Your body moves in three directions: sagittal, frontal and transverse planes. Sagittal and frontal planes describe movement in the forward and back motion and side to side, respectively. Transverse plane describes movement in any rotational direction. Rodney Corn, co-founder of the fitness website PTA Global, suggests that you exercise in all ranges of motion to improve movement and get variety in your workouts.
Sagittal Plane Exercises
This path of motion is the most common and easiest for most people to do. Exercises in the sagittal emphasize forward and back movement, such as pushing, pulling and squatting. Sample exercises include push ups, pull ups, front lunges, front kettlebell swings and long jumps.
Frontal Plane Exercises
Frontal planes emphasize moving side to side with or without minimum rotation in your body. Sample exercises include side lunges, side bounding, dumbbell shoulder presses and jumping jacks.
According to Gray Cook, who is a physical therapist and founder of Functional Movement Systems in Danville, Virginia, most non-contact knee and ankle injuries happens in this path of motion. One of the best way to prevent such injuries is to proper train frontal plane movements combined with the other two planes of motion. A sample exercise would be the lateral shuffle with a turn.
Shuffle five steps to your left, leading with your left foot. Then turn to your right by pivoting on your left foot, and turn your body 180 degrees, stepping to your right with your right foot. Then you shuffle to your right with your right foot in the lead.
Transverse Plane Exercises
Transverse plane involves moving your body either in a straight horizontal rotation or diagonally across your body. All sports require some degree of rotation, yet most gym exercises are predominantly sagittal plane-oriented. Sample exercises include medicine ball rotations, medicine ball chops, side rolling on the ground and leg swings across your body.
Hybrid Planes
Many real-life activities and sports are a blend of two or three paths of motion. Although you are moving in the sagittal plane when you walk, run or climb stairs, your spine and pelvis rotate left and right in the transverse. Therefore, these movements fit into the hybrid category. You can also combine different paths of motion in strength training. A common exercise that combines all three planes of motion is the multiplanar lunges, which mimics many sports that require this movement pattern. You can lunge to the front, back, side with a turn or across the center of your body. This exercise covers all paths and ranges of motion.
References
- "IDEA Fitness Journal"; Creative Total Body Exercises; Rodney Corn; February 2010
- "Athletic Body in Balance"; Gray Cook; 2003
- PTA Global
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