Every exercise you do, whether it is a squat, a roundhouse kick or a jiu-jitsu sweep, moves your body through at least one of three planes of motion. Most conventional gym programs live almost entirely in one of them, which is a big reason people plateau, develop imbalances and get hurt doing everyday things like turning to lift a bag out of the car. Understanding the three planes is the 101 lesson that changes how you build a program. Here it is, from the trainers at Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading.
The sagittal plane: forwards and backwards
The sagittal plane divides your body into left and right halves, and movement in it goes forwards, backwards, up and down. It is where the vast majority of gym training happens: squats, deadlifts, bench press, lunges, shoulder press, rows, pull-ups, bicep curls and almost every machine on the floor. Running and cycling live here too.
There is nothing wrong with that. The sagittal plane is where you build your foundation of strength, and the big lifts belong there. The problem is that many people never leave it. If your program is all sagittal, you are strong in one direction and untrained in the other two, and life and sport do not work that way.
The frontal plane: side to side
The frontal plane divides your body into front and back halves, and movement in it goes sideways. Examples include side lunges, lateral raises, lateral band walks, side planks, Cossack squats, side bends and standing hip abduction. Conventional training touches this plane a little, mostly through lateral raises, but rarely trains the hips and trunk sideways with any real load.
Frontal plane strength matters for stepping sideways off a kerb, changing direction in sport, checking a kick and staying upright when someone shoves you. It builds the glute medius and adductors that stabilise the hip and protect the knee, and it is one of the best injury-prevention investments you can make, especially in contact and combat sports.
The transverse plane: rotation
The transverse plane divides your body into top and bottom halves, and movement in it is rotational. Cable woodchops, medicine ball rotational throws, Russian twists, bicycles, Pallof presses, landmine rotations and, of course, punching, kicking and throwing all live here. It is the most neglected plane in the gym and arguably the most valuable.
Almost every powerful athletic movement is rotational: a punch is generated by the hips and trunk rotating, so is a golf swing, a tennis serve and a throw. Real functional core strength is the ability to produce and resist rotation, and it is what protects your lower back when you twist to grab something heavy. For martial artists, boxers and anyone who wants everyday life to feel easier, this plane deserves dedicated work. See our best core exercises for the anti-rotation side.
Why training all three planes matters
- Break plateaus. A new plane is a new stimulus. Stalled lifts often move again once the stabilisers around them get stronger.
- Prevent injury. Most non-contact injuries happen in the frontal and transverse planes, precisely because they are under-trained.
- Perform better. Sport, martial arts and daily life demand movement in every direction. Training only forwards and backwards leaves power on the table.
- Understand your body. Knowing which plane an exercise trains lets you spot the gaps in your own program at a glance.
How to add the other two planes
You do not need to overhaul your program. Keep your sagittal foundation and add one or two exercises from each of the other planes per session:
- Frontal: lateral lunges or Cossack squats (2–3 sets of 8 per side), lateral band walks in your warm-up, side planks in your core work.
- Transverse: cable woodchops or medicine ball rotational throws (2–3 sets of 8–10 per side), Pallof presses, landmine rotations.
- Bonus: a boxing or Muay Thai class trains the transverse plane better than anything on the gym floor. See our classes.
Our balanced gym program guide shows where these fit in the week, and plyometric training covers the explosive versions.
Mix it up
The stronger you are in all three planes of motion, the better you perform and the more resilient you become. Next time you are on the Hammer’s Gym floor, throw in a frontal or transverse exercise and get the best of all three. If you would like a program that covers every plane, our personal trainers can build it. New to Hammer’s? Claim a free one-day trial in Nunawading, minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster. Happy training.