To optimize power and efficiency during the snatch and clean, the bar must make contact with the body (upper thighs for the clean, pubic bone for the snatch) via a fluid friction ('brush') in order to maximize vertical force.

noli's read

This recommendation is very sound and widely supported by movement science. Observational kinematic analyses, notably the study by Gourgoulis et al. (2000) on high-level weightlifters, demonstrate that keeping the bar as close to the body as possible is crucial to maximizing mechanical efficiency and reducing unnecessary torque. Furthermore, the technical analysis work by Garhammer (1980) describes the double knee bend phase where this contact occurs to optimally transfer force upward. The distinction made by the creator regarding brushing rather than hitting the bar is also validated, as a violent impact would project the bar's trajectory forward instead of directing it vertically. This biomechanical principle is therefore perfectly aligned with empirical and physical data on athletic performance.

the sources

No named source held this one up — that absence is part of the verdict.