Secret To Instant Strength

The Secret to Instant Strength: It’s All About the Brace

I talk about bracing often. I harp on it so much not only because of safety, but because it literally makes you a stronger lifter! From air squats to heavy deadlifts...every movement we execute, even ones outside of the gym, involves some degree of bracing.

Some movements, like with wall balls or jump ropes, need minimal bracing. Others require that we flex every muscle in our body (global tension) such as when under a heavy barbell for squats or pulling a heavy deadlift off the floor. If you want to move bigger weights, you have to master the brace.

The "Coke Can" Visual

Think of your torso like the image above:

• The Crushed Can: This is a lifter who just "sucks in their gut." Without internal pressure, the weight collapses the structure.
• The Solid Can: This is a lifter who has mastered Intra-Abdominal Pressure (IAP). By filling the "can" with air and bracing the walls, you create a pillar that can support massive weight.

How to Build Global Tension (The 3-Step Sequence)

1. 360-Degree Expansion: Don't breathe "up" into your shoulders. Breathe "down and out" into your belly and obliques. You should feel your waistband (or your belt) tighten all the way around.
2. The "Punch" Response: Once you've filled that space with air, bear down as if someone is about to punch you in the stomach. Don't suck in, push out.
3. Seal the Pressure: Trap that air. This creates a rigid "pillar" that protects your spine and turns your body into a single unit of power.

Don't Let Go!

We don’t release our brace until the entire lift is “in the clear.” If you lose your brace or tension in the bottom of a heavy squat, you have a higher likelihood of failing that lift!

The brace is the foundation of the movement. In fact, if the breath and brace during your lift doesn’t feel like the hardest part of the lift, then you probably aren't bracing correctly!

The Belt: Your Secret Feedback Tool

A lifting belt isn't a back brace. It's a wall for you to push against. We save the belts for weights around 80% and above. Think of the belt as an extra layer of aluminum on the can. If you wear one, your goal is to fill the belt with your breath. If you don't feel the belt pressing back against your stomach, it isn't being used correctly!

"90/90 Belly Breath" Drill

Spend 3 minutes on this before your next heavy session to "wake up" your bracing muscles.

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1. The Setup: Lie on your back with your feet flat on a wall or a bench (knees and hips at 90 degrees). One hand on your chest, one on your belly.
2. The Inhale: Breathe into your belly so that hand rises while your chest stays still.
3. The Static Brace: Hold the breath and flex your core (Global Tension!) for 5 seconds.
4. The Reset: Forceful exhale through the mouth. Repeat for 10 reps.

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Master this on the floor, and it will translate directly to your next PR. Choose Strength!