High-Performance Training for Track and Field

by William J. Bowerman, W.H. Freeman

This book includes training schedules for 15 events that can be adapted for any athlete, regardless of age, sex, or level. Part I, Foundations for the Training Program, presents the basics of sport training and conditioning, designing training programmes, the Oregon training schedule sheets, and testing team candidates. Part II, The Training Programs, includes these short sprints and relays, long sprint (400 metres), high hurdles, intermediate hurdles, middle distances (800 and 1500 metres and the mile), longer distances (cross country, steeplechase, 5000 metres and longer), high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, discus throw, javelin throw, hammer throw, and combined events.

264 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1990

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most comprehensive work on training and coaching high school-level track and field athletes on the market (at least until the new, revised, edition came out). Bill Bowerman is possibly the best-known American college track coach ever—and a founder of Nike, too—and his advice for coaches is aplenty here. The book is also useful for the high school athlete who is himself in training, however, because it covers the entire spectrum of track and field, you will only find a portion of it addressing your event: that is, a sprinter will not use the parts of the book devoted to field events, but will find the general sections and sections specific to sprinting very useful. I've not yet read the new edition—the cover pictured here is the edition I have—and presume it is updated with new research in sports science. Overall, though, this is THE book for track and field coaching. In places I would like more specific info for the athlete himself, but really it's mostly for coaches so I cannot complain too much on that.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This useful and comprehensive text may be dated and complicated at times but for those willing to workout the complex training tables and study the text in depth they will discover priceless gems of information.