Multi-planar Fitness Training
In order to maintain optimal fitness, we need to include exercises that address the wide variety of activities that encompass everyday life. We move in three planes: the sagittal which consists of forward and backward movement, the frontal which controls side-to-side movement, and the transversal which enables us to twist, turn and rotate. A multi-planar fitness program improves balance, prevents injury and contributes to overall fitness.
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Many of our activities of daily living take place on the sagittal plane. Exercises that operate on this plane build muscle mass which is why body builders devote so much time to them. The squat row and push up are two exercises that focus on the sagittal plane.
However, life is multi-planar, and your exercise program should reflect that. The ability to move from side to side quickly is important whether you are dodging carts in the grocery or side-stepping holes in the sidewalk. Exercises like the side squat, side lunge, chest fly, and reverse fly help us build lateral strength.
True functional fitness means being able to twist, turn and reach without tweaking your back or pulling your neck. How many times a day do you need to reach behind to get something from the backseat of your car or grab a pen that has fallen just out of reach? Successful living requires operating in the transversal plane. Karate, body combat and exercises like the Russian twist and diagonal wood chip improve our ability to reach and bend in the real world.
If you want to build functional fitness for every stage of your life, let me create a personalized multi-planar fitness program to improve your balance, prevent injury and enhance your overall fitness. Meet me at my brand new 7000 sq ft gym at 120 Country Club Gate Ctr, Pacific Grove, California, available everyday from 4am-10pm. Call or text me today to get started (831)236-6199.
You can read books and watch videos, but until a personal trainer watches the way you move, it’s hard to know if you’re doing it right. Think of working with a Certified Personal Trainer as hiring a ‘General Contractor’ for your body. Make the most of your time in the gym and the more of your body, at any age.