ATHLETIC TRAINING (Field)

This section of the site is dedicated to athletic training for the field events.

Although many field events are highly technical in nature, conditioning is still vitally important.

A common element of fitness to all athletic field events is explosive power. While training will differ for each event, the underlying, general principle of power development will remain…

  1. Follow a periodized strength training program that first develops anatomical adaptation and then maximal strength.
  2. Convert maximal strength into explosive power with event-specific power training.

When training for the field events, exercise selection is essential – particularly after a general strength base has been developed. Focus should be on those exercises that develop the same muscle groups, in the same movement patterns, as the event itself. Its a straightforward concept, but one that is often overlooked in favor of more elaborate techniques.

A phase of the annual plan should also be scheduled for regeneration and compensation training. Most sports place more stress on some joints and muscle groups than on others. In many field events (such as the throws) this is exaggerated further. A period of strength training to balance strength between the upper and lower body, right and left side and agonists and antagonists will help to prevent long-term overuse injury.

The articles below contain sample programs and drills you can use to improve your athletic performance. While there is never a substitute for sound technique and good coaching, your degree of athleticism determines the level to which you can apply your skill. Some of the events covered include:

  • Dicus
  • Hammer
  • High jump
  • Javelin
  • Long jump
  • Pole vault
  • Shot put
  • Triple jump

Athletic Training (Field) Articles

The Sport-Specific Approach to Strength Training Programs
Strength training should be a fundamental part of a field athlete’s training. Strength training for sport however, is very different than just lifting weights…

Designing Resistance Training Programs For Athletes
Follow this complete step-by-step guide for building an event-specific strength training program

Power Training for Athletes
The field events in athletics have one common denominator – power! While strength training alone can increase an athlete’s explosive power, there are other more effective training methods…

Plyometric Training
Plyometrics (both upper and lower body exercises ) is ideally suited to the jumping and throwing events. And while it may seem simple form of conditioning on the surface, it requires careful planning…

Core Strength Conditioning For Athletes
The core is said to be the link between the upper and lower body. A strong core allows the whole body can work synergistically as a single unit…

Using Power Cleans for Athletic Training
Power cleans have become popular with athletes in a range of events and sports. While this exercise can be effective for developing total body power, it must still be specific to the event in question…

Flexibility Exercises and Stretching Program
Most athletes appreciate the importance of good flexibility and range of motion. It is particularly important in field events…

Self Myofascial Release Exercises
Athletic training can place grueling demands on the body. More and more exercise professionals are looking for methods to aid recovery. Could this technique be one of them?