and put the foot down under your hip.
  • Cue: "toe up, step over"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 15 m every warm-up.

Tendons, hips and core A

Spanish squat

  • What: A deep sit-back hold that loads the knee tendon.
  • How: Loop a band behind both knees and anchor it in front of you. Sit back until your knees bend about 90 degrees, shins straight up and down. No band? Hold a wall sit.
  • Cue: "shins straight, sit back"
  • Sets & Reps: 30 s, 4 rounds, at least 70%, harder each week

Single-leg bridge hold

  • What: A one-leg hip lift held at the top, for the hamstring and glute.
  • How: Lie on your back, one heel on the floor, other leg up. Drive the hips high and hold, ribs down.
  • Cue: "heel down, hips high"
  • Sets & Reps: 30 s, 4 rounds, at least 70%, harder each week

Hurdle lunge

  • What: A deep lunge that opens the front of the back hip. Hip mobility for every event.
  • How: Step into a long lunge, back leg turned out like a hurdle trail leg. Push the back hip forward and hold.
  • Cue: "back hip forward"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 20 s each side, every warm-up.

Your event A

Long jump

Fast-leg (quick feet)

  • What: Fast feet through close marks, for the last steps of the run-up.
  • How: Lines or cones 12 to 18 inches apart over 20 m. Run through with one foot between each, off the ground fast.
  • Cue: "stiff ankles, fast feet"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 20 m.
Triple jump

Hop-to-step

  • What: The hop landing straight into the step, with no pause.
  • How: Three easy steps into a moderate hop. On landing, lift the opposite knee and step out, then hold the step landing for two seconds.
  • Cue: "land and launch"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 6.
Hurdles

B-skip lead

  • What: A walking B-skip on the lead leg.
  • How: Walk; lift the knee, extend through, then pull the foot down under the hip.
  • Cue: "up, out, pull down"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 40 m.
Pole vault

1-step wall plant

  • What: The plant against a wall, from one step.
  • How: Stand one step from a solid wall in carry position. Step with the left foot, press both hands up, and set the tip at the base of the wall.
  • Cue: "hands to the sky"
  • Sets & Reps: 10 to 15 each side.

Tap your events above.

Session 2 · Day 2 · Circuit B2 rounds, left to right

Modified Nordics B

A-skip

  • What: The A-march at skipping speed.
  • How: Skip forward. Knee to hip height, toe up, then snap the foot down under the hip. Opposite arm drives.
  • Cue: "knee up, snap down"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 20 m every warm-up.

Small pogos

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Tendons, hips and core B

Copenhagen plank, short lever

  • What: A side plank with the top knee on a bench, for the inner thigh and hip.
  • How: Side plank on your elbow, top knee on a bench or a partner's hands. Lift the hips into a straight line and hold.
  • Cue: "stack hips, lift"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 15 to 20 s each side.

Front and side plank

  • What: Still holds for the trunk.
  • How: Forearms down, body in one straight line, ribs pulled down. Turn to one elbow for the side plank.
  • Cue: "long and still"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 30 s each.

Wall knee drive

  • What: A knee drive against a wall for hip flexor strength.
  • How: Hands on the wall at shoulder height, body leaning forward in a straight line. Pull the heel up toward your butt and bring the knee through to hip height, toe up. Set it down and repeat.
  • Cue: "heel up, knee through"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 8 each leg.

Your event B

Long jump

Box-ground-box

  • What: The penultimate step feel: lower, then lift.
  • How: Two low boxes about 6 feet apart. Step off the first box, take one quick step on the ground, and step up onto the second. Walk it first, then jog.
  • Cue: "down, quick, up"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 6.
Triple jump

Short single-leg hops

  • What: Five hops in a row on one leg, for distance.
  • How: Stand on one foot. Hop forward 5 times, knee forward, foot landing under your hip, quick contacts.
  • Cue: "forward, not up"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 5 each leg.
Hurdles

Quick draw

  • What: A fast trail leg snap from the seated hurdle position.
  • How: Sit in hurdle-seat position. Snap the trail leg forward to a sprint position as fast as you can.
  • Cue: "snap it through"
  • Sets & Reps: 8 to 10 each side.
Pole vault

Marching pole carry

  • What: The pole carry, marching.
  • How: Stubby pole in carry position. March with a big knee lift, keeping the pole still.
  • Cue: "bottom arm tucked"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 40 m.

