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If you're a runner who runs both on the road or the trails or one or the other, you need to be training more than just in the sagittal plane. The sagittal plane separates your body into two halves: left and right. You move in this plane when you are moving forward or backward, such as walking, doing squats, etc. The frontal plane separates your body into two halves: anterior and posterior. This includes lateral movements like lateral lunges, cossack squats, etc. You want to make sure that your training includes lateral movements because when you are running on a trail and have a change in terrain or when you’re on the road and you have a curb, you are encountering the muscles used in the frontal plane. This includes muscles worked on both the outside and inside of the legs. Lateral movements are important so you’re not only training in the sagittal plane with running, lunging, and deadlifting.
In the video below, you’ll learn about three different exercises that are often programmed for Kathletics’ athletes and runners in order to get into those lateral movements.
Start with your feet together, step out laterally, and then use your quad and glute to step your feet back together. This is an exercise where you can easily add dumbbells, kettlebells, a barbell, a sandbag, or any type of weight or resistance to this exercise. Lateral lunges are a fan favorite in our training programs because you can train with different variations. If stepping out into the lunge has too much impact for you right now, you can start off with a wide stance and then alternate sides for a Cossack Squat to train with a lower impact version. You can also adjust the angle of your toes to better accommodate your needs. There isn't one perfect toe angle with this exercise. You can maneuver your form and change your positioning in order to accommodate you and continue to meet you where you're at in your fitness.
For skaters, you will want to hop from side to side. You can add resistance to this exercise by having a band looped laterally at your midsection. Then when you hop to the side, you will have additional resistance. Adding a band will also work further into the stability of the outer side of your leg. Another way you can add resistance is by holding a dumbbell, a kettlebell, or a medicine ball in front of your chest as you hop side to side. This is not only going to help with strengthening your hips and pelvis in general, but also working those stabilizers such as your abductors and ankle stability, and into the outer leg, as well.
You will start with both feet on top of the box. You can hold on to the squat rack or post for stability as the main purpose of this exercise is to get a full stretch into the glute of the working leg. As you curtsy down, keep your working leg’s knee in line with those second and third toes, and then stand up again using the glute and quad. This will help with hip stability, especially when it comes to running. This exercise is often found in our training programs for runners because there are many ways to load it, as well as increase the range of motion. You can increase the range of motion by changing the box height. You can also add weight to it by holding a dumbbell or kettlebell on the outside of the working leg. This adds more of an opportunity for hypertrophy, strength, and stability in the hip complex. All things that you want as a runner and human being.
Lateral exercises and working in the frontal plane is important for runners, athletes, and general population to stay strong and ready for changing in terrain on dirt and pavement. If you're looking to take the guesswork out of your training, join one of our hybrid training programs.
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