Planes of movement

When we analyse how the body moves during exercise or sport, we use imaginary flat surfaces called planes of movement. These planes help describe the direction in which a body part or the whole body travels.

The three main planes of movement

• Sagittal plane - This divides the body into left and right halves.
• Frontal plane - This divides the body into front and back sections.
• Transverse plane - This divides the body into top and bottom parts.

Axes of rotation

Just as planes describe the path of movement, axes of rotation provide the pivot points around which those movements happen. An axis is an imaginary straight line running through the body, and rotation occurs about this line when a body part or the whole body moves.

The three main axes of rotation

• Sagittal axis - This runs through the body from front to back.
• Transverse axis - This runs through the body from left to right.
• Longitudinal axis - This runs through the body from top to bottom.

Pairings of planes and axes for specific movements

Every movement in the body pairs a specific plane with a corresponding axis. This pairing depends on the type of action, such as bending, stretching, or twisting.

Key plane and axis pairings

• Flexion and extension - These occur in the sagittal plane around the transverse axis.
• Abduction and adduction - These take place in the frontal plane around the sagittal axis.
• Rotation - This happens in the transverse plane around the longitudinal axis.

Sporting examples of planes and axes

To see how planes and axes apply in real scenarios, consider examples from various sports.

Examples in the sagittal plane and transverse axis

• Swimming strokes
• Gymnastic rolls
• Diving somersaults

Examples in the frontal plane and sagittal axis

• Side bending exercises
• Lateral arm raises
• Side lunges

Examples in the transverse plane and longitudinal axis

• Baseball pitching
• Figure skating spins
• Dance twirls