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← 4 x 4-Week Preseason Sessions

Session 4: Speed and event rhythm

Starts, flies and event rhythm runs, so you reach first practice fast. Weeks 13 to 16 · 3 days a week · 30 to 40 minutes a day

Day 1

Shins, strength, event technique

Event:
Session 4 · 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: maintain A

Squat

  • What: A loaded squat.
  • Cue: "chest tall, knees out"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 3 with a 2 s pause.

Rear-foot raised split squat

  • What: A split squat with the back foot up on a bench or step, for hip extension strength.
  • Cue: "back knee down, front heel drives"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 3 each leg, slow.

Your event A

Hurdles

Rhythm runs over rope or noodle

  • What: Hurdle rhythm with no fear of the barrier.
  • How: Stretch a rope or pool noodle between cones at 18 to 24 inches, 6 to 8 of them. Run the rhythm over them; a hit just drops the rope.
  • Cue: "ba ba ba over"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 6 barriers.
Pole vault

Mini-hurdle runs

  • What: Quick, tall running over low barriers.
  • How: Set mini hurdles or ropes 4 to 6 feet apart. Run over them at about 80%, tall, quick feet.
  • Cue: "cycle quick, no reaching"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 6 barriers.

Tap your events above.

Session 4 · 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

Single-leg calf raise

  • What: A slow calf raise on one leg, straight knee then bent knee.
  • Cue: "up tall, lower slow"
  • Sets & Reps: toward 30 in a row each way, each leg.

Strength: maintain B

Romanian deadlift

  • What: A hip hinge with weight, for the hamstrings and glutes.
  • Cue: "hips back, flat back"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 3, slow.

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; week 16 lighter, close to your hardest

Your event B

Pole vault

Grounded swing-up

  • What: The swing of the vault, done lying down.
  • How: Lie on your back holding the stubby pole, partner holding the top. Swing your legs up fast to touch your hands.
  • Cue: "fast trail leg"
  • Sets & Reps: 10 to 15 reps.

Tap your events above.

Session 4 · Day 1 · Circuit C2 rounds, left to right

Shin quick sets C

Tib raise

  • What: Toes pulled up toward the shins, back against a wall.
  • Cue: "toes to shin"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 15.

Single-leg balance

  • What: Stand on one leg, eyes closed.
  • Cue: "quiet ankle"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 30 s 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 10.

Strength: maintain C

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; week 16 lighter, close to your hardest

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; week 16 lighter, close to your hardest

Your event C

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 4 · Day 2 · Circuit A2 rounds, left to right

General plyos A

Hurdle hops

  • What: Two-foot hops over low hurdles with short contacts.
  • How: Line up 5 low hurdles or ropes. Hop over each with feet together, off the ground fast.
  • Cue: "quick off the ground"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 5 hurdles.

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; week 16 lighter, close to your hardest

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; week 16 lighter, close to your hardest

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

Max-effort approach jump

  • What: A full-effort jump from a short run-in, at a high target.
  • Cue: "run, plant, reach"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 3. Each jump is one contact.
Hurdles

Rhythm runs over rope or noodle

  • What: Hurdle rhythm with no fear of the barrier.
  • How: Stretch a rope or pool noodle between cones at 18 to 24 inches, 6 to 8 of them. Run the rhythm over them; a hit just drops the rope.
  • Cue: "ba ba ba over"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 6 barriers.
Pole vault

Grounded swing-up

  • What: The swing of the vault, done lying down.
  • How: Lie on your back holding the stubby pole, partner holding the top. Swing your legs up fast to touch your hands.
  • Cue: "fast trail leg"
  • Sets & Reps: 10 to 15 reps.

Tap your events above.

Session 4 · Day 2 · Circuit B2 rounds, left to right

General plyos B

Speed bounds

  • What: Fast, low bounds over 30 m.
  • How: Bound low and fast, swing the hip through, and push down hard on each contact. Time each rep and count the bounds.
  • Cue: "low and fast"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 30 m.

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

Pole vault

Mini-hurdle runs

  • What: Quick, tall running over low barriers.
  • How: Set mini hurdles or ropes 4 to 6 feet apart. Run over them at about 80%, tall, quick feet.
  • Cue: "cycle quick, no reaching"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 6 barriers.

Tap your events above.

Session 4 · 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; week 16 lighter, close to your hardest

Your event C

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 4 · Day 3 · Circuit A: Speed and acceleration4 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

Block starts

  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 20 m, two or three days a week, two to three days apart, once the freeze is clean.

