Gym exercises for sprinters

Descending Sprint Workout

In this treadmill workout, your pace will increase as the intervals get shorter. It’s a great way to work on your speed under the controlled environment of a treadmill.

5 minute walk/jog warm up
Sprint 60 seconds at 75% max effort
Jog 60 seconds recovery
Sprint 40 seconds at 85% max effort
Jog 60 seconds recovery
Sprint 20 seconds at 95% max effort
Jog 2 minutes recovery

Repeat this sequence 2-4 more times for the total workout. Only push for 4-5 sets if you can maintain the pace and effort required.

Hill Sprint

Hill work is a great way to build leg power and drive. You can replicate hill reps on a gym treadmill for an effective gym workout for sprinters.

5 minute walk/jog warm up
Increase the treadmill to a 10% incline
Sprint 90 seconds at 90% max effort
Decrease the treadmill to 2% incline
Jog for 2 minutes recovery

Repeat for a total 10 sets.

60 Second Sprint, With 60 Second Recovery

This simple sprint workout replicates a track session, without external factors like wind or weather so you can really go for it.

5 minutes walk/jog warm up
Sprint 60 seconds at 75% max effort
Jog 60 seconds recovery

Repeat for a total 10 sets.

30 Second Sprint, With 90 Second Recovery

Short sprints mean higher intensity, so make sure you push it on this short sharp treadmill workout.

5 minutes walk/jog warm up
Sprint 30 seconds at 85% max effort
Jog 90 seconds recovery

Repeat for a total 10 sets (20 minutes active workout time)

Weight Training Exercises for Sprinters

Don’t shy away from strength training as a sprinter. The best gym exercises for runners will increase muscle in all the right places, making you a more powerful sprinter who’s less prone to injury.

Squats

Squats should always be in a sprinters gym workout because they target all the big leg muscles which will boost your sprinting speed. You don’t have to stick to classic barbell back squats. Mix up your sprinters gym workouts with front squats, goblet squats, or bodyweight squats.

Keep track of how your legs recover from squats so you can programme the best workouts for sprinters like you. If you discover that you don’t run well the day after squatting, space out your running workouts and weights workouts to give your body more recovery.

Walking Lunges

Walking lunges are a great option for runners because they combine resistance training with the natural movement of your knees, ankles and hips. Start with unweighted walking lunges and progress to holding a kettlebell or dumbbell at your chest, or even two weights down by your sides.

Walking lunges can be a good finisher to a treadmill workout session, especially if you keep the weight light.

Hip Flexion With a Cable

Not all weight training has to involve barbells and dumbbells. Use the cable machine in your gym to do targeting strength work to support your running. Cable hip flexion exercises strengthen the five important muscles that support the big hip joint so you can generate more sprinting power and hopefully steer clear of injury.

Lower the cable attachment point to the floor and attach an ankle loop to the cable. Put the loop around one foot and stand facing away from the cable stack. Brace your core and glutes as you lift the leg off the floor, foot flexed and leg straight. Do 10-12 controlled reps and repeat on the other side.

Back Extensions

As you know, sprinting isn’t all about the legs. Your lower back does a lot of the work, producing power and stabilising your hips. Use your sprinters gym workouts to strengthen and support your lower back.

You don’t need any equipment to do back extensions. Lie on a mat, face down, with your arms by your hips. Think about pressing your hipbones into the floor. On an exhale, lift your chest and arms off the floor (keeping your neck straight by looking at the floor ahead). As you progress this movement, you can have your arms out in front of you.