1 — Light Jog 5 min
Same as Practice 1 — easy movement to elevate heart rate and get the group together.
- Slow jog around the perimeter of the practice area as a group
- Keep it conversational — athletes should be able to talk the whole time
- Cue: “Relax your shoulders, swing your arms, easy breathing.”
2 — Dynamic Warm-Up 8 min
Athletes should be starting to remember this sequence from Practice 1. Let them lead today — coach corrects as needed.
- High Knees — 2× 20m. Drive knees to hip height, quick turnover, stay on balls of feet.
- Frankensteins — 1× 20m. Straight-leg kicks up toward an outstretched hand, alternate sides. Loosens hamstrings dynamically. Cue: “Keep your back tall, don’t round forward.”
- Ballerinas — 1× 20m. Rise onto toes with each step, controlled and deliberate. Activates calves and improves ankle stiffness.
- Shuffles — 1× 20m each direction. Low athletic stance, stay light on the feet, don’t cross the feet. Cue: “Stay low, stay quick.”
- Karaoke — 1× 20m each direction. Lateral crossover step — front cross, then back cross. Hips rotate, shoulders stay square. Cue: “Rotate from the hips, not the shoulders.”
- Arm Circles — 10 forward, 10 backward. Big circles from the shoulder. Loosens the upper back and shoulder girdle before throwing.
- Leg Swings (forward/back & side to side) — 10 reps each direction, each leg. Hold a wall or fence for balance.
3 — Skips 10 min
Skipping is one of the most important drills in track. Each variation trains a different quality — rhythm, power, height, or length. Teach these patiently; athletes who have never done skip progressions will need time to find the coordination.
- Skips (basic) — 2× 20m. Relaxed skip with natural arm swing. Just find the rhythm. Cue: “Step-hop, step-hop. Find the bounce.”
- Skips for Height — 2× 20m. Drive the knee up aggressively and push hard off the ground to maximize air time. Cue: “Try to touch the sky with your knee. Stay up as long as you can.”
- Skips for Length — 2× 20m. Drive the knee forward and push hard off the toe to cover as much ground as possible per skip. Cue: “Cover ground — big, long skips.”
- A-Skips — 2× 20m. Skip with an exaggerated high-knee drive, foot strikes down directly under the hip on each landing. This is the foundation of sprint mechanics. Cue: “Knee up, foot down — punch the ground under you.”
- B-Skips — 2× 20m. Same as A-Skip, but extend the lower leg forward before the foot strikes down. Trains hamstring snap-down. Cue: “Kick out, then snap it back down like you’re scraping mud off your shoe.”
- Straight Leg Skips — 1× 20m. Skip with the lead leg fully straight, striking flat under the hip. Reinforces active ground contact. Cue: “Think stiff and springy, not soft and slow.”
- Pogos — 2× 10 reps. Both feet together, ankles stiff, minimal knee bend. Bounce quickly off the ground. Builds ankle stiffness and reactive power. Cue: “Your ankles are springs — don’t let them collapse.”
- Pogos (1 Foot) — 1× 10 reps each foot. Same as pogos but single leg. Slow it down if athletes are losing balance.
4 — Power 10 min
Two movements today: squats build the strength base, broad jumps turn that strength into explosive output. Teach squat form before moving to jumps.
- Air Squat — 3× 10 reps
- Feet shoulder-width, toes slightly out
- Weight in mid-foot and heels, chest tall, knees track over toes
- Squat to parallel or below — hips crease below the top of the knee
- Drive through the heels to stand, squeeze glutes at the top
- Cue: “Chest up, knees out, sit back like there’s a chair behind you.”
- Common error: heels rising — tell athletes to spread the floor with their feet
- Broad Jump — 3× 3 attempts
- Feet shoulder-width, toes behind the line
- Bend knees, swing arms back, then explode forward — land on two feet, stick the landing
- Measure from takeoff line to the back of the nearest heel
- Cue: “Load your hips like a spring — arms back, hips back — then let it go all at once.”
- Focus on landing mechanics: soft knees, athletic stance, no falling forward
5 — Track Skills 12 min
Two event introductions today. Split athletes into two groups and rotate at the halfway mark.
- Shot Put (6 min per group)
- Start with the standing throw — no spin or glide yet
- Place the shot on the neck, just below the jaw. Elbow up and out — never drop the elbow below shoulder height
- Feet staggered (throwing-side foot back), slight bend in the knees
- Drive up through the legs, extend the arm, and flick the wrist at release
- Release at roughly 40–45 degrees. The shot travels in an arc, not a straight line
- Cue: “Push it away from your face — don’t throw it like a baseball.”
- Give each athlete 3–4 attempts. Use a light training shot if available
- Baton Passes (6 min per group)
- Teach the upsweep pass: outgoing runner’s hand opens palm-down, incoming runner passes the baton up into it
- Start standing still: partners face each other, practice the hand-off motion slowly
- Progress to a slow jog: incoming runner calls “Stick!” as they approach, outgoing runner reaches back without looking
- Key rule: the outgoing runner does not look back — eyes forward, hand back
- Cue: “Reach back like you’re opening a door behind you — confident, not grabby.”
- If time allows, run a short 2-person relay exchange at half speed
6 — Core Challenge 5 min
Finish every practice strong. The core challenge is a team competition — everyone goes together, the goal is to outlast each other (and the coach).
- Plank Hold — Hold as long as possible as a team. Forearms or hands, body in a straight line from head to heel. Last athlete standing wins bragging rights.
- Cue: “Squeeze everything — glutes, abs, quads. Don’t let your hips sag or pike.”
- V-Sit Hold — Seated, legs raised, body forms a V shape. Hold for 30 sec × 2 rounds. Cue: “Lean back just enough to feel your abs working — don’t collapse.”
- Record the top plank time — we’ll try to beat it next practice.
7 — Cool Down 5 min
Same cool-down routine as Practice 1. Athletes should be able to lead this themselves soon.
- Easy walk — 1 lap around the practice area, shaking out the legs
- Quad stretch — 30 sec each leg. Standing, pull heel to glute. Cue: “Stand tall, don’t lean forward.”
- Hamstring stretch — 30 sec each leg. Step one foot forward, hinge at hips, keep back flat.
- Hip flexor stretch (lunge) — 30 sec each side. Low lunge, back knee down, drive hips forward.
- Calf stretch — 30 sec each leg. Hands on wall, back leg straight, heel flat on the ground.
- Team huddle — Recap what went well. Announce the top plank time. Preview Practice 3. End with the team cheer.
📢 Notes for Parents
- What happened today: Athletes worked through skip progressions, built lower-body power with squats and broad jumps, and got their first introduction to shot put and baton passing. We finished with a team core challenge.
- What to expect next practice: We’ll continue developing sprint mechanics and introduce acceleration drills.
- Soreness: Athletes may feel soreness in the legs and core over the next day or two — especially after the squat and core work. Light movement and good sleep help recovery.
- Questions? Talk to the coach after practice or reach out via the team contact.