Topic Exploration Pack
Biomechanics
Instructions and answers for teachers ............................................................................................. 2
Mapping to the specification level: Learning outcomes ............................................................ 2
Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 2
Movement analysis .................................................................................................................. 2
Suggested activities – teacher guidance .................................................................................. 3
Stretch and challenge tasks ..................................................................................................... 4
Task 1 teacher answers ........................................................................................................... 4
Task 2 ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Task 3: Answers .................................................................................................................... 11
Task 4 .................................................................................................................................... 14
Appendices ............................................................................................................................ 15
Student Activity ............................................................................................................................. 18
Task 1 .................................................................................................................................... 18
Task 2 .................................................................................................................................... 21
Task 3 .................................................................................................................................... 24
Task 4 (Practical tasks) .......................................................................................................... 27
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Instructions and answers for teachers
These instructions cover the student activity section which can be found on page 19. This Topic
Exploration Pack supports OCR GCSE (9-1) Physical Education.
When distributing the activity section to the students either as a printed copy or as a Word file
you will need to remove the teacher instructions section.
Mapping to the specification level: Learning outcomes
1.
Know the three planes of movement (frontal, transverse and sagittal).
2.
Give examples of the three planes of movement from physical activity and sport.
3.
Know the three axes of rotation (frontal, transverse and longitudinal).
4.
Give examples of the three axes of rotation from physical activity and sport.
Introduction
Movement analysis
In topic area 1.1c ‘Movement Analysis’, learners will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge
and understanding of planes of movement and axes of rotation.
In the topic area ‘Planes of movement and axes of rotation’ learners will need to know the location of
the planes of movement (frontal, transverse and sagittal) and axes of rotation (frontal, transverse and
longitudinal) in the body and their application to physical activity and sport.
In Task 1, learners will develop their knowledge of the basic terminology required surrounding planes
of movement and axes of rotation. There is also an opportunity for learners to recap and apply
knowledge from the topic area ‘Types of movement at hinge joints and ball and socket joints’. This is
further developed with more advanced terms that are not within the specification but will support
knowledge and understanding of the ‘Movement Analysis’ topic area.
Task 2 further develops the learners’ knowledge from Task 1 and learners will need to apply their
knowledge and understanding by labelling different pictures and diagrams relating to planes of
movement and axes of rotation.
Task 3 allows learners to apply planes of movement and axes of rotation to various physical activities
and sport in a range of different tasks.
In Task 4 learners are presented with practical tasks that allow them to apply their knowledge and
understanding in a practical and fun context.
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Suggested activities – teacher guidance
Task 1

Learners can write their own summary on planes of movement and axes of rotation and create
their own table of missing words for their partner to complete.

Learners can include use of practical examples from a variety of practical activities and sports
in their summary as well.
Task 2

Refer to Appendix 1.0 for a list of website links that will allow you to search for a range of
sporting pictures. Select different pictures demonstrating a variety of skills being performed
and print onto paper. Learners can label the three axes of rotation and draw the three planes
of movement (it is essential the pictures used allow learners to be able to draw the planes and
axes without confusion).
Task 3

Learners can design the following training programmes that are relevant to other parts of the
specification ensuring that exercises cover a range of different movement planes:
o
weight training
o
plyometric training.

Learners can also design a training programme that is relevant to their practical activites.

Learners can also design trampolining and gymnastic routines and identify the planes of
movement involved within each skill.
Task 4

Learners can devise routines that include a variety of different skills for physical activities and
sports such as trampolining, gymnastics, diving and ice skating. The planes of movement and
axes of rotation can then be completed by a partner. (See Appendix 1.1 for suggested
template.)
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Stretch and challenge tasks

Use the colour coded key in Task 2 (a): Sagittal plane – Red, Transverse plane – Green and
Frontal plane – Blue

Colour in the relevant boxes using the above key in all table tasks (see Appendix 1.1 for an
example).

