Every sprinter knows that to run faster, you need to do high intensity track workouts.
Track workouts for sprinters help develop speed, power, acceleration, and speed endurance, which is your ability to maintain your speed for a longer period of time.
So, what are the best track workouts for sprinters? To get faster, which running drills and track exercises should sprinters incorporate into their training plan?
In this guide, we will discuss the best track workouts for sprinters, including the types of track exercises, running drills, and interval track workouts you should be doing to increase your speed and improve your sprinting performance.
The Honest Truth About Track Workouts For Sprinters
Sprint training looks superficially like distance interval work but operates on completely different physiological systems. The 100m, 200m, and 400m race demands sit at the ATP-PCr and glycolytic ends of the energy spectrum where lactate, fast-twitch fibre recruitment, and neural drive are the limiters — aerobic capacity barely matters until 400m and not much even then. The training that develops top-end speed has to respect those system differences, and the most common sprint-training mistake is using distance-runner volume principles on sprint-specific work.
The energy-system map: ATP-PCr, glycolytic, oxidative
The 100m race draws roughly 80–90 percent of energy from the ATP-PCr system (immediate phosphate-bond breakdown, 0–10 seconds maximum) and 10–20 percent from anaerobic glycolysis. The 200m shifts toward 60/40 ATP-PCr to glycolytic. The 400m sits roughly 30/70 with a small aerobic contribution rising in the final 100m 1Newsholme EA, Leech AR. Functional Biochemistry in Health and Disease. John Wiley & Sons; 2010.. Spencer and Gastin’s detailed analysis of energy contributions across track events confirmed this distribution, with aerobic contribution rising sharply only past about 30 seconds of all-out work 2Spencer MR, Gastin PB. Energy system contribution during 200- to 1500-m running in highly trained athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;33(1):157-62.. The training implication: for sprinters, ATP-PCr training (short reps, full recovery) and glycolytic training (longer reps with incomplete recovery) drive the relevant adaptations, while aerobic work at distance-runner intensities is mostly recovery and not training stimulus.
Fast-twitch fibre recruitment and the neural drive ceiling
Sprint performance is largely driven by Type II (fast-twitch) muscle fibre recruitment and the neural drive that synchronises high-frequency motor-unit firing. Costill and colleagues’ classic muscle-biopsy work documented that elite sprinters carry 70–80 percent fast-twitch fibre composition in major sprint muscles (vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius), versus 20–30 percent in elite distance runners 3Costill DL, Daniels J, Evans W, Fink W, Krahenbuhl G, Saltin B. Skeletal muscle enzymes and fiber composition in male and female track athletes. J Appl Physiol. 1976;40(2):149-54.. Fibre composition is heavily heritable but training shifts the relative properties: heavy resistance training and explosive power work increase fibre size and force-producing capacity, while velocity-specific neural training raises rate of force development and stride frequency at top speed 4Cormie P, McGuigan MR, Newton RU. Developing maximal neuromuscular power. Part 1: biological basis of maximal power production. Sports Med. 2011;41(1):17-38.. The training takeaway: sprint development requires both heavy strength work (squats, deadlifts, Olympic lift derivatives at greater than 80 percent 1RM) and velocity-specific work (max-effort sprints from blocks, flying 30s, fly-in starts) 5Haugen T, Seiler S, Sandbakk O, Tonnessen E. The training and development of elite sprint performance: an integration of scientific and best practice literature. Sports Med Open. 2019;5(1):44..
Acceleration vs max-velocity vs speed-endurance
Sprint training divides into three distinct skill domains, each with its own session format. Acceleration work (0–30m) develops the horizontal force production that drives the first 4–5 seconds of a sprint; the typical session is 6–10 reps of 20–30m from blocks or standing start, with 3–5 minutes recovery to keep ATP-PCr fully restored 6Morin JB, Edouard P, Samozino P. Technical ability of force application as a determinant factor of sprint performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(9):1680-8.. Max-velocity work (60–80m) develops top-end stride mechanics and is best done with full recovery (6–10 minutes between reps) and limited volume (4–6 reps) so that quality doesn’t degrade 7Haugen T, Seiler S, Sandbakk O, Tonnessen E. The training and development of elite sprint performance: an integration of scientific and best practice literature. Sports Med Open. 2019;5(1):44.. Speed-endurance (150–300m repeats with incomplete recovery) builds lactate tolerance for the 200m and 400m and is the only sprint session format that resembles distance interval work in structure. The mistake of running too many reps when fatigued at any of these distances reliably converts a quality session into a junk-volume one and can negatively transfer to race performance 8Cormie P, McGuigan MR, Newton RU. Developing maximal neuromuscular power. Part 1: biological basis of maximal power production. Sports Med. 2011;41(1):17-38..
