Brace Before You Inhale

Recently while filming a video for @powerliftingnow, I started to think about a different way of framing the process of bracing on squat and deadlift. And this very well may be something others have talked about before, but at least from my scope, the idea of saying "brace before you inhale" was framing the same cueing I had been using for a while now in a way that seemed to resonate a bit more. And this seemed to be deemed true when I posted this thought process onto an Instagram story and had pretty positive feedback to the idea that this helped to see the process of bracing through a new lens. In my latest KZbin video, I break down the idea of bracing before you inhale, and why this is so important to do in creating the most efficient brace and intra-abdominal pressure. I take a look at the 3 main components of what creates a solid brace. And then I cover the step by step bracing process that I have talked about before in other videos, but this time through the lens of bracing before you inhale. While I don't think anything I say in this video is new information, my hope is that the slightly different framing can help simplify the bracing process and help others to minimize the cueing needed and maximize their strength.
#powerliftingtechnique #squattechnique #deadlifttechnique #squat #deadlift #powerlifting #squatbracing #deadliftbracing #powerliftingcoach
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[@kaanaydogan5130]

I knew how to brace but never felt like I managed it correctly. This feels really helpful can't wait to do it at gym

[@PRsPerformance]

Hope it helps!

[@jameshimself]

I will try this tomorrow, thankyou for the tips! I feel now my brace more in my abs.

[@PRsPerformance]

Hope it helps!

[@dritanvarfi5274]

Love your content. Finally something totally no BS, just pure essence. Thanks

[@PRsPerformance]

Thank you!

[@DylanQuitoriano]

Perfect timing to watch before squats today

[@PRsPerformance]

💪💪💪

[@danieljahn2027]

This cue definitely helped with squats last night. Thanks, Steve. 💪🏻🙏

[@PRsPerformance]

Happy to help!

[@Metalmachine18]

I don’t know where I got this from, but I’ve been teaching my clients this for years (don’t mean this in any bragging way) and for a long time I’ve been so confused as to why I never see anyone talk about it. Any time I’ve seen a powerlifting bracing video they just talk about a deep belly breath into the belt. Good to see it’s changing!

[@PRsPerformance]

This is the same cueing I taught back in 1 of my first videos 3 years ago. It’s just the framing of “brace before you inhale” seems to really resonate with some people.

[@joederbyshire_]

Literally just lying in bed and trying this out, can already feel a major difference in my brace. Excited to try it with squats tomorrow! Thank you!

[@PRsPerformance]

Welcome!

[@user-xl1to9dk4w]

Not sure if you mentioned it in the video or not but with squats I've been doing it this way for a while (so thanks for the reassurance) and as I'm going through this process I like to have some pressure into the bar using my legs before the small exhale and brace. My "tell" that I got it is that when I take that breath in after the brace... the bar generally feels much much lighter and sometimes "floats" in the rack or even comes up some (also noticed that with this method of brace that my wrists, shoulders and elbows don't feel like they are taking on nearly as much of the load and more just there to stabilize). Huge confidence boost when under heavy loads. Great video and loving the Powerlifting Now content you produce too.

[@PRsPerformance]

So I didn't touch on that specifically, but that goes with the same process that squat is a movement where we typically brace while holding the load, so therefore the tension from just the weight itself, aka you feeling the legs driving into the floor, creates a natural brace on top of the actual cueing of bracing through exhaling and inhaling.

[@user-xl1to9dk4w]

@@PRsPerformance Yes! This. I wish I could get a similar feeling on my pulls 😂

[@PaigeYesLee]

Thank You! Brilliant. Simply Brilliant Sir 😊💪🙏

[@PRsPerformance]

You are very welcome

[@getnooby7036]

Your channel is a gold mine so much free education love the videos ❤

[@PRsPerformance]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@PRsPerformance]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@MrYokyScape]

Great video. Doing some belt-less work helped me learn this cue naturally but I never heard anybody talk about it.

[@PRsPerformance]

Thank you! And yes, really this is what you’d need to naturally do if you do a lot of beltless work.

[@NoOneYouKnoww]

Best coach on YT 👏

[@PRsPerformance]

I appreciate that!

