You go to pick up something heavy – a box of books you’re moving or an overloaded suitcase right at the weight limit of 50 pounds or a bag of soil for the garden.

You’re a little uncertain, but tell yourself, “I’ve got this. I lifted this much last week and didn’t have any problems.” So you grab it and pull.

And then you feel it – the twinge in your back that means something is wrong… very wrong. You drop the box or suitcase or bag, but the twinge doesn’t go away. Instead it turns into a spreading throb. You lean over in pain, hoping that it will fade as the muscle relaxes, but no… it’s here to stay… spasming with every movement to make your next month as uncomfortable as possible and full of sleepless nights.

This story is really common. We hear a lot of advice about how to heal a sore back on the backend of a bad lift, but we don’t hear much about what to do during the lift itself. 

That’s why I want to talk about bracing. When I ask my clients about bracing, none of them have heard of it. Most think I mean drawing in (or as yoga teachers everywhere say, “Pull your belly button towards your spine.”). But bracing is a completely different action that helps protect your spine and associated muscles during heavy lifts. 

Bracing is flexing your abdominal muscles, like you’re getting ready to take a punch. You’re pulling your ribcage down and pushing your abdominal muscles out. Go ahead – try it. Take a deep breath in and brace your core. Now tap your abdomen with your fist. It should feel harder (even if you have a layer of fat under your skin) and there should be more resistance than when you’re relaxed. You should still be able to breathe (although this takes practice to be able to naturally breathe and brace at the same time).

I made a video today at the gym showing me bracing while doing a 75-pound goblet squat. This is half my bodyweight and the goblet squat places a lot of extra pressure on your back because you’re holding the weight in front of you rather than spread across your shoulders (like in a barbell back squat).

In the video, you’ll notice I take a deep breath before the lift. I’m using the extra pressure of having air in my lungs to help hold my spine in a neutral position and protect it. Then I brace and do the lift. I breathe out at the top and breathe back in as I go down so my lungs are full of air for the hardest part of the lift – coming up from the ground. Then repeat. 

The best time to practice bracing is now, when you’re not holding anything. Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below. Did you get the hang of it? Were you able to feel the difference between bracing and drawing in?