Strength, plyometrics, and the off-track work that matters most
Off-track strength and plyometric work probably matters more for sprinters than the on-track sessions themselves. Suchomel and colleagues’ review of strength training for track and field athletes documents reliable gains in sprint performance from heavy resistance training (squat, deadlift, hip thrust at greater than 80 percent 1RM) when programmed alongside sprinting 9Suchomel TJ, Nimphius S, Stone MH. The importance of muscular strength in athletic performance. Sports Med. 2016;46(10):1419-49.. Plyometric work — depth jumps, broad jumps, bounding — develops the rate of force development that maps directly onto stride power and is one of the most evidence-supported interventions for improving sprint times 10Saunders PU, Telford RD, Pyne DB, et al. Short-term plyometric training improves running economy in highly trained middle and long distance runners. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20(4):947-54.. The implication: a sprinter who only sprints will plateau within a season or two; a sprinter who sprints, lifts heavy, and does focused plyometrics has substantially more development runway.
When sprint training does more harm than good
The popular pattern of running “short, hard intervals” without an aerobic foundation, without strength work, and with too-short recoveries between reps reliably produces hamstring strains and Achilles tendinopathy in distance runners trying to add speed 11Nielsen RO, Buist I, Sorensen H, et al. Training errors and running related injuries: a systematic review. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2012;7(1):58-75.. The hamstring is the most-injured muscle in sprint training because it does the heavy eccentric work in late swing phase at high speed; sudden volume or intensity spikes exceed the tendon and muscle’s adapted load tolerance 12Heiderscheit BC, Sherry MA, Silder A, Chumanov ES, Thelen DG. Hamstring strain injuries: recommendations for diagnosis, rehabilitation, and injury prevention. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2010;40(2):67-81.. The progression rules that protect distance runners from training-error injury — gradual increases, planned recovery, no two high-intensity sessions back-to-back — apply just as cleanly to sprint work, and the failure to respect them is the single biggest reason distance runners adding sprint sessions get injured. The honest reading: sprint work earns its keep when paired with adequate strength training, plyometrics, full-recovery quality reps, and progression that respects the soft-tissue timeline. Without those guardrails, the fastest workout is a downstream injury.
What Should Track Workouts for Sprinters Entail?
Workouts for sprinters can be divided into a number of different categories, as sprinters need to work on numerous aspects of fitness in their training.13Haugen, T., Seiler, S., Sandbakk, Ø., & Tønnessen, E. (2019). The Training and Development of Elite Sprint Performance: an Integration of Scientific and Best Practice Literature. Sports Medicine – Open, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-019-0221-0
Sprinting Training Session Categories
- Acceleration Training
- Speed Training (Maximal Velocity)
- Speed Endurance Training
- Special Endurance Training
- Strength Training14Bolger, R., Lyons, M., Harrison, A. J., & Kenny, I. C. (2015). Sprinting Performance and Resistance-Based Training Interventions. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(4), 1146–1156. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000000720
- General Conditioning
To improve your sprinting performance, your sprinting workouts must provide a good balance of these primary categories.
Depending on your relative strength and weaknesses as a sprinter, as well as your primary sprinting event (60/100 meters vs 200 meters or 400 meters)15Rumpf, M. C., Lockie, R. G., Cronin, J. B., & Jalilvand, F. (2016). Effect of Different Sprint Training Methods on Sprint Performance Over Various Distances. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(6), 1767–1785. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000001245 you may want to focus your sprinting workouts on certain categories more than others, though it is important not to neglect any of the necessary components of sprint training.
Short Sprints (60-meter dash/100-meter dash)
Athletes who focus on the 60-meter dash and 100-meter dash, or other short sprinting events, must focus a significant portion of their sprint training on maximal speed, acceleration, and power exercises.
It involves a mix of sprinting track exercises, weight training, speed with resistance training such as sled poles and parachute runs, hill sprint training, and track drills to work on sprinting mechanics and technique.
It is still important to incorporate general conditioning, circuit training, and some speed endurance training (especially for the 100-meter dash), but because these events are so short, acceleration, top speed, and explosiveness are the most important components.
Long Sprints (200-meter dash/400-meter dash)
The primary difference between the workouts for long sprinters, such as the 200 and 400-meter dash, and workouts for sprinters focusing on short sprints is that the sprinters who will be doing longer events need to place more emphasis on speed endurance and slightly less emphasis on acceleration.
Of course, acceleration is still important, but speed endurance is much more important, particularly once you start working your way up to the 400-meter dash.
In order to maximize your performance in these events, you have to be able to sustain your top running speed for upwards of 60 seconds or more, depending on your ability level and sex.
Particularly for sprinters who focus on the 400-meter dash, working on your aerobic fitness in the off-season is an important component of base building.
What strength training exercises should sprinters focus on to improve their speed?
Strength training is still vital for injury prevention and building power and strength, and running drills that help improve your technique and form should also be a mainstay in your training program.
