Proper bracing is like a cheat code for lifting heavy

I'm going to jinx my progress here by posting this...

But I've been working hard on proper bracing for all heavy lifts the past 6 weeks, and there has been a noticeable difference. I no longer have tightness/pain in my back during and after back squats. My deadlifts are moving much faster and smoother. If I were younger, I'd throw caution to the wind and just add another 25 pounds to my program on squats and deadlifts.

Even areas that don't seem to be impacted by bracing/not bracing are handling weight better. I did my heaviest, grind-it-out, balls-to-the-wall set on squats, and my inner adductors didn't cramp or strain at all. That’s an issue I’ve struggled with for years.

I don't use a lifting belt, so I imagine that would help even more. But all I've been doing is breathing in deep into my abdomen while "bracing for a punch to the stomach." Then I squeeze that as tight as I can throughout the entire lift. I reset each rep.

If you're not bracing, use this thread as encouragement to work on it.