Mastering Rotational Movements: Building Proficiency in all Planes of Motion Involved in Rotation!

             ​In the past I have talked briefly about how the planes of motion are involved in swinging and throwing, but this time was spent mostly on building rotational power. I have realized that the knowledge of the roles each plane has in rotational movements such as swinging and throwing is invaluable. We all train for elite rotational ability, and why not? The ability to rotate powerfully, efficiently and effectively is key to a pitcher or hitters success. This can also go far beyond baseball (I am looking at my hockey athletes). I am not going to get into specific detail/mechanics on the timing of rotation, how much you should rotate etc. (I will leave that to pitching, hitting and hockey specific coaches), but I will aim to help coaches, players and strength coaches alike understand each plane and show them how to build strength and power in those planes. Ultimately, this comes down to an understanding and willingness to program exercises and movements in the frontal, sagittal, and anterior/posterior. Once we do this, we can unleash the proficiency we have gained in these planes as one fluid transverse (rotational) movement and then add means to make these rotational movements more powerful!
 
The Frontal Plane
 
            The frontal plane, sometimes known as the coronal, involves lateral movements. Essentially, the frontal plane encompasses lateral movements that do not cross the midline of the body. For example, when the left leg moves directly to the left or the right leg directly to the right. You can already begin to realize the importance of this plane when it comes to swinging or throwing. If you are striding towards the pitcher when you swing or driving towards home plate you are moving in the frontal plane. 
 
[See Photo 1A. At Bottom]
[See Photo 1B. At Bottom]
 
            With the pictures above, you can see how the frontal plane is utilized in both swinging and throwing. When a pitcher takes his lead leg towards home plate in his delivery or a hitter strides, the frontal plane is involved. In terms of my favorite ways to build strength and power in this plane, here are two exercise variations.

• The Inverse Cossack Squat (Lateral Lunge)
  • The Inverse Cossack squat is a great way to build strength in the adductors and quadriceps of the support leg while the lead leg works through the frontal plane. Picture a pistol squat where you allow the off leg to work out to your side and catch the floor as you get to the bottom of your squat. These are a great way to build into sagittal plane work as the adductors are heavily involved here.
• Lateral Jumps
  • Plain and simple. Load into a plant leg and drive off it as far as possible. Tremendous way to build power of your drive leg. Also, can help develop stability in lead leg as you must control your bodyweight upon landing. 

                        
The Sagittal Plane
 
            The sagittal plane involves movements, which cross the midline of your body. Think of the sagittal plane in terms of the lead leg crossing the midline (imaginary line down the naval and spine splitting the body into halves) upon loading and then crossing back over during the transition towards the plate/pitcher (when swinging). The adductors (towards midline) and abductors (away from midline) are huge here!
 
[See Photo 2A. At Bottom]
 
As you can see in the photo above, the lead leg crosses the midline (adductors in use) as the pitcher approaches his balance point, and then crosses back over (abductors in use) as he works towards the plate. In addition, you will see the adductor of the back leg work (see photo of Aroldis Chapman below) due to the body working towards home plate and placing emphasis of the rear leg adductor towards the body’s midline.
 
[See Photo 2B. At Bottom]
 
 Both the abductors and adductors are in heavy use here. In terms of exercises, I love crossover step-ups and lateral crossover sled drags here! You can implement lesser loads and faster steps for the sled drags to work power in this plane!

• Crossover Step-ups and Crossover sled drags
  • This involves a step-up (see below) where you work the active leg across the midline and place emphasis on the adductors while the quadriceps is in action. 
  • For the sled drags you perform the same motion. You begin in a lateral stance and have the back leg cross over and drive the load. This places emphasis on the adductor.
• Abductor Focused Step-ups and Sled Drags
  • For each of these movements you simply use the outside leg and step away from the midline of the body for both the step-up and sled-dragging portion.

 
 
The Importance of Anterior Core Strength
 
            If you are reading this I would only assume that you know the importance of unilateral exercises working anteriorly (in front of you) and posteriorly (behind you). This can include lunges, split squats etc. Bottom line, if you do not already incorporate unilateral exercises in your programs you must!! After all the photos you have seen already it should be pretty obvious that unilateral (single leg) strength is imperative for rotational movements! With that being said, I want to discuss anti-rotational core strength, and core strength anteriorly (in front of you). Essentially, anti-rotational core strength makes for more tight and powerful rotation. Think of your hips as an axis, and anterior core strength is the axis perpendicular to your hips. I am going to quote a previous article I have written that details this:
 
                        “After the body frontally loads, rotation takes place. Newton’s third law also applies here. Torque is the initial movement required to produce rotation. The greater the force perpendicular to the axis upon which something rotates, the greater the torque needed to produce rotation. Essentially, if a pitcher rotates into their initial frontal load, their hip is the axis point upon which they are rotating. Core strength anteriorly (in front of the body) is what resists this rotation and will require more torque be placed to cause rotation. As we now know thanks to Newton’s third law, higher forces placed into torque will produce higher forces back into rotation. “
 
[See Photo 2B. At Bottom]
           
          To keep it simple: The stronger your body is in terms of resisting rotation the more power it will have to display to cause rotation. What is the lesson here? Program as many anti-rotational exercises into your training as you do rotational work!

• Pallof Press Variations
  • Simple. Resist the band forces that are attempting to force rotation and build a strong and stable core.

 
 
One Fluid Transverse (Rotational) Movement
 
            Now that we have built up frontal and sagittal strength and power and developed a strong and stable core we can rotate effectively. Effective rotation not only involves power in rotation itself, but mobility in the thoracic spine (mid-back), shoulders and hips. So, above all else do not neglect your mobility work in all ranges of motion.
 
            With that being said, we build rotational power by simply rotating! It’s not very complicated. You get better at rotating by rotating often in your training. My philosophy is simple. Build a foundation of frontal and sagittal strength and power and pair them with a strong anterior core. Once that is done we rotate as powerfully and rapidly as possible.

• Rotational Medicine Ball Slams
  • This is a great early variation to help an athlete focus on clearing their thoracic spine and shoulders as the display rotational power.
• Rotation into Overhead Slam
  • This variation incorporates rotation and then has the athlete develop thoracic extension (finish/follow through) while on a firm and strong front leg.
• Lateral Rotational Throw
  • We can now place the athlete in the frontal plane and have them begin to develop rotational power.

 
Adding Movement/Power
 
            This is the last step! We can now add weight shifts and perform full movements. In addition, we can add counter movements (hops or jumps prior to throws) to help build more power prior to throws. The main goal here is to add movements that force the athlete to move their weight across all involved planes. For example, a rocking action prior to a throw forces the athlete to shift their weight and transfer it through the frontal plane as they perform their throw.

• Figure 8 Medicine Ball Slams/Throws
  • Here is a great variation to practice weight shift across the frontal plane prior to a throw. Rock back and forth prior to your throw and have your hands follow!
• Rotational Throw (with forward and backward hop)
  • While in the lateral position, perform a forward hop and then immediately shift backwards and then unleash your throw. Doing so will force you to unleash your weight/energy towards your target as you rotate and throw.
• Add Countermovement (jumps) to any of your rotational movements
  • Capitalize on physics! Make use of the kinetic energy you can develop from ground forces by performing rhythmic jumps prior to your throws!

 
Now that you see all the planes involved in rotational movements you can better understand how to develop your own programming for your training. Build a solid base in these planes of motion and then place them together for powerful rotational ability!

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