What’s wrong with kids these days? Part II: Set-up positions Just as with a deadlift or bench press, the set-up position is critical to an athletes success. The most common mistake I see with 2-point set-up positions are athletes initiating their acceleration with a shin-angle that is much too vertical. Without fail, this subsequently leads to achieving upright postures too early and extended ground contact times to accommodate a need for horizontal force application from compromised postures. Many coaches will be able to see this occurring around steps 3-5 and begin coaching those steps specifically, but if an athlete is beginning their rep from a compromised set position they will not have a chance of achieving a more appropriate acceleration. Controversy usually surrounds 3-point starts, at least with groups that do not sprint from such a position in their sport or for combine-type testing. Why take the time to teach it if they don’t really need it? 1 - It really doesn’t need to take that long. 2 - I find it very beneficial to expose athletes (namely those who are post-PHV or approaching late-adolescence) to a variety of positions for a more well-rounded experience with sprinting. 3 - That logic sits on a slippery slope that ultimately leads to early- and over-specialization. The most common mistake I see with 3-point starts is actually very similar to what occurs with the 2-point start. Athletes often have their lead foot in line with their hand, creating a very closed hip angle that no one I work with is strong or powerful enough to optimally accelerate from. Ensuring the athlete can just barely brush their lead leg knee past their elbow is a great starting point to get them in a position that they have a chance to accelerate from.