Tap your events above.

Session 2 · Day 2 · Circuit C2 rounds, left to right

Modified Nordics C

Modified Nordic

  • What: A slow forward lean from a kneel, resisted by your hamstrings, finished with a hip pop.
  • How: Kneel on a pad, partner holding your ankles. Keep hips straight and lower your chest toward the floor as slowly as you can. Catch yourself with your hands. Push back up, then pop the hips through so the hip, knee, and ankle extend together.
  • Cue: "lower slow, pop the hips"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 3 in Session 1, 3 x 5 from Session 2.

Toe and heel walks

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Tendons, hips and core C

Banded or pulley knee drive

  • What: A knee drive against resistance on the ankle.
  • How: Loop a band or a simple pulley around one ankle, anchored behind you. Stand tall, hand on a wall if you need it. Pull the knee up and through to hip height, then lower slow.
  • Cue: "pull it through"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 10 each leg.

Floor knee pull-through

  • What: A slow mountain climber for hip flexor control.
  • How: Start in a push-up position. Pull one knee toward your chest, slow and controlled, then return it. Hips stay level.
  • Cue: "slow knee, flat back"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 8 each leg.

Calf wall push

  • What: A still push through the ball of the foot that loads the Achilles.
  • How: Hands on the wall, lean from the ankles, heels up halfway. Lock the ankle and push into the floor without moving.
  • Cue: "lean, lock ankle"
  • Sets & Reps: 30 s, 4 rounds, at least 70%, harder each week

Your event C

Hurdles

Fence drill

  • What: The trail leg pulled over a low fence or hurdle, walking.
  • How: Walk beside a fence, rail, or the lowest hurdle. Step forward with the lead leg, pull the trail leg over on the wall drill path.
  • Cue: "lead with the knee"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 8 each leg.

Tap your events above.

Mental rehearsalevery day, three times

Find one video of an athlete in your event whose form you want, and study it. If you already know correct technical form from experience, picture yourself instead. Close your eyes and run your event in your head: walk through your warm-up drills, step onto the runway or into the blocks, and run one jump, one hurdle race or one sprint with correct form all the way through the finish. Feel each body movement. It takes as long as your race, plus a minute for your warm-up drills.

  1. When you wake up.
  2. Right after your circuits.
  3. Before bed.

This trains your nervous system. Imagery plus physical practice beats physical practice alone [8].

Daily shin ABCsevery day, rest days too

Every day, rest days too, 2 to 3 minutes.

  • Seated ABCs: trace the alphabet with your big toe, each foot.
  • Band ABCs: loop a band around your toes and trace the alphabet against it.
  • Foot on foot: cross one foot over the other and push against it, up, down, in and out, 5 s each way, then switch.

Day 3

Speed, then modified Nordics, shins, strength, events

Back to top
Event:
Session 2 · Day 3 · Circuit A: Speed and acceleration2 rounds, left to right · sprinters, jumpers, hurdlers, vaulters: all

Run these fast, with full rest between reps. Doing this part separately in your day is OK; together is best.

Speed and acceleration A

Dribbles

  • What: Small, fast leg cycles, stepping over the ankle, then the calf, then the knee.
  • How: Move forward stepping over the opposite ankle in a tight circle. Repeat at calf height, then knee height.
  • Cue: "ankle, calf, knee"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 20 m at each height.

Speed and acceleration A

B-skip

  • What: The A-skip with the leg reaching out and pawing back.
  • How: Skip with the knee up, extend the lower leg forward, then sweep the foot back down under the hip.
  • Cue: "up, out, pull down"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 20 m. Hurdlers every week; optional for other events.