Apply your knowledge of axes of rotation to planes of movement practical examples and vice
versa. For example, in Task 3 (c) the ice skating spin is a movement pattern performed in the
transverse plane about a longitudinal axis.
Task 1 Teacher answers
a)
What is a plane of movement?
All movements performed by the body are carried out across three dimensions. These
dimensions are the planes of movement and divide the body using imaginary lines (flat
planes).
b)
What is an axis of rotation?
Movements of the body can occur around three axes. Every joint movement is carried out
in a plane about an axis which is imaginary straight lines that rotate the body.
c)
What are the three planes of movement that pass through the human body?
The three planes of movement can be identified as the frontal, transverse and sagittal.
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d)
What are the three axes of rotation that pass through the human body?
The three axes of rotation can be identified as the frontal, transverse and longitudinal.
e)
f)
Match the planes of movement with the correct description.
Plane
Description
Horizontal/Vertical
Frontal
Divides the body
into the left and
right hand sides
Vertical
Transverse
Divides the body
into the top and
bottom
Horizontal
Sagittal
Divides the body
into front and back
parts
Vertical
Complete the table identifying and describing the three axes of rotation.
Frontal
Imaginary line that passes from front to back through the performer’s
centre of mass.
Longitudinal
Imaginary line that passes from top to bottom through the performer’s
centre of mass.
Transverse
Imaginary line that passes from left to right through the performer’s centre
of mass.
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g)
Fill in the missing words from the table below (Not all words are needed and some words maybe
used more than once):
Movement in physical activity and sport can be described using a series of planes and axes.
There are three planes of motion that pass through the human body. These are called the
sagittal plane, the frontal plane and the transverse plane. The sagittal plane is also known as
the median plane and lies vertically. This plane divides the body into right and left parts. The
frontal plane also lies vertically and divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior)
parts. This frontal plane is also known as the coronal plane. The transverse plane lies
horizontally and divides the body into top (superior) and bottom (inferior) parts. This plane is
also sometimes referred to as the horizontal plane.
An axis is an imaginary straight line around which a body or body part rotates. Movement at a
joint takes place in a plane about an axis. There are three axes of rotation. The frontal axis
passes horizontally from back (posterior) to front (anterior). The transverse axis passes
horizontally from left to right. The longitudinal axis is also known as the vertical axis and
passes vertically from the bottom (inferior) to the top (superior).
planes
coronal
posterior
flexion
longitudinal
anterior
vertically
extension
right
axes
superior
sagittal
horizontally
frontal
median
transverse
inferior
left
three
distal
straight
diagonal
two
abduction
abduction
back
top
bottom
front
adduction
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h)
Match the number of the movement term to the correct description.
Movement term
Description
1
Abduction
9
Movement pattern in the transverse plane across the longitudinal axis
2
Adduction
4
Movement pattern consisting of flexion, extension, abduction and
adduction
3
Anterior
8
Movement that refers to the back of the body
4
Circumduction
10
A part of the body/structure higher than another (The hip being
superior to the knee)
5
Extension
2
Movement towards the midline of the body
6
Flexion
6
Movement that involves bending of a joint (The angle decreases
between the articulating bones involved)
7
Inferior
3
Movement that refers to the front of the body
8
Posterior
7
A part of the body/structure lower than another (the knee being inferior
to the ankle).
9
Rotation
1
Movement away from the midline of the body
10
Superior
5
Movement that involves straightening of a joint. (The angle increases
between the articulating bones involved.)
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Task 2
a)
Label the planes of movement in Figure 1.1
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b)
Label the axes of rotation in Figure 1.2
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Transverse
Longitudinal
Frontal
(side to side)
(top to bottom)
(back to front)
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c)
Draw and label the following on the human body below:

The three planes of movement.

The three axes of rotation.
Longitudinal
axis
Transverse axis
Frontal axis
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Task 3: Answers
a)
Design a circuit training programme that includes two dominant exercises for each of the three
planes of movement.

