Olympic Champion Noah Lyles Shares His Power-Packed Workout

NOAH LYLES KNEW he was fast long before he was Track and Field’s biggest star. The reigning Olympic 100 meter champion told the MH crew that he was destined for speed from Day 1—with parents who were both runners, it was fate. “I’ve always known that I was fast, even on the playground, he said. “You know when you’re faster than all the other kids.”

Still, it took Lyles until the ripe old age of 11 to step onto the track and run in organized sport. From that time forward, it was all about racing. He even eschewed running for a college team to immediately sign as a pro with Adidas. He’s achieved plenty of success since then—he’s a six-time World Champion, with gold medals across the 100 meter, 200 meter, and 4×100 meter relays events, and a decorated Olympian, with a pair of bronze medals for the 200 (2020 and 2024) to go along with his 100 meter gold from the recent Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Speed doesn’t just come from fast feet. As Lyles notes, sprinters need to be able to produce power to be able to drive through their strides—and power comes from the weight room. To keep his engine primed, Lyles pairs his track work with strength training sessions. “I train every week day except for Wednesday,” he says. That off-day means active recovery, either on a bike or in the pool.