As for your weight room sessions, you’ll want to focus on both your lower body for explosive power, and your upper body and core. Exercises such as box jumps, squats, barbell deadlifts, push ups, and planks, just to name a few.
6 Great Track Workouts For Sprinters
We’ve put together some examples of great track workouts for sprinters that address different key aspects of sprint training, such as acceleration, maximal speed or velocity, and speed endurance track exercises.
#1: 600-Meter Accelerations
Accelerations is a great track workout to improve speed.
As the name describes, this involves starting at a relatively fast speed but progressively increasing your running speed until you are at maximum effort by the end of the interval.
Here’s an example of a challenging acceleration track workout to build speed, turnover, speed endurance, and anaerobic capacity.
- Warm up by running 800 to 1600 meters (2-4 laps) and performing a dynamic stretching routine.
- Run 4-8 x 600-meter accelerations:
- Run the first 200 meters at your 800-meter race pace or 90% of your maximum effort.
- With 400 meters to go, increase your pace to 95% of your maximum effort, and by the time you hit the 200-meter mark, you should be at your maximum sprint speed.
- Take a complete recovery or 400 meters of very easy jogging between intervals.
#2: 300-Meter Accelerations
Beginners can do a similar acceleration track workout to increase speed, but truncate the distance of each repeat to half, so you are only running 300 meters.
Instead of adjusting your speed every 200 meters, crank up your speed every 100 meters so that you are hitting your maximum speed in the final 100-meter sprint.
- Begin with 4 x 300 meters, and work up to 6 to 8 repeats as your fitness improves.
- Take 200-400 meters of very easy jogging in between each interval.
#3: Ins and Outs
Ins and outs is a classic track workout for sprinters to work on building speed.
Basically, the concept of this speed workout is to sprint the straightaways of the track and jog each curve. This means that you will be sprinting 100 meters, then jogging 100 meters, then sprinting 100 meters, then jogging 100 meters, and so on.
Beginners can start with just two full laps or eight ins and outs.
Build up to 4-8 laps, depending on your fitness level and the distances that you sprint.
Each straightaway should be run at essentially 95 to 100% effort, and the recovery jogs can be as slow as you need them to be.
#4: Weighted Vest Sprints
Weighted vests are a common training tool for strength training workouts, but they can be used for track workouts for sprinters to add speed training with resistance.
Use a weight of no more than 10% of your total body weight. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, the weighted vest should be no more than 16 pounds.
- Warm up with 800-1600 meters and dynamic track drills.
- 2-4 x 40m sprints from blocks with the weighted vest.
- 2-4 x 50 meter sprints from blocks without the weighted vest.
- Weighted vest alternate leg bounds 4 x 20 meters.
- Alternate leg bounds without the weighted vest 4 x 20 meters.
Drive your arms and focus on fast turnover, good running form, and a powerful stride. The goal is to increase ground contact force at push-off to maximize acceleration and power.
Cool down by jogging 800-1600 meters.
#5: Pyramid Track Workout for Sprinters
Warm up and cool down by jogging 800-1600 meters.
For the workout, run a pyramid of 50 meters, 60 meters, 100 meters, 150 meters, 200 meters, 300 meters, 400 meters, 300 meters, 200 meters, 150 meters, 100 meters, 60 meters, and 50 meters.
Take a complete recovery in between each interval.
#6: Sprinting, Drills, and Plyometrics
Rather than only sprinting various distances during your workouts, you can incorporate strengthening exercises, running drills, and plyometrics in between intervals.
Consider the following track workout for sprinters as an example of this varied track workout structure:
- Warm up by jogging for 5 to 10 minutes or 800-1600 meters (2-4 laps).
Line up at the starting line on the track.
- For the first 100 meters, perform the A skips running drill, focusing on form rather than speed.
- Sprint the straightaway 100 meters all out.
- Do 10 burpees.
- Do high knees for the next curve of the track (100 meters).
- Do 10 burpees.
- Sprint the final straightaway of the track.
- Do bounding for the next 100 meters, 10 burpees, a 100-meter sprint, then 20 tuck jumps.
You can incorporate exercises such as mountain climbers, tuck jumps, burpees, broad jumps, jumping lunges, jumping squats, etc., into these workout.
The benefit of these types of track workouts for sprinters is that they address numerous aspects of fitness in one workout and require rapid shifts in neuromuscular and biomechanical demands, training your body to be agile from a metabolic and physiological standpoint.
Track workouts for sprinters are as much about running fast as they are about improving your technique. Make sure you are working on your sprinting form.
Drive your knees up as high as possible, keep your heel back under your glutes, and pump your arms, sustaining a high arm carriage with your elbows bent no more than 90°, if not a more acute angle.
Focus on fast turnover and decreasing ground contact time. Use good posture, keep your chest up, and use a short, swift stride.
If you are more of a distance runner and also looking for track workouts, check out our guide to Track Workouts For Distance Runners.
