I had my second one-on-one training session yesterday. It was a much easier experience than the first day. Yesterday’s focus was back, TVAs (Transverse Abdominals), and squats. For back and squats we worked purely on form, while TVA work focused on activation and strengthening.

For the back we went over proper alignment and lifting for bent over rows. The trainer showed me using both a barbell and dumbbells. We discussed how varying handholds and direction of the row slightly changes the muscles being worked. Even with light weight, I could feel how being in good alignment allowed me to target specific back muscles.

From the back we moved on to TVAs. The Transverse Abdominal muscles are the deepest layer of abdominal muscles. We hear a lot of fitness people talk about our ‘core’. Well, the TVAs are part of our core. The TVAs are the muscles used when someone sucks in their gut to give the appearance of a thinner stomach, and they are used by women during labor and delivery.

TVAs are important to work on for lifting and conditioning because that act as a natural weight-lifting belt to support and protect the low back/spine and pelvis. For me, in my line of work, well-toned TVAs help support me through massage movements and keep me aligned while sitting during a CranioSacral Therapy session. I have learned that my TVAs need work!

I have known for some time that my core has not been as strong as it could be. When I was visiting the gym, I did several abdominal exercises. I have now learned that none of them worked my TVAs. While it may have been good to be working Rectus Abdominus (the six pack muscle) and the Obliques, I really wasn’t targeting the TVAs enough. Now, I have some tools to work on this to start strengthening and, more importantly, protecting my core/low back.

Lastly we worked on form for squats. An interesting exercise he had me do was to stand facing a wall, toes about 3-4 inches from the wall, and slowly perform a squat. During this exercise I was to keep my knees or head from hitting the wall. This helped to show me proper form and balance through a squat. It really helped me to see how bad my previous squat form had been. I had always thought my form was pretty good. It’s amazing to see the difference.

Even just performing slow squats close to the wall, without any weight other than body weight, I could feel it targeting the right muscles and I could feel my legs starting to burn.

From there I moved away from the wall and stood just in front of a weight bench. With my new squat form I practiced ‘almost sitting’ on the bench. I would squat down until I could just feel the bench under me and then straighten up again without resting my weight on the bench. I could feel how this exercise targets more than just the lower extremities.

We finished with an exercise that felt odd at first and then had my quads begging to stop. For this one, I would slowly squat down onto the bench except this time I would actually sit on the bench for a moment and the forcefully jump straight up off the bench into the air. Upon landing I would immediately go into another slow squat onto the bench, sit, and then jump again. After only a few of these, my quads were done.

It was a great session. It was not only nice to finally feel correct form, but it was nice to have such an effective, targeted workout without having to use weights (except for the back stuff). All the stuff we worked on for the TVAs and the squats I can do at home or in my office. It’s going to be great to be able to work on those whenever I feel like it without having to run to the gym. I’m sure there will be exercises that will be more beneficial with weights (which means a trip to the gym) but I like the idea of balancing things to do at home/office and things to do at the gym.

I am hoping that this is all adding up to a fitness plan I enjoy and will stick with for some time.


Oh yeah … and when I got home I was so motivated and felt so good, I did another yoga session with the DVD. And yes, my legs and I are not speaking to each other today.