"Jessica, will this actually help my back?"

I get some version of that question almost every week.

Sometimes it comes from someone lifting heavy who looks strong but feels unstable the moment they hinge. Sometimes it's from someone who's been injured for years and keeps being told to "just stretch." Sometimes it's from a tired parent carrying a baby all day, wondering why their back never gets a break.

And honestly? They're all asking the same thing.

If your goal is a strong, resilient core that actually supports your movement by the end of 2026, start training your TVA now.

I know, what even is a TVA?

Your TVA, or transversus abdominis, is your deepest core muscle, your inner corset. And it is not flashy at all.

It won't make your abs pop. It won't look cool on Instagram. The cue is simple: pull your belly button back toward your spine.

But here is the thing, for most of us it is way harder than it looks. We rarely use it. We're not used to activating it. Just getting that subtle engagement going is already a win.

I hope you had a beautiful holiday season. Time to rest, to reflect, maybe to slow down enough to remember what feels good in your body.

I'm really glad you're here.

A new year does not need more pressure, more hustle, or more extremes. It needs better questions. More intention. More of what actually sustains you.

If you have felt that something about the old way (the pushing, the forcing, the doing more to feel worthy) no longer fits, you are not behind. You are ahead.

This year is about refinement. About choosing practices that support how you want to live, not just how you want to look. About building a body that keeps up with your life instead of one you have to work around.

There's a trend going around showing how to "measure your hip flexor strength"… and I need to lovingly call it out. 🫠

If you've been scrolling Instagram or TikTok lately, you've probably seen it. Someone standing next to a wall, hand pressed against it for balance, one leg extended in front of them, claiming this simple movement is the ultimate test of hip flexor strength. It looks easy. Most people pass. And that's exactly the problem.

Some mornings feel like an invitation.
Others feel like a warning.

If you’ve ever opened your eyes and immediately noticed a dull ache in your lower back… or hips that feel tight before you’ve even moved… or shoulders that already feel like they’re carrying something heavy. Then you’ve experienced what I call The Morning Test.

Recently, during my time at Schwarzschmied, something remarkable happened at breakfast.

A woman who had been on the mat next to me that morning stopped to chat. Our conversation quickly shifted from movement to something deeper. She shared that she'd been at the hotel for a few days and was starting a retreat the next day.

"This reset, getting out of my daily demands, is more beneficial than I realized. It's a tool I didn't know I needed."

Der Spiegel just covered something I've been teaching for years, and honestly? It felt like validation on a level I didn't know I needed.

A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has confirmed what I've been seeing in my clients, in my own practice, and in the way our bodies actually respond to movement: You don't need hour-long workouts to transform your fitness.

In fact, 'exercise snacks' (short movement sessions scattered throughout your day) improved cardiovascular fitness by 4-17% in participants who did just 5 minutes at a time.

Can we talk about how hard the shift to autumn actually is?

I know everyone's posting aesthetic latte photos and romanticizing sweater weather, but honestly? I'm over here mourning the sun. Digging through my closet trying to remember how to dress for cold weather. Fighting the urge to just stay in bed when it's dark at 5pm.

I disappeared for a day last week.

Sometimes you need to step away to remember what you actually want to say.

I was just... busy. Meetings, laundry, life with my partner. The usual chaos. Nothing profound. But somewhere in all that bopping around, it clicked again—this whole thing is about not having your body be the reason you can't do what you want to do.

What's the point of looking fit if you can't enjoy life fully?

We just drove 2,000 kilometers to Italy. Six days of exploring cobblestone streets, climbing endless stairs to catch sunset views, sitting in cramped cars, walking through ancient cities, sharing long meals with friends. And here's what I realized during those six days of pure adventure: Your body decides whether travel feels like joy — or like survival.

Let's talk about something that's been coming up a lot in my conversations with clients lately. You know that feeling when you're scrolling through Instagram and see all those beautiful, flowy movement videos? The ones with perfect lighting, matching workout sets, and movements that look effortlessly graceful?

Here's my question: Does your body feel challenged — or just familiar?

The real reason you're stuck in your movement — and how to finally break free

You know that feeling when you wake up and your body just... works? When sticking to your routine feels natural instead of forced? When you move through your day without that familiar stiffness creeping into your hips, that nagging tension in your shoulders, or that weak feeling in your core that makes you second-guess every movement?

How I stopped chasing punishment and started choosing presence—and why it changes everything

I used to start my week feeling guilty. If I didn't have 60 minutes for a workout, I'd skip it completely. Sound familiar?

My Monday morning ritual now looks completely different. It's coffee in bed, a 10-minute movement session, and the radical understanding that presence matters more than punishment. Because here's what I've learned: the way you move through your week starts with how you treat yourself.

The truth behind my 'fit' body (that didn't feel right)

What if everything you've been told about getting stronger is backwards?

I used to think I had a motivation problem. Standing in front of the mirror, I'd look at my body and think, "This looks fit enough." But when I tried to move through my day, everything felt... off. Stiff. Heavy. Like I was carrying around someone else's body that happened to look like mine.

There's a moment — you know the one — when you catch yourself in the mirror after a few days of not moving, and your body feels like a stranger. Your shoulders are hunched forward from hours at your desk. Your hips feel locked in place. Even walking up the stairs leaves you slightly winded, and you can't help but wonder: When did moving become so... hard?

I used to think I just needed to do more push-ups to fix my weak shoulders - until the pain started creeping into everything: sleep, downward dogs, even reaching overhead.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Thousands of people are grinding through endless push-ups, hoping to build shoulder strength and flexibility, only to find their shoulders still feel stiff, weak, and unreliable. The frustration is real, and it's not your fault.

But here's what most people don't realize: the problem isn't just your shoulders, it's how your entire body works as a connected system.

Yep, I don't do punishing workouts.

But I'm stronger, leaner, and more mobile than ever.

I know what you're thinking. In a world where fitness culture screams "no pain, no gain" and social media is flooded with sweat-drenched selfies and grueling boot camp videos, this statement sounds almost rebellious. Maybe even lazy.

But here's the truth that the fitness industry doesn't want you to know: most workouts are built to exhaust you, not evolve you.

Have you ever felt strong in the gym but struggled to bend down and tie your shoes without your back screaming in protest? Or maybe you crush your squats, plank like a champ, and push your limits in workouts—yet something still feels off. Tight hips, restricted movement, lower back tension that lingers.

Have you ever looked at a fluid movement—maybe a seamless yoga transition or an effortless athletic feat—and thought, "My body should be able to do that by now"?

I get it. I've been there too.

There's that disconnect between what we know our bodies are capable of and what they actually do when we ask them to move. It's frustrating. Especially when you're doing everything "right."

In today's fitness landscape, we're constantly bombarded with the "next big thing." Remember when yoga was everywhere? When everyone from celebrities to your next-door neighbor carried a yoga mat and spoke about their practice? Now, it seems Pilates has taken center stage, dominating social media feeds with reformer workouts and core exercises. But what happens when these trending practices don't fully deliver the results our bodies need?