Is your routine lacking rotational work?
Chances are you spend most of your gym time moving in just one plane of direction, especially with lots of fixed isolation machines at your disposal. Gym exercises like lunging, squatting, and running are all variations on front-to-back movement, as are lying-down exercises like presses and crunches. The problems arise outside the gym though. You twist, you turn, you bend and you step in all directions. The transverse plane includes rotational motions and is most often neglected in most gym routines.
The most important reason to include transverse work in your routine is to help prevent injury. The muscles that work in the transverse plane such as the internal/external obliques on the sides of your torso, don’t just help you rotate, they prevent you from rotating too much too. The key is learning to rotate with your T-spine and not your lumbar spine, this will take better core stability, which comes from exercises that INCLUDE transverse movements too, not just your stereotypical crunches and sit-ups.
Take most athletic sports, for example, you may need to rotate powerfully in one direction to throw a punch or swing a bat, then slow down moments later. Working in some transverse-plane exercises can you develop the ability to “anti-rotate” and generate force.
Try adding in this workout once per week to benefit your core, especially your internal and external obliques and reduce the chances of any injuries. Take things slow, make sure to warm up and as mentioned before keep your core tight as you rotate, only going as far as your flexibility allows you.
