Departing from Task Completion: The Barbell Clean Start Position

One of the most elegant truths about functional movement is that the points of performance of these movements specifically allow the mover to do more work. Said differently, the stance for squatting and grip for pull ups is what it is because it’s the best grip to accomplish the most work possible. 

If standing pigeon toed made for heavier squats, we’d ask you to do it. 

For some movements, like the clean pull, there’s some nuance worth exploring. For example, the task is not to move the most weight possible. It’s to move the most weight possible that supports the vertical trajectory of the barbell with jumping mechanics. Therefore, the points of performance of the barbell clear start position differ from than of the deadlift. 

This is why we see the hips much lower and a much less vertical shin (like in the photo above) than we would prescribe in a deadlift, which specifically would allow for the great potential to move a load from the floor to the hip. 

Task completion is critical to functional movement. 

However, many movements have more than work capacity in mind. The key is to understand which scenarios are which.