CIF Track & Field Strength Training: South Bay High School Athletes

CIF Southern Section track and field runs January through May. South Bay high school sprinters, jumpers, throwers, and distance runners use Gate 14's coached strength program to build the power and resilience that determine CIF results.

The Gate 14 Coaching Team·Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Gate 14 El Segundo·Updated May 2026·2 min read

CIF Southern Section track and field runs January through May. South Bay programs — El Segundo, Mira Costa, Redondo Union, West Torrance — compete across sprints, jumps, throws, and distance at a high CIF level. The athletes who score in CIF championship meets are almost universally the ones who trained their physical foundation in the fall.

Gate 14 at 130 E. Grand Ave, El Segundo builds that foundation.

Track events and what they physically demand

Track and field athletes have specific physical profiles depending on their event. Strength training addresses each differently.

Sprinters (100m, 200m, 400m)

Sprint speed is a function of hip extension power (how hard you push off each stride) and stride rate (how fast your legs cycle). Strength training addresses the hip extension component directly — and there is a clear ceiling on sprint improvement without it.

Key movements: Deadlift, power clean, hip thrust, resisted sprint work. These develop the posterior chain power that drives first-step acceleration and top-end speed.

Jumpers (high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault)

Vertical and horizontal jumping are expressions of hip extension power and leg spring. Jump height and distance are strongly correlated with squat strength and posterior chain development.

Key movements: Back squat, Romanian deadlift, box jump, depth jump, single-leg squat variations.

Throwers (shot put, discus, javelin)

Throwing events are the most directly strength-dependent events in track and field. Shot put results at the high school level are closely predicted by bench press and squat strength. This is not a coincidence — the physical requirements of throwing are bench press, squat, and hip extension across a rotating body.

Key movements: Bench press, squat, deadlift, rotational core work, overhead pressing.

Distance runners (800m-3200m)

Distance runners in track have different needs than marathon runners but the principles overlap: posterior chain resilience, single-leg stability, and core strength for running mechanics under fatigue.

Key movements: Romanian deadlift, Bulgarian split squat, calf raises, core stability.

The track athlete training calendar

Period	Track calendar	Gym approach
Summer/fall	Off-season, no competition	3x/week, build strength foundation
November-December	Pre-season conditioning	2-3x/week, continue progressive loading
January-April	CIF season, practices and meets	1-2x/week maintenance
CIF Championships	Meet week	Skip or very light
Post-season	Recovery then summer prep	Return to 3x/week

The athletes who win at CIF in May are built in September and October.

South Bay track programs and Gate 14

El Segundo, Mira Costa, Redondo Union, and West Torrance are within 10-15 minutes of Gate 14. Individual track athletes, particularly sprinters and throwers, use Gate 14 as their dedicated S&C facility to supplement school practice.

See high school athletes in the South Bay for the broader framework. See Gate 14 membership options or contact the Gate 14 team.

Frequently asked questions

What strength training helps high school sprinters?

Posterior chain movements are the primary training for sprinters. Deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, and hip thrusts develop the hip extension strength that drives sprint mechanics. Power cleans and box jumps develop the rate of force development that separates fast starts from slow ones. A 2012 meta-analysis in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that resisted sprint training combined with strength work improved sprint times significantly over sprint training alone.

What strength training do high school jumpers need?

Vertical jump height is primarily a function of hip extension strength (for standing vertical) and approach mechanics. Back squats, Romanian deadlifts, and single-leg work develop the jump foundation. Plyometric work (box jumps, depth jumps) develops the reactive strength that converts gym strength to jump height.

Should high school throwers do strength training at Gate 14?

Yes. Throwing events (shot put, discus, javelin) are among the most strength-dependent events in track and field. Shot putters and discus throwers at the D1 college level bench press 300+ lbs and squat 400+ lbs. High school throwers who build a barbell foundation through CIF season have a significant advantage over those who don't.

When is the CIF track and field season?

CIF Southern Section track and field runs January through May, with championship meets in May. The primary strength-building window is the fall (August through November) and early winter, before the season begins. During the season, 1-2x/week maintenance training preserves gains without competing with practice and meet schedules.