Deep brakes is when (mainly in BASE) you set your brakes deeper so that when your canopy opens its flying forward at a very slow speed to prevent object strike in the case of an off heading. This is brake setting that comes with your BASE canopy or some people will set up custom deep brakes. Pulling your brakes to knee level is the flare and is not deep breaks. Deep breaks still let the canopy fly forward just slower while the flare is about stalling your canopy. If your in deep breaks and you pull the breaks to your knees (flaring) your just going to have less flare power vs flaring from full flight.