TVA Activation Routine: 12 Minutes
If you have back pain and jacked up hips, doing all the core work in the world isn’t going to fix the problem if your QL (Quadratus Lumborum) muscles have been conditioned, trained and patterned to engage in the absence of the TVA (transversus abdominis). Because the QL is overworked, it tilts the pelvis anteriorly, and causes pressure on the discs and low back (hence pain).
If you are doing core work without the TVA engaging, then your back (i.e. QL muscles) and hip muscles (i.e. psoas muscles) are just going to take over and you’ll feel pain and tightness. That’s why this program focuses on creating new patterns (such as learning how to engage the TVA), which is very different than doing core work.
If you are having a hard time finding your TVA with the L-Sit Prep or Set-Point Exercise, or if you are having back pain, then do this follow-along routine! If you find an exercise in this routine that resonates with you, you can integrate it into a daily morning routine. Eventually, with lots of repetition, engaging your TVA will become innate.
- Cough: notice how the pelvic floor moves upwards and how your TVA cinches in. If the pelvic floor doesn't move upwards, then visit the pelvic floor clinic!
- Scaled Pilates Roll-Down/Up: feet against wall to posteriorly tuck the pelvis. Put a pilates ball or yoga block between your knees. Touch your low core with your hand so you can feel the TVA engaging. Focus on feeling the low core and shutting off the 6 pack (upper rectus). When you find the low core, hold it isometrically. For isometric holds, maintain calm and even nasal breaths.
- Supine Block Squeeze Use 2 yoga blocks between your knees and forearms. Straight arms, knees bent 90 degrees and stacked over hips. Squeeze the yoga blocks consistently. Keep the rib cage and pelvis stacked the entire time! Then try 1 block with opposite hand to the block (follow along with my video). Maintain calm and even nasal breaths.
- Foam Roller Bugs: on a 36" foam roller. Keep the rib cage and pelvis stacked the entire time! (follow along with my video). Exhale during the hardest part of the exercise.
