Our bodies are three-dimensional (3-D) movement machines, yet some gymgoers don’t tap into the potential of our 3-D movement. But what is 3-D movement and what does this have to do with lateral exercises? Let gets nerdy for a hot minute.
The human body has three planes of motion: the sagittal plane, which separates the left and right sides of the body. Exercise examples are the powerlifting big 3. This plane is where most strength and muscle gains happen. The transverse plane: separates the upper and lower halves of your body and involves all things rotation. All the spin moves on the basketball court and football field happens in the transverse plane.
Last and not least, this article’s subject is the frontal plane, which separates the front and back of the body. Think of cutting the body in half (anterior and posterior) from the side on, and you’ll get a picture of the frontal plane. The best-known frontal lateral exercises are side lunges and lateral raises.
This article will go into the benefits of training in the lateral (frontal) plane and four lateral exercises to incorporate to improve your power, movement, and strength so you, too, can be a 3D movement machine.
LATERAL TRAINING BENEFITS
Although most of your strength and muscle gains happen in the sagittal plane, it pays to train in the frontal plane. Your muscle fibers don’t run up and down but in all directions. And training them from a variety of angles leads to better muscle and strength development.
Reduced Injury Risk: Lifting and exercising in the lateral plane ensures you’re not creating muscular imbalances. If you spend all your time in the sagittal plane, how will your body react when you have to move laterally? It’s not like you’re going to pull a muscle, but you are less likely to get hurt when you are strong in all planes of motion, not just one.
For example, training the adductors with the landmine Cossack squat will better prevent groin strains. A review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2015 concluded that a lack of hip adductor strength was one of the most common risk factors for groin injury in sports.
Improved Movement: If your sport or activities of daily living involve moving side to side, then training in the lateral plane will only enhance this. When you strengthen your side-to-side movement, you will increase your stability going forwards and backward.
Added Variety Decreases Training Boredom: Being consistent with your big lifts is required for gains, but that doesn’t mean you cannot add a little variety to your accessory training. Training in the frontal plane will improve muscle development and help keep your mind and body fresh. And the added challenge of moving in a different direction will also help improve your training focus.
More Lateral Strength Equals More Weight on the Barbell: Your lateral(frontal) plane strength may help you add weight to your compound lifts. Your body needs to stay ridged while performing heavy compound lifts, and with stronger lateral stabilizers, there will be fewer energy leaks. Fewer energy leaks lead to stronger and better-performed deadlifts and squats.
There’s more to the frontal plane than endless sets of side lunges and lateral raises. Although they’re both good exercises with plenty of benefits, here are four other lateral exercises to consider.
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Landmine Cossack Squat
The landmine Cossack squat is similar to a side lunge because it trains mobility, flexibility, and strength in the frontal plane. The anterior load is a counterbalance, allowing you to squat side to side more efficiently. This lateral exercise strengthens and mobilizes the adductors and goes a long way to keeping your knees and groin healthy.
Benefits: You’re strengthening your hips in the frontal plane and improving hip mobility simultaneously.
How to do it: Hold the end on the barbell with your shoulders down, chest up, and your feet in a wide stance. Shift your weight to one side and squat down as far as your mobility allows while keeping both heels on the ground. During the squatting motion, externally rotate the straight leg, so the toes point up to the ceiling while the heel stays planted. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side—alternate sides for even reps.
Sets & Reps: This is not a 1RM exercise but is best trained for muscle and to improve hip mobility. Three sets of six to 10 reps on each side work well here.
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TRX Unilateral Lateral Row
The TRX row is a terrific upper-back exercise usually performed in the sagittal plane. But by standing side on to the anchor point, you will train your upper-back, posterior deltoid, and biceps in the frontal plane. This is a nice change of pace from your standard rowing exercises, and you’ll train the muscles from a different angle for more total muscle development. Plus, you’ll be strengthening pulling imbalances between sides which is a win-win.
Benefits: You’ll strengthen pulling imbalances between sides while training your upper back in the frontal plane for a muscle-building spark.
How to Do it: Loop the TRX handles through each other to form one handle. Take hold of the TRX with one hand, stand side on to the anchor point, and adjust your feet closer or further away for your desired intensity. With your shoulder down and chest up, row your elbow to your side and slowly lower back to the starting position. Reset and repeat for desired reps, and then switch sides.
Sets & Reps: This is a difficult row variation with less stability than usual. Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 10-15 reps per side.
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Rotational Med Ball Throw
Rotational med ball throws are part frontal and part rotational plane exercises and develop explosive core strength that not many core exercises do. That means a more injury-resistant core and spine and improved rotational power to dazzle your opponents on the field and to look cool in the gym.
Benefits: Rotational med ball throws develop power in the frontal and rotational planes and strengthen the obliques for better overall core strength.
How to do it: Stand 2 to 4 feet side on to a wall with a med ball in both hands and at your back hip. Then transfer your weight from the back hip to your front hip while slinging the med ball explosively against the wall. The arms are an extension of your hips. Catch the ball and reset to the starting position, and repeat.
Sets & Reps: 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps after your warm-up and before hitting the weights.
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Lateral Sled Drag
Sled drags are often performed backward and forward to build the quads and your cardiovascular conditioning, but have you tried it laterally? Improving your conditioning in the frontal (lateral) plane improves your sports performance and strengthens your adductors and hips against injury. Plus, you’ll look like the coolest person in the gym.
Benefits: Strengthen the hips’ internal and external rotators for better hip mobility and your adductors and obliques due to moving in the frontal plane with a load.
How to do it: Start with a light load until you get the hang of moving laterally. Securely attach a TRX or harness to the sled, take hold near your waist, and step out until it is tight. Lean away from the sled, and with soft knees, step one foot over the other slowly as you drag the sled sideways for the required distance. Then reverse directions and repeat.
Sets & Reps: Depends on how much room you have. But ideally, 20 to 40 yards on each side for a couple of sets after your strength training for conditioning purposes.