Speed and acceleration A

Ankling

  • What: Tiny, quick steps off a stiff ankle.
  • How: Move forward with short steps, knees nearly straight, pressing the ball of each foot down under the hip.
  • Cue: "quick, stiff ankle"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 20 m.
Session 2 · Day 3 · Circuit B2 rounds, left to right

Modified Nordics and shin quick sets B

Squat rebounds

  • What: Two-foot bounces from a partial squat, for the soleus.
  • How: Sit into a quarter squat, heels just off the floor. Bounce off the balls of your feet, knees staying bent, heels barely dropping.
  • Cue: "stay low, heels up"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 6.

Knee-to-wall ankle check

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

A-march

  • What: A slow march that builds the sprint leg action.
  • How: March forward tall. Lift the knee to hip height with the toe pulled up, step over the other knee, and put the foot down under your hip.
  • Cue: "toe up, step over"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 15 m every warm-up.

A-skip

  • What: The A-march at skipping speed.
  • How: Skip forward. Knee to hip height, toe up, then snap the foot down under the hip. Opposite arm drives.
  • Cue: "knee up, snap down"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 20 m every warm-up.

Small pogos

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Strength: five lifts, each paired with a plyo B

Romanian deadlift, dumbbells

  • What: A hip hinge with dumbbells, for the hamstrings and glutes.
  • How: Hips back, flat back, weights slide down the thighs, stand tall.
  • Cue: "hips back, flat back"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 8, same weight, fast.

Split squat or step-up

  • What: The Session 1 split squat, or a step-up, holding dumbbells.
  • How: As Session 1, holding dumbbells.
  • Cue: "front heel, drive up"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 8 each leg, same weight, fast.

Hip thrust

  • What: A hip lift with the upper back on a bench.
  • How: Upper back on a bench, push the hips up, squeeze, lower slow.
  • Cue: "squeeze top, ribs down"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 10, same weight, fast.

Your event B

Long jump

Box-ground-box

  • What: The penultimate step feel: lower, then lift.
  • How: Two low boxes about 6 feet apart. Step off the first box, take one quick step on the ground, and step up onto the second. Walk it first, then jog.
  • Cue: "down, quick, up"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 6.
Triple jump

Short single-leg hops

  • What: Five hops in a row on one leg, for distance.
  • How: Stand on one foot. Hop forward 5 times, knee forward, foot landing under your hip, quick contacts.
  • Cue: "forward, not up"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 5 each leg.
Hurdles

Quick draw

  • What: A fast trail leg snap from the seated hurdle position.
  • How: Sit in hurdle-seat position. Snap the trail leg forward to a sprint position as fast as you can.
  • Cue: "snap it through"
  • Sets & Reps: 8 to 10 each side.
Pole vault

Marching pole carry

  • What: The pole carry, marching.
  • How: Stubby pole in carry position. March with a big knee lift, keeping the pole still.
  • Cue: "bottom arm tucked"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 40 m.

Tap your events above.

Session 2 · Day 3 · Circuit C2 rounds, left to right

Modified Nordics and shin quick sets C

Modified Nordic

  • What: A slow forward lean from a kneel, resisted by your hamstrings, finished with a hip pop.
  • How: Kneel on a pad, partner holding your ankles. Keep hips straight and lower your chest toward the floor as slowly as you can. Catch yourself with your hands. Push back up, then pop the hips through so the hip, knee, and ankle extend together.
  • Cue: "lower slow, pop the hips"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 3 in Session 1, 3 x 5 from Session 2.

Straight and bent-knee calf raise

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 15 each way

Tib raise

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 15

Single-leg balance with eyes closed

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 30 s each leg

Calf max push

  • What: A short, all-out push through the balls of the feet into something that will not move.
  • How: Heels halfway up, push up as hard as you can into a bar set in a rack at shoulder height, or press your hands up into a doorframe. Nothing moves.
  • Cue: "push hard, stay still"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 5 s on two feet, a minute of rest between.

Strength: five lifts, each paired with a plyo C

Calf raise series

  • What: Weighted calf raises, straight knee and bent knee.
  • How: Straight knee standing, then bent knee seated, with weight.
  • Cue: "up tall, slow down"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 12 each, same weight, fast.