[@dritanvarfi5274]

Cherry on top: clarification regarding breathing through mouth vs nose. Whether it was Coan or Soviets, i.e. Malanichev or Koklyaev I heard it from, breathing through nose when bracing and performing the squat seems to be more optimal...inhaling & exhaling.

[@PRsPerformance]

IMO that’s an “it depends” and not a set in stone rule that is universally better. Many people are not going to feel comfortable breathing through their nose. I’d recommend just choosing on a case by case basis whatever allows someone to control airflow best.

[@RevLifts]

Imma try this out when I do squat today! Been trying to learn how to brace! Getting back here if it works 😅

[@PRsPerformance]

Hope it helps!

[@RevLifts]

​@@PRsPerformanceit actually works! Got better squats now!

[@LBPL300]

Sometimes I struggle to feel my brace, so i just watch this videoback ands things feel great

[@PRsPerformance]

Great to hear!

[@LBPL300]

@@PRsPerformance just performed a 32.5kg meet PR on Squats after watching the vid before warm ups ! Felt soooo locked in thanks for the help Steve !

[@matheusferesturcheti288]

This is actually a perfect pair with the extension bias during unrack Algorithm: - extend upper back - walk out - exhale slighly while bracing (aligning pelvis and ribcage) - big sip of air - re-inforce brace - ddh

[@PRsPerformance]

You got it! This sounds almost exactly like a video I made for Powerlifting Now coming out soon.....

[@snorlaxcom]

Why are you waiting to walk the weight out before pressurizing? That should have been maxed out before the unrack. Only top off your air after the walk out after the squat command. The main air and brace is only achieved prior to having the bar compress you out of position. That's the huge mistake where lifters then have to breathe into the chest and wobble the bar out of position, giving extra momentum to the system that they then have to wait out and settle the bar before going down to squat. Could be viable if you're lazy in rep work, but for singles and 1rm you can't waste energy trying to find the hardest brace under load. You will feel great positioning and bracing as soon as you stand up with the weight. It can feel like a feather on your back.

[@matheusferesturcheti288]

@@snorlaxcom dawg, I did not say to walk out without any brace, nor did Steve in this video or the upper back extension one. The point we make is of positioning of the ribcage in order to achieve a successful brace before the descent.

[@StephColbertsonStrength]

I’ve always felt like I couldn’t get as much air on a squat and perceived that as a negative. But it makes so much sense that the fact I could get more air on deadlift is a negative.

[@PRsPerformance]

You very well may expand a bit more when inhaling on deadlift though for the reason mentioned with it being unloaded. You just will not be able to brace as hard in the moment like you would on squat with the weight already loaded on your back. So slightly more air on deadlift might just be the norm to an extent.

[@StephColbertsonStrength]

@@PRsPerformance that makes sense and I’ll have to keep that in mind. I’ve always braced after the inhale, though. So I anticipate feeling a big difference. My mind is already breaking just thinking about doing it in a different order haha.

[@satyenborkar7763]

How to decend into the squat down , break in with hips or knees or both , hinge,or try to remain straight

[@PRsPerformance]

I’ve got a whole video on that topic that I’d recommend watching.

[@j.l.5966]

Read the title and tried it first. Holy crap 🤯 felt the difference immediately. Always did the opposite because of intuition. Watching the content now…

[@PRsPerformance]

Enjoy!

[@dotdotdot7440]

literally. I'm just imagining the pr's am gonna set now

[@natlifting]

I squatted 500 after watching this

[@PRsPerformance]

Congrats, after seeing your comment I just squatted 505, so still stronger.

[@Smittjitsu]

Another great video Steve! Would you modify the brace at all for higher rep sets? I feel like it can be a title exhausted resetting this style of brace 10 times in a single set but if it will be beneficial in the long run I’ll do it regardless lol

[@PRsPerformance]

You naturally exhale already at the top of the rep, or else you can’t inhale again, so yes I’d do this.

[@youcefazri7009]

Which is more optimal getting air in through the mouth or the nose? Can't thank you enough for your content

[@PRsPerformance]

Inhaling through the mouth is likely going to be better for most.

[@kiddrtm]

Where would you say is the best belt position for squats as I have only recently started using one?

