Squat Series #1: Bracing Correctly and How to Breathe During a Squat (POSTURE IS KEY!)

Here, I go over proper posture, correct bracing mechanics and how to breathe correctly during a squat. These tips are the road to a healthier spine and a bigger squat.

[basedstruggler]

1. Posture first: tightness in abs “ribs down/pulled in”, obliques, quads, glutes, lats.
2. Breathe into the tensed abs, letting the pressure move up all the way up into the rib cage.
3. Squat, not releasing the brace until you’re at least over the sticking point.
4. Reset your posture at the top and take a few quick breaths so you don’t pass out.

[darcyashby]

This is the best brace advice I've come across. Ive been bracing for awhile but never knew I was doing it wrong. Tried your technique last week an my squat honestly felt like a standing leg press

[michaelcaron]

You have to be one of the most underrated fitness channels on Youtube.

[chels]

I swear i just practiced a squat in my room following your technique and i actually felt it in my glutes and i cant believe i been doing it wrong this whole time....thanks so much

[OperationSixty]

This is the only bracing video i've seen that actually makes sense. Every other videos talks about bracing a lot, but never actually explain wtf it is

[GreatWhiteNiko]

If I had watched that 8 min video 20 years ago I'd have saved myself endless injuries and frustration, always following the cycle you describe (lift, progress, get hurt), and never really going anywhere with my lifts. Not sure what kept me going but to find information like that seems to be some kind of a predetermined turning point. It makes everything I've learned come together. Just yesterday I did another 1 hour of completely pain free deadlift singles - following your bracing advice. In Dec and Jan I could not walk because of low back pain. Thank you once again!

[SevenMilliFrog]

"knowing what not to do first is important when trying to figure out what to do" simple but wise words

[brendans]

This has helped me a huge amount. My reoccurring back injury hasn't bothered me at all since I fixed my bracing. It's criminal how few views this has

[VS-ivuw]

Thank you, after 5 videos of people saying dont do this or dont do that, you actually explained what do do.

[KR-orde]

Thanks, After a lot of searching, ur the only 1 ive found on here that has actually spoke about breathing in-between reps !!! even the vids with 10k plus likes have only spoke about breathing and bracing . Thanks for the information, this Is what i have been searching for and more 🙌🙌🙌👍

[Antworkk]

This makes so much more sense than any other technique I've been taught

[arthuradjamoglian]

Hey Bromley, this video changed my squatting game. Didn't realize how much I was arching until I watched this video and tried it out. Really focused on feeling my glutes and keeping my ribs stacked. Felt amazing! I usually get my si joint on the right side aching a bit after really heavy sets but doing them with your tips felt super comfortable.

[Limbaugh_]

I have that cycle of lifting and injuring myself too. Long torso gang, I’m glad I found this

[sethsorensen]

As someone who also has a long torso and short legs, this video was invaluable. Can’t wait to perfect the techniques through the rest of squatober!

[endresbielefeldt]

this was epic. sorry for commenting on a four year old video, but this warrants more attention. a ballerina told me to suck in and pull my belly button up, which was better than what i did before, but this one is not only better from a mental picture, but also way more effective! Thanks!

[paoloh]

I have been struggling with the squat since I've started half a year ago. I have never felt confident or stable and even got mildly injured once. Never felt confident to push it and as a result my benchpress has nearly overtaken my back squat. I won't be able to go to the gym again until next week but this video highlighted a lot of things that i've been doing wrong. Can't wait to test it out.

[erichbachman]

Thank you for this great information! Kinda been in the same: "lift, get injured, rehab, restart cycle" as you, and from watching a couple of videos from your channel, I have definatly come to understand i've been doing this bracing incorrectly. I tended to deliberatly hyperextend my lowerback while doing squats, thinking this meant that the back was straight. However that cue where you say to get the ribbcage down, definatly is different from what i've been doing. I think I saw a deadlift video where you did the same, so I will be implementing it in my future training. After i got hurt back squatting, I've only sticked to front squats, but Im planning to get back to back squats soon. I really like the template of your videos. Being to the point, concise and clear! Thanks alot! Was expecting the view-counter on this video to be much higher, however with this quality, I would'nt doubt that would change, this info is gold!

[Kickboxer]

Watching your squat videos before every leg day. You are a legend

[moyconj]

Another great video!Thank you! The funny thing is that I used to do this bracing instinctively and then I started watching more videos in order to improve my lifts and lo and behold I came across several that recommended the ' blow your belly out ' approach and things started to not go too well for me. Anyway, I no longer do that whole belly out approach, I do it the way you recommend and things have improved a lot. That said, I'm glad you made this video because it is the best video on describing exactly how to approach bracing and breathing. Great job!

[riordanbrown]

This advice is incredible. I watched the video, tried it, and the very first reps felt like the strongest and most stable reps I’ve ever performed