01 Track & Field Warmup & Workouts (Examples)

Warmup (pick several from below)

  • Jumping Jacks
  • Pushups
  • Standing Trunk Twist; Standing Windmill
  • Standing Touch toes; Standing Cross-Legs Touch toes
  • Quick feet
  • Playful Skipping
  • Achilles / Calf stretch (external link)
  • Leg Swings
  • Quad Stretch (external link)
  • Walking Quad Stretch (external link)
  • Hamstring Sweeps (external link)
  • Alternating Knee Drops (external link)
  • Rocking Adductor Stretch (external link)
  • 5 Steps Forward, 5 Steps Back
  • Every Third
  • Skip (A Skip; B Skip) (external link)
  • Crossover sideways (football drill) or Slide (basketball drill)
    (external links) (external link)
  • Run backwards
  • Lunges or Squats
  • Butt kicks (external link) (external links)
  • Hopping (one leg or two leg)
  • Bounding (helps with stride length)
  • Plyometrics
  • High knees
  • Hamstring stretch (external link)
  • Ladder work (agility)
  • Walking over a short hurdle (for hip flexibility)

Inter-School Track and Field Meet

On grass (40 meter x 100 meter grass area); no starting blocks, and no spikes.
3-Point Start for running is acceptable.

Good Running Techniques

Relax shoulders near neck area (not bunched up)

Workout

  • Monday: Jumping Day (hurdles, long jump, triple jump)
  • Tuesday: Sprint Forward and Sprint Back (with very short rest in between)
    (sprinting on toes)
  • Wednesday: Throwing day (shot put)
  • Thursday: Running (70% to 90%) up to 600 meters (walk equal distance in between)
  • Friday:  Jog Two Miles or Hill Workout or Stair Workout

Weight Room

  •      Good weight room habits

Other Good Habits

  • Good eating habits, good sleeping habits, no tobacco, and no illegal drugs

Rule Books

Note: Pages listed below are page number listed on bottom of page (and not the PDF numbering).
Summary of USATF Specification as of 2024 (to change in 2026) (Excel) (PDF)

  • USATF Competition Rules (external link)
  • For Youth (up to age 18) Track and Field – Shot Put weights – see pages 167-168 in the 2024 USATF Competition Rules book
  • For Youth (up to age 18) Track and Field- Hurdle Heights and Spacings  – see page 170 in the 2024 USATF Competition Rules book
  • For U20, College and Olympics Track and Field – Hurdle Heights and Spacings  – see page 82 in the 2024 USATF Competition Rules book
  • For Masters (age 25 plus) Track and Field – Hurdle Heights and Spacings  – see page 189 in the 2024 USATF Competition Rules book
  • For Masters (age 25 plus) Track and Field – Shot Put –  see page 192 in the 2024 USATF Competition Rules book
  • (CIF) California High School Rules (Blue Book) (National Federation of State High School Associations)