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Year 10 - Physical education

Planes and axes in sport

Movement analysis and basic biomechanics

Unit Summary

This unit will explore basic principles of movement and their effect on sporting performance to include the classification of levers, planes of movement and axis of rotation. This understanding enables pupils to maximise efficiency of movement or generate more power.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to identify and apply the planes of movement and axes of rotation to various sporting examples.

Key Notes

  • The body rotates around the frontal axis moving along sagittal plane.
  • The body rotates around the sagittal axis moving along the frontal plane.
  • The body rotates around the vertical axis moving along in the transverse plane.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • frontal axis: a line of rotation which goes from side to side through the hips
  • vertical axis: a line of rotation which goes through the body from head to toe
  • sagittal axis: a line of rotation which goes through from front to back through the belly button
  • plane: an imaginary flat surface running through the body along which movement takes place

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Any of the three planes can be paired with the three axes.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

The body rotates around the frontal axis moving along sagittal plane. The body rotates around the sagittal axis moving along the frontal plane.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'frontal axis'

a line of rotation which goes from side to side through the hips.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: Any of the three planes can be paired with the three axes. Correction: Planes and axes are always paired as: sagittal plane with the frontal axis, frontal plane with the sagittal axis and transverse plane with the vertical axis.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 10 Physical education guide library.