When it comes to cardiovascular training, you may tend to focus on activities that keep you moving forward, such as walking, running, and cycling.
Likewise, in weight training, most traditional exercises focus on forward and backward movements, which occur in what is called the sagittal plane.
But there's another plane of motion that deserves your attention: the frontal plane, where movements happen from side to side.
The importance of stepping aside
If the majority of your training takes place in the sagittal plane, you risk creating muscle imbalances and making yourself vulnerable to injury when performing horizontal movements in daily life. Incorporating frontal plane exercises, such as lateral lunges, into your exercise routine can help your body move better and have more endurance during activities of daily living. day.
Lateral or side lunges are one of the best exercises for building stability and lateral mobility in the often overlooked frontal plane. This exercise strengthens your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, adductors and core to help protect you from injuries like groin pulls and hamstring tears. The lateral lunge also improves the mobility and stability of your hips, knees and ankles to avoid associated strains and sprains.
Consider the activities in your lifestyle that require you to move sideways and how sideways jumping can benefit:
Moving in crowded spaces: In environments such as crowded streets, shopping malls or public transport, you often need to step aside or move sideways to avoid obstacles, step off curbs and maneuver through tight spaces. Practicing with lunges can improve your ability to navigate these environments.
Household chores: Tasks like vacuuming, sweeping, or mopping often require horizontal motion as you move from side to side to clean different areas of the house. By strengthening the muscles involved in lateral movements with lunges, you can complete these tasks more effectively while reducing your risk of strain or injury.
Play with children or pets: If you have young children or pets, you may be familiar with the need to move quickly and react to sudden changes of direction. Hip swings can improve your ability to change direction quickly and maintain balance, helping you stay pain-free while playing.
Recreational sports: Many recreational sports, including handball, tennis, and basketball, involve lateral movements such as shuffling, cutting, and side stepping. Incorporating hip lunges into your training regimen can enhance your agility, quickness, and overall performance in these sports.
Outdoor activities: Whether you're hiking over uneven terrain, walking in deep sand at the beach, or participating in more adventurous activities like skiing or snowboarding, lateral stability and mobility is essential to navigate diverse landscapes and maintain balance. Practicing with lunges can increase lateral movement strength, improve mobility and boost confidence so you can be more adventurous outdoors.
Editor's note: Consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program. Stop immediately if you feel pain.
How to do a side jump
- Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and your toes pointing forward.
- With your hands on your hips or clasped in front of your chest, step wide to the side with your right leg, while keeping your left leg steady.
- Bend your right knee to a 90-degree angle, aligned above the ankle, while pushing your hips back.
- Your left leg remains straight with both feet facing forward.
- Although you will naturally rotate your hips when reclining, try not to lean forward too much. Keep your chest up as much as possible with a neutral back.
- You don't need to stay in a tilted position for more than a second or two. Get into position and push through your right heel to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for a total of 10 to 12 repetitions on each side for two to three sets.
Depending on your fitness level, you can decrease or increase the recommended number of repetitions and total reps. I recommend adding lunges to your workout routine at least twice per week for best results.
Modified side jump
If you don't have enough strength or mobility to step wide to the side or bend your knees to a full 90 degrees, shorten your stance and/or the distance you sit back and bend your knees. You can slowly increase your posture as you get stronger and more mobile.
If you have difficulty with strength or balance during this exercise, you can place an armless chair behind you on the side you are reclining, allowing you to sit back against the chair each time. repeat. Additionally, if you have a suspension trainer, you can hold on to the straps for stability while performing the exercise.
Progression of the lateral jump
To increase intensity, you can increase your repetition rate.
You can make the exercise more dynamic by focusing more on agility by alternating back and forth with a small jump in between as you move from side to side.
You can also add more weight by holding a kettlebell or barbell at chest level. Use a weight appropriate to your fitness level.
Remember, lateral movement is a natural part of everyday function, so incorporating hip lunges into your workouts not only adds variety but also plays an important role in lifting Increase your ability to move well and prevent injuries. Next time you hit the gym or feel the need to move your body, remember the lateral lunge to unleash the full potential of your frontal plane fitness.