This task can link with 1.2.b. Applying the principles of training – Optimising training.
Circuit training programme
Please note there are many different exercises that learners may correctly use within the design of
their circuit training programme. The table below is a sample of two exercises carried out within each
of the three different movement planes.
Exercise
Dominant plane of
movement
Description of movement
Squat
Sagittal
Flexion and extension
Star jumps
Frontal
Abduction and adduction
Cable wood chop
Transverse
Right and left rotation
Bicep curls
Sagittal
Flexion and extension
Side lying leg lifts
Frontal
Abduction and adduction
Torso twists with
medicine ball
Transverse
Right and left rotation
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b)
c)
Link the following skills from a variety of practical activities and sports to match up the skill to
dominant axis of rotation and to the correct description of the axis of rotation.
Longitudinal axis
Passes vertically
from the top to the
bottom
Full twist in
trampolining
Frontal axis
Passes horizontally
from the posterior
to the anterior
Cartwheel
Transverse axis
Passes horizontally
from left to right
High diving
somersault
Identify and describe the dominant plane of movement for the following:
Plane of movement: Sagittal plane
Description:
Sprinting is performed by flexion and extension of the arms and legs.
Plane of movement: Transverse plane
Description:
A golf swing consists of various different movements including
rotation.
Plane of movement: Frontal plane
Description:
A star jump is performed by abduction and adduction.
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d)
Identify and describe the dominant axis of rotation for the following:
Axis of rotation: Longitudinal axis
Description:
An ice skating spin is performed by rotation around the longitudinal axis.
Axis of rotation: Frontal axis
Description:
A cartwheel is an example of rotation around the
frontal axis.
Axis of rotation: Transverse axis
Description:
A gymnastic somersault is an example of rotation around the transverse
axis.
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Task 4
The images below give an impression of how the plasticine body should be intersected by the card
(planes) and the cocktail sticks (axis).
Longitudinal axis
Transverse axis
Frontal axis
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Appendices
Appendix 1.0 Useful websites
http://www.shutterstock.com/photos
http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/?esource=SEM_GI_GO_UK_Brand_Getty_Images_Exact_EN_SL&kw=
UK_Getty_Images_Exact_getty+images_e&kwid=s_43700005513687446_dc&pcrid=27274228006
https://images.google.com/
Appendix 1.1 Example of colour coded table
Exercise
Dominant plane of
movement
Description of movement
Squat
Sagittal
Flexion and extension
Star jumps
Frontal
Abduction and adduction
Cable wood chop
Transverse
Right and left rotation
Bicep curls
Sagittal
Flexion and extension
Side lying leg lifts
Frontal
Abduction and adduction
Torso twists with
medicine ball
Transverse
Right and left rotation
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Appendix 1.2
Physical Activity/Sport:
Skill
Dominant plane of movement
Dominant axis of rotation
E.g. Tucked somersault
Saggital
Frontal
Appendix 1.3

i.
Cut out the template
ii.
Stick the straws on the following lines:
(Longitudinal axis)
(Transverse axis)
Insert a hole with a straw that goes through the front and back of the body (Frontal axis)
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Student Sheets
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resources.
© OCR 2015 - This resource may be freely copied and distributed, as long as the OCR logo and this message remain intact and OCR is acknowledged as the originator of this work.
OCR acknowledges the use of the following content: Page 8, 10, 22: Human anatomy, Yassine Mrabet/commons. wikimedia.org; Page 9, 23: Human figure,
maximmmmum/Shutterstock.com, Page 12, 26: woman sprinter, Pali Rao/iStock.com; Page 12, 26: golf swing, MichaelSvoboda/iStock.com; Page 12, 26: Gymnast,
moevin/iStock.com; Page 13, 27: Ice skater, YinYang/iStock.com; Page 13, 27: cartwheeling, Elenathewise/iStock.com; Page 13, 27, Gymnast somersaulting, Gymnast
somersaulting_iStock_000006763314_ Brian McEntire_resampled_IS/iStock.com; Page 17: Plasticine figure, AlanMardi/iStick.com; Page 24: Human figure,
Gera_Ovchinnikov/Shutterstock.com
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Topic Exploration Pack
Biomechanics
Student Activity
Task 1
a)
What is a plane of movement?
b)
What is an axis of rotation?
c)
What are the three planes of movement that pass through the human body?
d)
What are the three axes of rotation that pass through the human body?
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e)
Match the planes of movement with the correct description.
Plane
Description
Horizontal/Vertical
Frontal
Divides the body
into the left and
right hand sides
Horizontal
Transverse
Divides the body
into the top and
bottom
Vertical
Sagittal
Divides the body
into front and back
parts
Vertical
f)
Complete the table identifying and describing the three axes of rotation.
Frontal
Imaginary line that passes from top to bottom through the performer’s
centre of mass.
g)
Fill in the missing words from the table below (Not all words are needed and some words
maybe used more than once):
Movement in physical activity and sport can be described using a series of
There are
.
planes of motion that pass through the human body. These are called the
plane, the
known as the
and
and
plane and the
plane and lies
. This plane divides the body into
parts. The frontal plane also lies
and back
The transverse plane lies
plane. The sagittal plane is also
and divides the body into front
parts. This frontal plane is also known as the
and divides the body into top
plane.
and bottom
parts. This plane is also sometimes referred to as the horizontal plane.
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An axis is an imaginary
line around which a body or body part rotates. Movement at a
joint takes place in a plane about an axis. There are
axis passes horizontally from
axis passes
axes of rotation. The
(posterior) to
(anterior). The
from left to right. The
axis is also
known as the vertical axis and passes vertically from the bottom (inferior) to the top (superior).
h)
planes
coronal
posterior
flexion
longitudinal
anterior
vertically
extension
right
axes
superior
sagittal
horizontally
frontal
median
transverse
inferior
left
three
distal
straight
diagonal
two
abduction
abduction
back
top
bottom
front
adduction
Match the number of the movement term to the correct description.
Movement
term
Description
1
Abduction
9
Movement pattern in the transverse plane across the longitudinal
axis
2
Adduction
4
Movement pattern consisting of flexion, extension, abduction and
adduction
3
Anterior
8
Movement that refers to the back of the body
4
Circumduction
10
A part of the body/structure higher than another (The hip being
superior to the knee)
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5
Extension
2
Movement towards the midline of the body
6
Flexion
6
Movement that involves bending of a joint (The angle increases
between the articulating bones involved)
7
Inferior
3
Movement that refers to the front of the body
8
Posterior
7
A part of the body/structure lower than another (the knee being
inferior to the ankle).
9
Rotation
1
Movement away from the midline of the body
10
Superior
5
Movement that involves straigtening of a joint. (The angle increases
between the articulating bones involved.)
Task 2
a) Label the planes of movement in Figure 1.1
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b)
Label the axes of rotation in Figure 1.2
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c)
Draw and label the following on the human body below:

