The body is a fascinating machine! With hundreds of bones and muscles, you can move in many directions with precision unmatched when stacked against other creatures.
But we all know over time the body breaks down. Easy tasks now take FOREVER. Getting up in the morning can feel like a real drag when you ache.
An easy way to bulletproof your musculoskeletal system is to train in all 3 dimensions. This will help with tasks of everyday living as well as in sports.
Doing the dishes, laundry, and mowing the lawn will become almost too easy. I can’t promise they will be fun, but at least they won’t take forever.
Additionally, when you train in all three planes of motion you increase your muscular strength and decrease your chances of injury.
What are the three planes of motion?
A plane of motion is an imaginary line that passes through the body and divides it into sections. Think of it like a sheet of glass (but don’t go jumping through one). The three planes of motion are sagittal, frontal, and transverse.
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| Planes of motion |
Sagittal: Divides the body into left and right portions. Movement in the sagittal plane is backward/forward (aka flexion/extension).
Frontal: Divides the body into front and back halves, anterior and posterior respectively. Movement in the frontal plane is side to side (aka lateral movement).
Transverse: Divides the body into top and bottom portions, superior and inferior respectively. Movement in the transverse plane is rotational. Think wood chopping like Paul Bunyan.
Exercise in the three planes of motion.
Chuck Norris didn’t become Chuck Norris over night. If you want to experience growth and avoid injury, it takes time. Here is a list of different exercises that you can do in your home to train in all 3 planes of motion.
SagittalUpperStand with your feet hip-width apart, arms shoulder-width at near full extension. Flex at the elbows and lift the weight towards the shoulder. Slowly extend the weight back to near full extension by lowering the arms in a controlled motion.
BONUS: To make this movement more challenging do 5 reps in the start to mid-portion of the movement, 5 reps in mid to top portion of the movement, and 5 reps with a full ROM without rest.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, arms pronated (palms facing ground), and fully extended with weights resting on quadriceps. Your back should not arch forward or backward during this movement. Raise the dumbbells by flexing the shoulder joint until the humerus is parallel with the ground and perpendicular with the torso at a 45-degree angle. Major muscles targeted are the anterior deltoid and pectoralis major.
Lay with your back flat on a bench or a chair. Start with the dumbbells on your chest and slowly lower them to behind your ears. Extend the elbows and lift the weight until it is slightly behind and above your head. Return to start. Major muscles targeted are the triceps long head and triceps lateral head.
LowerStart with your feet hip-width apart. Flex at the hips first, then the knees, and slowly lower yourself backward as if you're trying to sit in a chair. As you progress with this movement, try to lower your glutes to where they are almost touching the back of your calves for a deep squat. Major muscles targeted are the quadriceps and hamstrings.
Start with your feet should width apart. Take a large step back with either foot. Plantar flex the rear foot into the ground. Flex at the knee for the posterior leg while slowly lowering the body to the ground. Use the forward knee to drive the torso forward and back to a standing position.
This exercise is very similar to the squat. As you near the bottom portion of the squat, allow yourself to roll backward. Then using the legs and core muscles roll back to the bottom of a squat and extend the knees back to starting standing position.
FrontalUpperStart with dumbbells at your sides. Flex the shoulders out to the sides (abduction) by lifting the dumbbells until your arm is at a 45-degree angle and parallel with the floor. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to starting position. This exercise primarily targets the lateral deltoid.
LowerStart with the feet hip-width apart. Take a large lateral step out with the leg, slightly forward of the opposite leg. Make sure your knee doesn’t collapse inward (medial) or extend over the toes. Extend the leg furthest from the center of your body to return to a standing position. This exercise targets the quadriceps, hamstrings during the eccentric portion, and glutes.
Mix up your routine a bit by adding some speed and agility work. Like the lunge slide your way to one side and slide your way back.
TransverseUpperAdd some rotation to your diet. Starting in a half lunge position with the dumbbell just resting below the hip, rotate your pivot foot medially (towards the center of the body) and your other foot laterally as you flex the shoulder to raise the dumbbell on a diagonal path overhead.
LowerStart at the bottom of a squat position with a soft bend at flexed knees. Extend the knees using your quadriceps and make your body like a pencil in the air as you begin to twist 45-degrees. Using your hamstrings, slowly decelerate the body back to the start of a squat position.
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