The Planes & Axes of Movement Used During Sport (AQA GCSE Physical Education (PE))

The Planes & Axes of Movement Used During Sport

• Understanding the relevant planes and axes (singular axis) of movement is essential when analysing and describing sporting actions

  • A plane in this context refers to an imaginary flat surface along which an object can move

  • An axis is an imaginary line around which an object rotates

Planes of movement

• Body parts can move on one of three different planes

  • Frontal plane:

    • Movement on this plane is from side-to-side

    • The plane can be imagined as a flat surface that divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) halves

    • Movements along a frontal plane include abduction and adduction movements

  • Transverse plane:

    • Movement on this plane involves changes in direction

    • The plane can be imagined as a flat surface that divides the body into top (superior) and bottom (inferior) halves

    • Movements on a transverse plane are rotational, or turning, movements

  • Sagittal plane:

    • Movement on this plane are forwards or backwards

    • The plane can be imagined as a flat surface that divides the body into left and right halves

    • Movements on a sagittal plane include flexion or extension movements

• Movements are parallel to the plane in which they take place

• When describing a movement in terms of planes, the dominant direction of movement is used

Axes of rotation

• Movements can occur around one of three different axes

  • Sagittal axis:

    • The axis is a horizontal line that passes through the body from front to back

    • Movements in a frontal plane take place around this sagittal axis

    • Examples of movements around a sagittal axis include:

      • Star jumps, or jumping jacks, use abduction when arms move outwards and adduction when the arms pull back towards the body

      • Cartwheel: the body rotates around a front-back axis during a cartwheel motion

  • Longitudinal axis:

    • The axis is a vertical line that passes through the body from top to bottom

    • Movements in a transverse plane take place around this longitudinal axis

    • Examples of movements around a longitudinal axis include:

      • Ice skating spin involving a 360° turn

      • Discus throwers spin before releasing the disc

  • Transverse axis:

    • The axis is a horizontal line that passes through the body from side to side

    • Movements in a sagittal plane take place around a transverse axis

    • Examples of movements around a transverse axis include:

      • Running

      • Forward somersault

Planes and axes of movement diagram

Movement occurs on different planes and around different axes