lets say your in third, your coming into a steep corner.you break enough to slow your speed while your foot is on teh break you sink the clutch then shift to second. (if you feel fancy whole usingyoru heel on the break with yrou right foot you reach over with the tip of your toe and tap the gas to bring the rpms up) then you release the clutch. this is called heal and toe technique. you dont need the brake in order to down shift it all depends on how much you need to slow teh car.
www.edmunds.com