Calf wall push

  • What: A still push through the ball of the foot that loads the Achilles.
  • How: Hands on the wall, lean from the ankles, heels up halfway. Lock the ankle and push into the floor without moving.
  • Cue: "lean, lock ankle"
  • Sets & Reps: 30 s, 4 rounds, at least 70%, harder each week

Spanish squat

  • What: A deep sit-back hold that loads the knee tendon.
  • How: Loop a band behind both knees and anchor it in front of you. Sit back until your knees bend about 90 degrees, shins straight up and down. No band? Hold a wall sit.
  • Cue: "shins straight, sit back"
  • Sets & Reps: 30 s, 4 rounds, at least 70%, harder each week

Your event C

Long jump

Fast-leg (quick feet)

  • What: Fast feet through close marks, for the last steps of the run-up.
  • How: Lines or cones 12 to 18 inches apart over 20 m. Run through with one foot between each, off the ground fast.
  • Cue: "stiff ankles, fast feet"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 20 m.
Triple jump

Hop-to-step

  • What: The hop landing straight into the step, with no pause.
  • How: Three easy steps into a moderate hop. On landing, lift the opposite knee and step out, then hold the step landing for two seconds.
  • Cue: "land and launch"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 6.
Hurdles

Fence drill

  • What: The trail leg pulled over a low fence or hurdle, walking.
  • How: Walk beside a fence, rail, or the lowest hurdle. Step forward with the lead leg, pull the trail leg over on the wall drill path.
  • Cue: "lead with the knee"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 8 each leg.
Pole vault

1-step wall plant

  • What: The plant against a wall, from one step.
  • How: Stand one step from a solid wall in carry position. Step with the left foot, press both hands up, and set the tip at the base of the wall.
  • Cue: "hands to the sky"
  • Sets & Reps: 10 to 15 each side.

Tap your events above.

Session 2 · Day 3 · Circuit D2 rounds, left to right

Modified Nordics and shin quick sets D

Single-leg broad stick

  • What: A one-leg jump forward with a frozen landing.
  • How: Stand on one leg, jump forward, land on the same leg, and hold still for two seconds, hips back.
  • Cue: "stick it"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 5 each leg.

Toe and heel walks

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Soleus walks

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Ball-between-heels calf raise

  • What: A bent-knee calf raise with a ball squeezed between the heels, for the soleus and Achilles.
  • Cue: "squeeze, rise, hold"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 12 with a 3 s hold.

Strength: five lifts, each paired with a plyo D

Single-leg bridge hold

  • What: A one-leg hip lift held at the top, for the hamstring and glute.
  • How: Lie on your back, one heel on the floor, other leg up. Drive the hips high and hold, ribs down.
  • Cue: "heel down, hips high"
  • Sets & Reps: 30 s, 4 rounds, at least 70%, harder each week

Hip flexors

  • Sets & Reps: banded or pulley knee drive, 2 x 10 each leg.

Goblet squat

  • What: A squat holding one weight at your chest.
  • How: Weight held at your chest, lower for 3 s to thighs about parallel, stand up.
  • Cue: "chest tall, knees out"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 8, same weight, fast.

Your event D

Hurdles

B-skip lead

  • What: A walking B-skip on the lead leg.
  • How: Walk; lift the knee, extend through, then pull the foot down under the hip.
  • Cue: "up, out, pull down"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 40 m.

Tap your events above.

Mental rehearsalevery day, three times

Find one video of an athlete in your event whose form you want, and study it. If you already know correct technical form from experience, picture yourself instead. Close your eyes and run your event in your head: walk through your warm-up drills, step onto the runway or into the blocks, and run one jump, one hurdle race or one sprint with correct form all the way through the finish. Feel each body movement. It takes as long as your race, plus a minute for your warm-up drills.

  1. When you wake up.
  2. Right after your circuits.
  3. Before bed.

This trains your nervous system. Imagery plus physical practice beats physical practice alone [8].

Daily shin ABCsevery day, rest days too

Every day, rest days too, 2 to 3 minutes.

  • Seated ABCs: trace the alphabet with your big toe, each foot.
  • Band ABCs: loop a band around your toes and trace the alphabet against it.
  • Foot on foot: cross one foot over the other and push against it, up, down, in and out, 5 s each way, then switch.

