The human body operates in a three dimensional world and we have the ability, and often the need, to move in multiple directions at any given moment. This relates to training and exercise because to operate efficiently we need to maintain our ability to move in these directions.

Planes of motion are established to help us better understand how our bodies move within exercise. If we train in some capacity in all three planes of motion, then we are better moving human beings.

THERE ARE 3 PLANES OF MOTION:

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SAGITTAL PLANE

Cuts the body in half on the right and left.

Think of this as forward and backward movements.

A majority of standard weight lifting exercises occur in this plane. This is for good reason as we mostly move in the sagittal plane, think walking, running, sprinting.

Sagittal Plane Exercise Examples:

Squats, deadlifts, curls, tricep extensions, front raises, lunges, calf raises are primary.

FRONTAL PLANE

Cuts the body in half in the front and back.

The frontal plane incorporates side to side movements.

Frontal Plane Exercise Examples:

Shoulder press, lateral raises, and lateral lunges.

TRANSVERSE PLANE

Cuts the body in half on top and bottom.

Bench press and hip abduction/adduction machines occur in the transverse plane.

Rotational exercises like cable oblique chops are also going to occur in the transverse plane.

HOW DOES THIS EFFECT PROGRAMMING WORKOUTS?

While performing more athletic variations of movements is fun and challenging, it is important to remember the “why” of your specific program.

If your goal is to pack on muscle mass or pure strength then you’ll need to remember that the basics, occurring in one plane, are undefeated. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, pull ups, shoulder press, are all compound movements that are the most bang for your buck in terms of hitting big muscle groups.

Simple movements that are less complex are less demanding on the central nervous system so we are able to load them up heavier. More complex movements require more concentration, effort, and ability to maintain good form and repetition. The ability to load these is drastically reduced. Think of it this way, I should never be able to hang clean more than I can deadlift.

Mobility and yoga are much simpler ways to achieve movement in the transverse plane. Moving consistently, without adding extra loads to transverse movements, can be beneficial to your longevity in the gym.

If your goal is to be more athletic then a healthy mix of basics and multi planar resistance exercises will be needed. Hang cleans and snatches are two examples of bi-planar exercises that occur in the sagittal and frontal planes.

A great example of a tri-planar exercises for an athlete is a kettle bell lateral swing. All three planes are represented as you hinge (sagittal), rotate (transverse), and horizontally adduct the shoulder away from your swing (frontal).