The Key to Functional Movement
The power of Range of Motion (ROM) & multi-planar training to move better and feel better
As my students know (because I never stop repeating it. Sorry, guys!), maintaining and improving your range of motion (ROM) is essential. It keeps you mobile, pain-free, and independent. Our bodies are designed to move through three planes of motion, which are basically the different directions we can move through space and time.
We move in three different ways, whether we realise it or not. Forward and backward movements (like walking, running, Warrior I, or a Forward Fold) happen in the sagittal plane. Then there are side-to-side movements, like stepping sideways, doing jumping jacks, or flowing into Triangle Pose, Extended Side Angle, or Half Moon Pose: these all move through the frontal plane. And finally, there’s rotation, which happens when we twist, like reaching for something in the backseat, swinging a golf club, or practicing poses like Revolved Triangle, Seated Spinal Twist, or Twisting Chair Pose: this is all in the transverse plane.
Stuck in Forward Mode: The Sagittal Plane Trap
We spend most of our day moving in the sagittal plane without even thinking about it: walking, climbing stairs, sitting, standing, driving, and working at a desk all involve forward and backward motions. The problem? When we stick to this pattern too much, it can create imbalances in our bodies. Ever catch yourself hunched over your phone or slouched at your desk? That forward-leaning posture can lead to a curved neck (lordosis) and a rounded upper back (kyphosis). Gravity isn’t helping either: it’s constantly pulling us downward, gradually compressing our bodies. If we don’t break out of this forward-motion rut, we’re just setting ourselves up for more stiffness, discomfort, and poor posture over time.
A lot of workouts stick to the sagittal plane without even realising it. Think about it: squats, lunges, and push-ups are great for building strength, but they don’t fully prepare you for real-life movements that require side-to-side motion or rotation. That’s where things get unbalanced.
Breaking Free: How Yoga Restores Balance
Training in all three planes is the key to better balance, coordination, and overall movement, while also lowering the risk of injury. One of the best ways to ensure comprehensive movement is through yoga. Yoga incorporates fluid transitions through all three planes of motion while enhancing flexibility, strength, and control. Movements like warrior poses (frontal), forward folds (sagittal), and spinal twists (transverse) help maintain and expand your ROM, making daily tasks easier and reducing stiffness.
By integrating these types of movements and prioritising flexibility, you’ll improve your ability to move effortlessly in everyday life,, and feel stronger, more mobile, and pain-free!
Would you like to experience working on the three planes? Join one of my weekly classes on zoom (click on the timetable), and if you cannot make it to the live class, I will send you the recording afterwards.
If you’d like to try a class for free first, send me an email indicating which of the classes you’d like to try and I will send you the direct link.
Much love
Véronique
