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3 Point Stance Start: 10 Yard Sprints for Linemen and Tight Ends

Updated · Fact checked

Defensive linemen, offensive linemen and inline tight ends often start plays with a hand on the ground. That stance lets you fire forward low and fast, but only if your first steps push you out instead of standing you up. A 10 yard sprint from a 3-point stance trains exactly that window.

It is a speed drill, not a blocking drill. You are not hitting anything, so all your attention goes to the stance, the first push and staying low through the first few steps.

Speed Made Simple: 3-Point Starts!Hunter Charneski

How to do it

  1. Get in the stance

    Feet about shoulder width, one hand down with weight on it, hips just above the shoulders and your head in line with your back.

  2. Push out

    On your own start or a signal, push the ground away with your first step instead of reaching out with it. Lead with the body, not the head.

  3. Stay low

    Keep your body angle low for the first few steps with short, powerful strides and a low heel recovery, then rise naturally.

  4. Finish through 10

    Sprint all the way past the second cone, then walk back and rest the full time.

Sets and reps
5 x 10 yards from a 3-point stance, max effort, 60 seconds rest. In season: 4 x 10 yards.
Equipment
Two cones 10 yards apart, A flat surface, A stopwatch or a partner to give a start signal (optional)
Muscles and skills
Glutes, Quads
Used in these 440 plans
Tight End, Offensive Line, Defensive Line

Coaching cues and common mistakes

Coaching cues

  • Weight on the down hand, hips just above shoulders
  • First step pushes, doesn't reach
  • Low heel recovery out of the stance

Common mistakes

  • Hips too high or too low
  • Lifting the head first
  • Stepping backward

Setting the stance

A 3-point stance means both feet and one hand on the ground. For this sprint, put real weight on the down hand with your hips just above your shoulders, so you can fall forward into the first step.

A game stance is not always the same. A tight end has to release into a route or block from the same stance, so Delaware tight ends coach David Boler, for one, wants the weight balanced with no forward lean and the hand just touching the ground. Use the forward lean here to train pure acceleration and let your position coach set your game stance.

Who runs it

440 uses 3-point starts as the acceleration work for three positions: tight end training, offensive line training and defensive line training. Defensive linemen also train their reaction to the snap with the get-off drill, and tight ends carry the same first step into the drive block.

FAQ

Which hand goes down in a 3-point stance?

It depends on your position and side. Many defensive linemen put down the hand closest to the ball, and the leg on the other side stays tucked in for balance. Tight end coaches such as Delaware's David Boler teach the outside hand down. Follow what your coach teaches for your spot.

More tight end drills

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Sources

  1. ITP Glossary: 3-Point Stance (Aug 17, 2016), The Scouting Academy / Inside The Pylon
  2. Skills & Drills | Christopher Browne, Arkansas | OL Drills (April 11, 2025), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA)
  3. Tight End Blocking for the Run Game (David Boler, Tight Ends Coach, University of Delaware; Vol. 12, No. 2, 2012), Gridiron Strategies

Program numbers (benchmarks, sets, reps, loads, protein targets) are 440 Football's own prescriptions. For athletes 13 and older; check with a physician or a registered dietitian before major training or diet changes.