Week to week: the circuits show week 2, the standard week. In week 1, do fewer sets while you learn the positions. In weeks 3 and 4, add or ease off based on how your legs feel. Overtraining leads to injury.

Day 4

Optional: five lifts plus accessories. Keep 48 hours before the next hard day.

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Session 2 · Day 4 · Circuit A3 rounds, left to right

Day 4 A

Back or goblet squat

  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 5

Day 4 A

Romanian or trap bar deadlift

  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 5

Day 4 A

Split squat

  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 6 each leg

Day 4 A

Hip thrust

  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 8

Day 4 A

Calf raise series

  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 12
Session 2 · Day 4 · Circuit B2 rounds, left to right

Day 4 B

Single-leg Romanian deadlift

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 8 each

Day 4 B

Banded or pulley knee drives

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 10 each

Day 4 B

Side plank

  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 30 s

Day 4 B

Dead bug

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 10
Session 2 · Day 4 · Circuit C4 rounds, left to right

Day 4 C

Tempo

  • Sets & Reps: 6 x 100 m at 70% on grass, for athletes who feel slow off the ground

Notes on repeating drills across all 16 weeks

Research notes

Science works through iteration, meticulous perseverance, comparison, challenge, and identifying patterns across the spheres of science, so no single study is the whole answer. Findings come from other populations, animal models, or other tissues in the body, because living systems share enough molecules and machinery that these clues help us understand our own health. Individual papers are cited as keystones to stir thinking, and each one opens onto years of peer-reviewed work it was built on. Follow the citations when something is relevant to you: they open further readings you can bring to your coach, athletic trainer, or doctor.

  1. Kubo K, Ikebukuro T, Yata H, Tsunoda N, Kanehisa H, 2010, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Month-by-month changes in strength and knee tendon stiffness over 3 months of isometric training in 8 adult volunteers. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c865e2
  2. Mersmann F, Bohm S, Arampatzis A, 2017, Frontiers in Physiology. Review of muscle and tendon development in youth athletes, with a tendon-loading program of at least 12 weeks proposed from adult trials. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00987
  3. Oranchuk DJ, Storey AG, Nelson AR, Cronin JB, 2019, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. Review of 26 isometric training studies, mostly adults, on effort, muscle length, and tendon change. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13375
  4. Miller R, Balshaw TG, Massey GJ, et al., 2021, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Muscle size of elite versus sub-elite adult male sprinters. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002522
  5. Deane RS, Chow JW, Tillman MD, Fournier KA, 2005, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Eight weeks of hip flexor training and sprint, shuttle run, and vertical jump performance in untrained adults. https://doi.org/10.1519/14974.1
  6. van Dyk N, Behan FP, Whiteley R, 2019, British Journal of Sports Medicine. Meta-analysis of the Nordic hamstring exercise and hamstring injury in 8,459 athletes, mostly soccer, mixed ages. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100045
  7. van der Horst N, Smits DW, Petersen J, Goedhart EA, Backx FJ, 2015, American Journal of Sports Medicine. Randomized trial of 25 Nordic sessions over 13 weeks in 579 adult male amateur soccer players. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546515574057
  8. Simonsmeier BA, Andronie M, Buecker S, Frank C, 2020, International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Meta-analysis of imagery interventions in sport studies, mixed ages and levels. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2020.1780627
  9. Kubo K, Morimoto M, Komuro T, et al., 2007, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Plyometric versus weight training and Achilles tendon and joint stiffness in adults. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31813e630a
  10. Kubo K, Ishigaki T, Ikebukuro T, 2017, Physiological Reports. Plyometric versus isometric training and muscle and Achilles tendon stiffness in adults. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.13374
  11. Lauersen JB, Andersen TE, Andersen LB, 2018, British Journal of Sports Medicine. Meta-analysis of strength training and sports injury in 7,738 people aged 12 to 40, mixed sports. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099078
  12. Moran J, Liew B, Ramirez-Campillo R, et al., 2023, Journal of Sport and Health Science. Meta-analysis of plyometric jump training and lower-limb stiffness in healthy individuals. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2021.05.005

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