Speed and acceleration A

3-point start with first-step freeze

  • What: The first step from a 3-point stance, frozen.
  • How: One hand down, opposite arm high and back, feet staggered. Push out one step and freeze: arms split, chin down, body at 45 degrees.
  • Cue: "split, drive, freeze"
  • Sets & Reps: 5 reps, then 4 x 20 m full starts.

Speed and acceleration A

Wicket runs

  • What: Running tall through low mini hurdles.
  • How: Set 6 to 8 mini hurdles or ropes 5.5 to 7 feet apart after a 15 m build. Step down into each gap, tall.
  • Cue: "step down, run tall"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 30 m.

Speed and acceleration A

Flies into a 10 m zone

  • What: A build into a 10 m top-speed zone, timed.
  • How: Mark a 10 m zone. Build over 20 m into it in weeks 13 and 14, over 30 m in weeks 15 and 16. Float through the zone, face and shoulders relaxed, while a partner or a phone stopwatch times it.
  • Cue: "float tall"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 to 4 reps, full rest. Week 13: after the wicket runs. Week 14: one technical focus per rep. Week 15: one best-time attempt if a partner times it; otherwise speed golf. Week 16: speed golf, each rep at 90 to 95% of your best zone time, fast and relaxed.

Speed and acceleration A

High cycle

  • What: A high dribble that travels forward.
  • How: Pull the heel up across the knee to the front, hips high, hands high, moving forward.
  • Cue: "heel over knee"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 20 m.
Session 4 · Day 3 · Circuit B2 rounds, left to right

Modified Nordics and shin quick sets B

Single-leg pogo hops

  • What: One-leg ankle bounces with a little knee bend.
  • Cue: "quick ankle"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 6 each leg.

Single-leg rebound, back foot raised

  • What: Bounces on one leg from a split stance, heel staying up.
  • Cue: "heel stays up"
  • Sets & Reps: 3 x 5 each leg.

Knee-to-wall ankle check

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Strength: maintain B

Romanian deadlift

  • What: A hip hinge with weight, for the hamstrings and glutes.
  • Cue: "hips back, flat back"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 3, moved 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; week 16 lighter, close to your hardest

Your event B

Hurdles

Rhythm runs over rope or noodle

  • What: Hurdle rhythm with no fear of the barrier.
  • How: Stretch a rope or pool noodle between cones at 18 to 24 inches, 6 to 8 of them. Run the rhythm over them; a hit just drops the rope.
  • Cue: "ba ba ba over"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 6 barriers.
Pole vault

Mini-hurdle runs

  • What: Quick, tall running over low barriers.
  • How: Set mini hurdles or ropes 4 to 6 feet apart. Run over them at about 80%, tall, quick feet.
  • Cue: "cycle quick, no reaching"
  • Sets & Reps: 4 x 6 barriers.

Tap your events above.

Session 4 · Day 3 · Circuit C2 rounds, left to right

Modified Nordics and shin quick sets C

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.

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.

Strength: maintain C

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; week 16 lighter, close to your hardest

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; week 16 lighter, close to your hardest

Your event C

Pole vault

Grounded swing-up

  • What: The swing of the vault, done lying down.
  • How: Lie on your back holding the stubby pole, partner holding the top. Swing your legs up fast to touch your hands.
  • Cue: "fast trail leg"
  • Sets & Reps: 10 to 15 reps.

Tap your events above.

Session 4 · Day 3 · Circuit D2 rounds, left to right

Modified Nordics and shin quick sets D

Calf max push, single leg

  • What: A short, all-out push through the ball of one foot into something that will not move.
  • Cue: "push hard, stay still"
  • Sets & Reps: 5 x 3 s single leg. Keep it into the season.

Toe and heel walks

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Soleus walks

  • Sets & Reps: warm-up, once through

Strength: maintain D

Squat

  • What: A loaded squat.
  • Cue: "chest tall, knees out"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 3, moved fast.

Rear-foot raised split squat

  • What: A split squat with the back foot up on a bench or step, for hip extension strength.
  • Cue: "back knee down, front heel drives"
  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 3 each leg, moved fast.

Your event D

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: maintenance. Keep 48 hours before the next hard day.

Back to top
Session 4 · Day 4 · Circuit A2 rounds, left to right

Day 4 A

Squat

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 3

Day 4 A

Romanian deadlift

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 3

Day 4 A

Split squat

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 3 each leg, all fast
Session 4 · Day 4 · Circuit B2 rounds, left to right

Day 4 B

Calf raise series

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 12

Day 4 B

Copenhagen plank

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 20 s each side

Day 4 B

Side plank

  • Sets & Reps: 2 x 30 s

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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