2.2 Planes and axes of movement GapFill

Whenever a sporting movement is being completed by the body, it is acting in one of three planes: sagittal, frontal or transverse. Let's explore these planes a bit further.

1. The  frontalhorizontalsagittaltransverse plane divides the body into upper and lower parts, which means any  flexioncircumductionabductionrotational movements occur in this plane. A golf drive is a sporting example of a movement which takes place in this plane.
2. The  transversehorizontalsagittalfrontal plane divides the body into a right side and a left side, which involves forward and backward motions.  PivotExtensionRotationCircumduction and  rotationcircumductionpivotflexion are the common movements that take place in this plane, e.g. performing a somersault.
3. The  medialtransversesagittalfrontal plane divides the body into front and back, which means that any sideways motion in line with this plane occurs in this plane. Movements such as  circumductionplantar flexionadductionflexion and  abductiondorsiflexionflexioncircumduction are the common movements which take place in this plane, e.g. performing a cartwheel or a side kick in taekwondo.

Furthermore, movements also occur around one of three axes. These are called the axes of rotation. There are three axes of rotation: frontal, sagittal and vertical.

1. The  verticalsagittaltransversehorizontal axis travels through the head down to the feet. Rotational movements occur around this axis, e.g. when an ice skater is spinning on the spot, they are rotating around this axis and in the transverse plane.
2. The  horizontalfrontalsagittalaxes axis passes through the body from right to left. Forward and backward rotational movements occur around this axis, e.g. a gymnast or diver performing a backward somersault.
3. The  reversehorizontalfrontalsagittal axis passes through the body from the rear to the front. Sideward movements occur around this axis, e.g. the cartwheel, which rotates the whole body from left to right (or vice versa).