Aiming at the problem that conventional tracking algorithms are difficult to deal with abrupt motion efficiently, an optimization algorithm called hybrid Teaching-learning-based optimization with Adaptive Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (TLGOA) is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the non-linear strategy based on tangent function is used to replace the linear mechanism in the standard Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (GOA). The improved adaptive GOA (AGOA) can avoid the local trapping problem and enhance the global optimization ability, which can handle the problem of abrupt motion. Secondly, considering that Teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO) has obviously local exploitation operator and fast convergence, a hybrid TLGOA tracker is designed by combining the advantages of both AGOA and TLBO. The approach can enable better tracking accuracy and efficiency. Finally, extensive experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has obvious advantages over other algorithms, and also prove that TLGOA tracker is very competitive compared to other state-of-the-art trackers, especially for abrupt motion tracking. INDEX TERMS Visual tracking, abrupt motion, grasshopper optimization algorithm, teaching-learningbased optimization.