How Do You Properly Brace? How to Protect Your Spine and Lift More Weight

When people talk about not getting hurt in the gym, they always talk about form. That definitely has a place, but people rarely discuss the thing that can really keep you safe: proper bracing. 

Proper bracing refers to generating high levels of intra-abdominal pressure that acts to stabilize the spine. Rather than having a loose back that’s susceptible to injury, a braced core can help fend off high levels of force, keeping you safe and helping you lift more.

What Is Bracing?

Bracing is the act of creating full-body core tension to stabilize your spine under load. This can be done during any lift but is essential during any movement using heavier loads.

Imagine your torso as an expandable object. When you don’t brace, your torso is pliable and expands, allowing bending and putting your spine and internal organs at risk of injury.

When you brace, you essentially increase your intra-abdominal pressure while mitigating expansion by contracting your core. This “fills up” your core with pressure, creating a rigid object that will protect your spine (Hackett & Chow, 2013).

Now your spine is safe.

Bracing Is A Natural Reaction

The interesting thing is that most lifters naturally brace without realizing it. Before a heavy lift, you instinctively take a deep breath and tighten your midsection.

It’s similar to the reaction right before you get hit in the stomach.

This instinctive reaction is the foundation of proper bracing. You can then take this reaction and refine it, transforming it into a powerful tool for both performance and injury prevention.

Who Needs To Learn Bracing?

Everyone. Bracing is not limited to heavy lifts.

Anyone who squats, deadlifts, presses, or carries loads needs to learn proper bracing. Even if you rarely hit the gym, proper bracing can help prevent any sort of back discomfort.

Why Bracing Matters for Squats, Deadlifts, and Lifting 

Squats and deadlifts have a reputation for being “bad for your back.”  Likely comments are

• “You’re going to hurt your back.”
• “Good luck walking when you’re 40.”
• “Squats are dangerous.”

In fact, you can hear similar statements about any lifting that places a load on your back. In reality, these lifts are not inherently dangerous. Poor execution and overall weak musculature are.

The biggest factor in keeping squats and deadlifts back-friendly is maintaining a rigid, neutral spine. Bracing is what allows that to happen.

This is how you see many advanced lifters performing lifts with curved backs without getting hurt. Think Strongman lifts like atlas stones and sandbag pickups.

When you brace correctly:

• Your spine resists unwanted flexion and extension
• Force is distributed evenly through your torso
• Energy leaks are minimized
• You lift more weight with less effort

Your core is where force is transferred. That force can either cause your torso to flex or stay rigid and move the weight. Abdominal bracing simply increases trunk torque production (Tayashiki et al., 2016).

When you learn to brace properly and have built proper musculature, your back can withstand lifts and forces when your back is not in “perfect form”.  

Bracing Is Not Just “Flexing Your Abs”

One of the most common misconceptions is that bracing means squeezing your abs or pulling your belly button in. The reality is these cues often create less stability, not more (Golob et al., 1994).

Proper bracing is about expanding through a rigid torso to create that pressure. This is not contraction or sucking in.

You want tension through:

• The rectus abdominis (front abs)
• Internal and external obliques (sides)
• Erector spinae and multifidus (low back)
• Transverse abdominis (deep core)
• Diaphragm and pelvic floor

Focusing only on the front of your abs ignores the muscles that actually create spinal stiffness (Golob et al., 2024).

A strong brace should feel as if you’re pressurizing your torso from the inside rather than cinching it inward.

The Mechanics of a Proper Brace

To understand bracing, you should practice; start by standing tall, then follow these steps:

1. Breathe into your stomach, not your chest. Take a deep breath through your nose and expand your abdomen outward. Your belly should move forward, sideways, and slightly backward.

2. Create 360 degrees of tension. Imagine your core expanding in all directions. Place your thumbs on your obliques and see if you can feel them push outward.

3. Tighten as if preparing for a punch. Once expanded, lock that air in and tighten your entire midsection. Remember, you’re bracing outward.

4. Hold the brace during the hardest part of the lift. This is where the Valsalva maneuver comes in: a forceful breath held against a closed airway. You maintain pressure until you pass the sticking point, then exhale under control.

Bracing is a skill. It takes practice, and it should be rehearsed on every warm-up set, not just max attempts.

How Bracing Differs Between Squats and Deadlifts

Bracing between the squat and deadlift can vary slightly due to the positioning needs of the body. 

Squat Bracing

During the squat, you can generally expand your belly more without interfering with the load. The bar is supported on your back, and a larger abdominal “shelf” helps stabilize the load.

• Expand your belly out and around, not just forward
• Focus on maximum 360-degree tension
• Maintain the brace from unrack to ascent

At the bottom of the squat, your brace is what prevents spinal collapse and allows you to drive upward efficiently.