the three planes of movement.

the three axes of rotation.
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Task 3
a)
Design a circuit training programme that includes two dominant exercises for each of the
three planes of movement.

This task can link with 1.2.b. Applying the principles of training – Optimising training.
Circuit training Programme
Please note there are many different exercises that learners may correctly use within the design of
their circuit training programme. The table below is a sample of two exercises carried out within
each of the three different movement planes.
Exercise
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Dominant plane of
movement
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Description of movement
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b)
Link the following skills from a variety of practical activities and sports to match up the skill to
dominant axis of rotation and to the correct description of the axis of rotation.
Full twist in
tramploining
Frontal axis
Passes horizontally
from the posterior
to the anterior
Transverse axis
Passes horizontally
from left to right
Longitudinal axis
High diving
somersault
Cartwheel
Passes vertically
from the top to the
bottom
c)
Identify and describe the dominant plane of movement for the following:
Plane of movement:
Description:
Plane of movement:
Description:
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Plane of movement:
Description:
d)
Identify and describe the dominant axis of rotation for the following:
Axis of rotation:
Description:
Axis of rotation:
Description:
Axis of rotation:
Description:
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Task 4 (Practical tasks)
Please note that this task will depend on the quality of the resources and the standard of the
plasticine performers. This task may also be time consuming as a new performer may need to be
made to allow each insertion of the card for the plane of movement and/or insertion of the the
‘skewer’ for each axis of rotation.
You will need the following resources or equivalent:

plasticine/blue tac/play doh

plastic drinking straws

cocktail sticks

small pieces of card cut to same size as a standard playing card.
Learners can apply the following practical tasks to help gain an understanding of the types of
movement allowed within each plane of movement and axes of rotation.
a)
Create two small plasticine performers.
Apply the following instructions:
i.
Insert a piece of card that intersects the plasticine performer:
ii.

Vertically so it is separated into the left and right hand parts = sagittal plane

Vertically so it is separated into the front and back parts = frontal plane

Horizontally so the body is separated into the top and bottom parts = transverse plane.
Use the skewers/cocktail sticks to pierce the plasticine performer:

Through the back to the front of the body = frontal axis

Through the side of the body - left to right = transverse axis

Through the top down to the bottom = longitudinal axis
b)
An alternative to (a) is to follow the instructions in (i) and (ii) but cut out the performer shape
in Appendix 1.1 and use scissors or draw ruler lines to show the three planes of movement
and use sellotape to stick straws showing each of the three axes of rotation.
c)
Rotate the plasticine performer/paper cut out using each of the three axes of rotation and
observe the movement occurring (Dominant plane/axis). Rotate the each axis to perform a
cartwheel (frontal axis), front somersault in trampolining (transverse axis) and a spin in ice
skating (longitudinal axis). Choose your own skills and carry out the movement by rotating
the cocktail stick around each of the axes.
Useful sites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/standard/pe/skills/mechanical_principles/revision/2/
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