Training In The 3 Planes of Motion

Did you know there are three planes of motion you should exercise in? The three planes of motion are:

• Sagittal Plane: Moves forward and backward (e.g., walking, squats, lunges). This is the most common direction for lifting weights.  Imagine you have a wall on each side of you and your movement is limited to forward and backward.

• Frontal Plane: Moves side-to-side or laterally (e.g., side shuffles, lateral lunges, jumping jacks). This builds side hip and ankle stability.  Here imagine you have a wall in front and behind you.

• Transverse Plane: Rotates or twists (e.g., woodchoppers, Russian twists, rotational throws). This strengthens your core and rotational power. 

Training in all three planes of motion helps prevent injury, improves daily physical function, and builds complete athletic strength. Most people train in just the sagittal plane....doing forward lunges, standing bicep curls, overhead presses, etc. Your body needs to be able to react and move in different directions.

Multiplanar movements matter because they help lower injury risk.  Your body gets hurt when it moves in a direction it is not ready for. Training sideways and in rotation protects your joints during sudden movements. Real life requires bending, reaching, and twisting all at once. Multiplanar training makes chores, work, and hobbies feel easier. With different movements you get balanced muscle growth. Relying only on forward-and-back movements leaves certain stabilizer muscles weak. Working in 3D creates equal strength around your joint. You also gain improved agility and balance. Sports and active play need fast changes in direction. Training all planes sharpens your coordination and reaction time. 

When exercising add side to side (frontal) and rotational (transverse) movements into your routine. An example for box step ups would be to add stepping up sideways and turning and stepping up. Lunges you can perform in all three planes. One arm cable rows add a bit of the transverse plane, lateral dumbbell raises add the frontal plane. There are many aerobic and plyometric exercises you can also incorporate to hit all three planes including lateral jumps and cone shuffles.

For those with osteoporosis, you should consult your physician first before exercising and training in the transverse plane where you are twisting the body, and specifically the spine.

Always train safe and start out slow using good form.