Topic: Set-up Position

[Fred Fialco]

Was wondering if anyone had some resources (articles, comments, pictures, etc.) available to go over the various starting positions for athletes with different body types (length of arms vs. legs vs. torso vs. whatever else).  For something so important, it seems strange that there is such a generic prescription for lifter set-up in much of the literature out there - i.e., hips higher than the knees, shoulders higher than the hips, shoulders on or slightly forward of the bar.

[Andy Dick]

I think there is so little out there because there can be such high variability in body types that one cannot make one certain type of start position that fits to everyone or close to everyone.  We have general guidelines to give someone the right idea, then a qualified coach is the one to help the lifter make slight adjustments to position to find the best start position.

[Jim Hooper]

Try Drechsler's Weightlifting Encyclopedia (google it and the web site will pop right up) or Medvedyev's "System" book (not the "Program" one, which just lays out training plans), available from Sportivny Press.  Both have discussions of the starting position sufficiently exhaustive, detailed, and technical to put to sleep a bus load of third graders amped on Skittles and Red Bull.

[Fred Fialco]

Well, from my lips to someone's ears...at least Greg Everett's.

In this month's issue of Performance Menu, Greg takes a stab at elucidating the obscure realm that is the start-up position.  A link to the article can also be found on the Performance Menu website today.

Anyways, thought it was a value added piece.