During the exercise of lunging with a medicine ball, what two movement planes are involved?

When performing a lunge with a medicine ball, two key movement planes are indeed involved: the sagittal plane and the transverse plane.

The sagittal plane is the primary movement plane during lunges, as the legs move forward and backward relative to the body’s center. This forward and backward motion can be clearly observed as the lead leg extends and the back leg bends, positioning the body into a lunge. The essence of the lunge movement is based on flexion and extension of the hip, knee, and ankle joints, which all occur in the sagittal plane.

Additionally, the transverse plane is engaged when using a medicine ball in this exercise, especially if any rotational movement is incorporated. For instance, twisting the torso to pass or lift the medicine ball while lunging creates a rotational dynamic that occurs in the transverse plane. This rotation can involve movement through the body’s center, further enhancing the functional capacity of the exercise and engaging core musculature.

Thus, the combination of these two planes demonstrates how the lunge with a medicine ball engages both linear and rotational movements, making it a comprehensive exercise for improving strength, stability, and coordination.