[@PRsPerformance]

That’s going to be a “just depends” as everyone’s torso and ribcage position is different.

[@zoranagavrilovic9403]

This makes more sense than everything I've ever heard about bracing. They usually say "brace as if someone is about to punch you in the stomach", like WHAT does that mean? Last time I got punched in the stomach was when I was 6 xd Thank you for the insights

[@PRsPerformance]

Hahahahaha. And you are welcome!

[@sebilica123]

I have some days when I get nauseous and I need to have some mentholated drops. Any tips how to get rid of nausea before big lifts that rely hard on bracing?

[@PRsPerformance]

That's not a simple answer, so unfortunately no. There could be a multitude of reasons why.

[@sebilica123]

Thanks for replying. I have no stomach issues, I eat and stay like 1 hour before going to Gym. Tried to go on an empty stomach, same problem. I think that is a more anxious problem rather than a health problem.

[@minhdang9540]

I did this on hack squat and got 4 more reps than I planned on doing.

[@PRsPerformance]

Accessory gains 💪

[@juiceboxerman]

How do you decide if you should wear wrist wraps on bench?

[@PRsPerformance]

Just comes down to if you feel like you need extra support for your wrists. Some people do, some people don't.

[@maxvangent3793]

Would it be beneficial to brace before or after you tighten the belt at deadlifts

[@PRsPerformance]

After

[@Ron-ls6ob]

Just a curious question, before bracing, usually you inhale air before you brace. Won't the intra pressure reduce momentarily ?

[@PRsPerformance]

No different than in your example of inhaling and then bracing. You are not going to be fully braced during the entirety of your setup unless you want to risk passing out.

[@paige.campbell]

such a revelation to learn how to… move and breathe correctly lol

[@PRsPerformance]

Glad it helped!

[@TDZone70]

How would you modify this for bracing without a belt?

[@PRsPerformance]

Do the exact same thing

[@TDZone70]

@@PRsPerformance I figured that, but without the belt providing external resistance, I was wondering if there was an additional cue to make up for it's absence. Thanks for clarifying.

[@OSCN.]

Do you do online coaching?

[@PRsPerformance]

No

[@sherrischwartz6844]

Okay, crazy question but have you ever trained women that have incontinence issues? Now in all fairness I did not watch all of this video before I ask this question. But as a woman that is middle age that really does struggle with bracing and peeing myself oh my God the struggle is real.

[@PRsPerformance]

Yes I have, plenty. It’s just going to happen, nothing you can really do. And the best way the women I have coached deal with it, is just by not overly worrying about it or feeling embarrassed. They just know it is something that they cannot control and it is part of deadlifting for them and it’s completely okay.

[@m0ttz755]

with this logic, wouldn't you want your belt tight AF? which people say not do? sorry just trying to understand

[@PRsPerformance]

No definitely not, this does not change anything with how people usually have their belt.

[@StephColbertsonStrength]

I’ve always inhaled first with the logic of filling it up my belt to brace against it. I don’t know about you but I personally don’t feel the pressure against my felt until I flex my core anyway.

[@itshudson_smith]

I don’t inhale “to” brace, but I do inhale first, and than I brace as if someone was about to punch me in the stomach; but I do take the air in first before bracing but taking the air in, IS NOT the brace

[@PRsPerformance]

Ya that’s what this video is about, and how inhaling does not have the effect you want it to unless you are bracing prior.

[@itshudson_smith]

@@PRsPerformanceoh really, I’ll have to give that a try

[@itshudson_smith]

@@PRsPerformancedo you recommend inhaling only through your mouth, or both nose and mouth?

[@andrewtanczyk4009]

I don’t breathe ? 😅

[@PRsPerformance]

During the actual rep, no

[@duneb-jo2fl]

I cant feel my obliques at all

[@PRsPerformance]

Exhale as hard as you can, what you feel crunching on your sides is your obliques.

[@duneb-jo2fl]

@@PRsPerformance i feel my abs

[@dotdotdot7440]

@@duneb-jo2fl you need to develop your obliques then

[@wiidisc]

So...anyone else been bracing completley wrong for years? 😲🤣

[@PRsPerformance]

Doesn’t mean you were bracing wrong per se, but possibly that there is room for improvement