Are You Bracing Whilst Lifting?
Why That Advice Might Be Causing You More Harm Than Good
At Revitalize Clinic in Gravesend, we’ve seen countless patients suffer unnecessarily—not from the conditions they fear, but from the way they’ve been taught to protect themselves. One such myth? “Lift with a straight back. Bend at the knees.”
This phrase is echoed in workplaces, gyms and rehabilitation centres across the country. While well-meaning, it doesn’t account for the nuance of real human movement. And in some cases, it may even be increasing your risk of injury.
As an osteopath, personal trainer and acceptance commitment therapist, I recently had the pleasure of working with a patient named Trevor. During one of our sessions at the clinic, I noticed something common yet often overlooked: Trevor was holding his breath during a squat.
This simple act revealed a powerful insight into how our beliefs around movement can be both misguided and limiting—and how breathing can be your secret weapon to better movement, less pain, and more confidence.
The Truth About Tension and Movement
Trevor, like many others, may have unknowingly bought into the cultural narrative that lifting should be rigid, braced and robotic. And why wouldn’t he? That’s the message we’ve received for decades.
But what we now understand, especially through pain science and cognitive functional therapy, is that more tension does not equal more safety.
In fact, tension in the wrong areas—especially through breath-holding and excessive bracing—can increase the effort required for movement and raise your chances of injury.
Why We Hold Our Breath (And Why It’s a Problem)
Trevor didn’t even realise he was holding his breath. This is a common issue I observe as an osteopath. When we’ve had back pain in the past or we’re expecting discomfort, our body tenses as a protective mechanism.
This is part of the human tendency to tell stories about what’s coming. When we approach movement with the expectation that it’s going to hurt or be difficult, we instinctively brace. We hold our breath, contract our pelvic floor unnecessarily, and generate far more rigidity than is helpful.
Rather than keeping us safe, this kind of unconscious tension disrupts the natural coordination of movement. It makes even simple actions like squatting or lifting feel heavier and more awkward. In Trevor’s case, it was obvious in how stiff and laboured his movement became.
The Power of the Breath
When I work with patients like Trevor at the Revitalize Clinic in Gravesend, I often start with a very simple intervention: breathe.
Encouraging a calm, diaphragmatic breath through movement does several important things:
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Reduces tension: It’s incredibly difficult to maintain excessive muscular tension when you’re breathing in a slow, controlled way.
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Improves body awareness: Breath serves as an anchor to the present moment. It reduces catastrophic thinking and anchors us in the “now”.
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Promotes relaxation and fluidity: Movement becomes more natural, less forced, and surprisingly more powerful when done from a relaxed state.
Whistling While You Work (Literally)
One cue I often give patients at the Revitalize Clinic is to whistle while they move. It might sound strange at first, but the effect is powerful.
Try it yourself—tense up and try to whistle. Nearly impossible, right?
Whistling is an excellent way to encourage deep diaphragmatic relaxation and prevent the breath-holding that leads to stiffness and increased risk of injury.
When Trevor began to focus on his breath and relax into the movement, his form instantly improved. He moved more freely, with less effort, and—most importantly—with less risk of strain or discomfort.
Rewriting the Narrative
So where did we go wrong?
The conventional wisdom of “bracing before you lift” was originally intended to protect the spine. But in doing so, it created a culture of fear around movement. We’ve encouraged people to expect pain, and so they tense up in anticipation, which ironically increases the chance of experiencing pain or injury.
This is particularly relevant for those who’ve had previous episodes of back pain. The fear of reinjury can create a feedback loop, where fear leads to tension, tension leads to discomfort, and discomfort reinforces the fear.
At the Revitalize Clinic in Gravesend, we’re actively working to rewrite this narrative. Our goal isn’t just to treat pain—it’s to empower our patients with confidence and control over their own bodies.
Combining Osteopathy, Personal Training and Counselling
Our approach is holistic. As an osteopath, personal trainer, and acceptance commitment therapist, I aim to address the physical, emotional and behavioural aspects of pain and performance.
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Osteopathy helps us assess the biomechanics and structure.
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Personal training helps rebuild strength and capacity.
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Counselling allows us to address the fear, beliefs and emotions tied to pain and injury.
Breathwork is one of the simplest and most effective bridges between these three domains.
It allows patients to relax into movement, challenge unhelpful beliefs, and begin to trust their bodies again.
The Evidence Backs It Up
If you want to dive deeper into the science behind this approach, I’d encourage you to look up:
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Pain science
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Cognitive Functional Therapy (CFT)
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
In particular, the ACT acronym N.A.M.E. is a helpful reminder:
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Notice the discomfort
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Acknowledge its presence without judgement
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Make space for the feeling
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Engage with your goal anyway
This is the essence of what we practise at Revitalize Clinic. We help our patients notice tension, acknowledge their fears, make space for relaxation, and re-engage with movement.
Your Takeaway
If you’ve been told to lift with a straight back and bend at the knees—consider this your invitation to rethink that advice.
Yes, form matters. But so does confidence, breath and the ability to move freely without fear.
Holding your breath, clenching your core, and tensing every muscle might feel like the right thing to do—but it can actually work against you. The goal isn’t to become rigid, it’s to become resilient.
So next time you lift, try this instead:
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Exhale slowly as you move
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Stay relaxed and aware of your body
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Whistle if you need a cue to breathe
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Notice how it feels different
You might just find that you move more comfortably, more powerfully, and with far less pain.
Need Help?
If you’re in or around Gravesend, we’d love to help you move better, feel stronger, and live pain-free.
Whether you’re dealing with back pain, recovering from an injury, or just want to improve your lifting technique, our team of osteopaths, personal trainers and counsellors are here to support you.
📞 Call us on 01474 356 284
📧 Email us at info@revitalizeclinic.co.uk
🌐 Book online at www.revitalizeclinic.co.uk
At Revitalize Clinic, we’re changing the way people think about pain and movement—one breath at a time.