Deadlift Bracing

Conventional deadlifts require a slightly more constrained brace due to the body’s position.

You still create full tension, but excessive belly expansion can interfere with your start position, especially for bigger lifters. Therefore, think about creating a tight “cylinder” rather than a “big belly.”

• Brace firmly without over-expanding
• Lock the ribcage down
• Maintain tension as you pull slack from the bar

The goal remains the same: a rigid torso that transfers force without movement.

Common Bracing Mistakes

• Squeezing abs only: Neglects the sides and back
• Pulling the belly in: Reduces intra-abdominal pressure
• Breathing into the chest: Fails to engage the diaphragm
• Only bracing on heavy sets: Limits skill development. Treat every lift as a maximal load

If your brace falls apart under load, it usually means it hasn’t been practiced enough under lighter weights.

Bracing With a Weightlifting Belt

One of the biggest misconceptions with weightlifting belts is that they act as a cast, giving your back support. They don’t.

Rather, a properly worn belt gives your core something solid to push against, which further increases intra-abdominal pressure (Harman et al., 1989).

Realizing this can actually make the entire learning process of bracing easier to visualize.

Think of it like pushing your hand against a wall instead of a piece of paper. The resistance allows greater force production.

Common belt mistakes include:

• Wearing too loosely. Lifting belts are generally worn relatively tightly and are usually “uncomfortable” to the extent that you don’t want to wear them around the whole session. 
• Wearing every set. While you should start bracing every session, you don’t need to use your belt every session. It doesn’t “make you weak” as your body is still bracing. However, it can minimize confidence and decrease your ability to brace without it.
• Wearing during inappropriate lifts. Unless the lift requires high levels of core bracing, you do not need to wear it.

A good rule of thumb is being able to fit a couple of fingers between your torso and the belt before bracing. Try this and then brace, trying to lock your fingers in place. You should not be able to pull your fingers out.

Belts are best reserved for heavier loads, typically when working with loads of at least 85%1RM.

Your raw bracing technique should always come first. Keep in mind you’re not going to be walking around in real life with a belt on, so you don’t want to lose this skill.

Learning To Brace Can Prevent Injuries And Keep You Strong

Bracing is one of the fastest ways to improve both safety and performance in the gym. It stabilizes your spine, improves force transfer, and allows you to express strength without unnecessary risk.

Most importantly, it should become a “natural movement” that you can perform during any situation it’s needed.

Whether you lift with or without a belt, in the gym or real life, the principles remain the same: 

• Breathe into the abdomen,
• Create 360-degree tension
• Maintain pressure through the lift

Master bracing, and you’ll instantly feel better and move more weight. If you want to see some exercises that build a truly strong core, check out this article!

Interested in programming that fits your needs? Check out our training options and reach out for a program that will keep you injury-free.

References

1. Blazek, D., Stastny, P., Maszczyk, A., Krawczyk, M., Matykiewicz, P., & Petr, M. (2019). Systematic review of intra-abdominal and intrathoracic pressures initiated by the Valsalva manoeuvre during high-intensity resistance exercises. Biology of sport, 36(4), 373–386. https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2019.88759 
2. Golob, I., Opara Zupančič, M., & Kozinc, Ž. (2024). Abdominal Hollowing vs. Abdominal Bracing: A Scoping Review of Clinical Trials on Effectiveness for Trunk Stability and Rehabilitation. Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology, 9(4), 193. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk9040193 
3. Goldish, G. D., Quast, J. E., Blow, J. J., & Kuskowski, M. A. (1994). Postural effects on intra-abdominal pressure during Valsalva maneuver. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 75(3), 324–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-9993(94)90037-x 
4. Hackett, D. A., & Chow, C. M. (2013). The Valsalva maneuver: its effect on intra-abdominal pressure and safety issues during resistance exercise. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 27(8), 2338–2345. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31827de07d
5. Harman, E. A., Rosenstein, R. M., Frykman, P. N., & Nigro, G. A. (1989). Effects of a belt on intra-abdominal pressure during weight lifting. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 21(2), 186–190. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2709981/ 
6. Tayashiki, K., Maeo, S., Usui, S., Miyamoto, N., & Kanehisa, H. (2016). Effect of abdominal bracing training on strength and power of trunk and lower limb muscles. European journal of applied physiology, 116(9), 1703–1713. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3424-9 
7. Tayashiki, K., Kanehisa, H., & Miyamoto, N. (2021). Does Intra-abdominal Pressure Have a Causal Effect on Muscle Strength of Hip and Knee Joints?. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 35(1), 41–46. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002649