Planes of Movement & Axes of Rotation (OCR GCSE Physical Education (PE)): Revision Note

Planes of movement & axes of rotation 

• There are three planes and three axes of movement used whilst performing sporting actions

  • A plane of movement is an imaginary flat surface across which the body moves in an action

  • An axis of movement is an imaginary line through the body, about which the body rotates

Planes of movement

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

• Body parts can move on one of three different planes: 

• Frontal plane:  

  • a vertical place that divides the body into front and back

  • Abduction and adduction movements occur in this plane

    • E.g. cartwheel, jumping jacks, reaching out to the side to receive a netball pass

• Transverse plane:

  • a horizontal plane that divides the body into top half and bottom half 

  • Rotation types of movement occur in this plane

    • E.g. twisting in a discus throw, pivoting in netball, spinning in ice skating or ballet

• Sagittal plane:

  • a vertical plane that divides the body into right and left sides  

  • Flexion and extension types of movement occur in this plane

    • E.g. running, jumping, squatting, kicking a football, throwing a shot put

Body parts can move on one of three different planes

Axes of rotation

• There are three axes of rotation: 

  • Frontal 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 frontal axis

      • E.g. a gymnast performing a cartwheel

  • 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

      • E.g. a front somersault in trampolining

  • 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 a longitudinal axis

      • E.g. an ice skater performing a full 360-degree twist