Introduction to Planes

Medical professionals often refer to sections of the body in terms of anatomical planes (flat surfaces). These planes are imaginary lines – vertical or horizontal – drawn through an upright body.

The fire arts community adopted the terminology as an effective way of describing different locations and angles of spin.

The three planes used are:
Wall Plane (Scientifically known as: Coronal or Frontal Plane)
Wheel Plane (Scientifically known as: Sagittal or Lateral Plane)
Floor/Horizontal Plane (Scientifically known as: Axial or Transverse Plane)

Let's use poi as an example. Each plane describes a line or track that the poi will follow during normal spin. The plane can be changed by either changing the angle of the poi, or rotating the body.

Planes are also used to provide an audience with the best viewing angle, by ensuring that the poi never spin directly towards or away from them. Lets call this the Audience plane.


Wall Plane

The wall plane describes the track in front of you. Your poi are essentially spinning along the line of an imaginary wall that your body is facing.

Basic poi moves that utilise the wall plane are:
Butterflies, Windmills, Reels, Waves.













Wheel Plane

The wheel plane describes the tracks either side of you. Your poi are spinning along the lines of  imaginary wheels.

Basic poi moves that utilise the wheel plane are:
Weaves, Buzzsaws, Flowers (although wall plane flowers do exist).













Floor Plane

The floor plane describes the track above your head. Your poi are spinning along the track of an imaginary floor or ceiling.

Basic poi moves that utilise the floor plane are:
Corckscrews.

The floor plane is the typical track that a hoop would spin on when being spun from the waist, knees or chest.










Some say that set moves do not belong to any one plane, however for the purpose of learning it is easier to think of each move using only one. Planes exist not as a restriction, but as a reference, and every move tends to sit more comfortably under one plane than the other two, even if it can be done in any.



Audience Plane

The audience plane describes the track at 90 degrees to your audience's viewpoint. Your poi are spinning along the track of an imaginary wall in front of THEM (as opposed to you). While performing, you need to use a combination of wall and wheel planes to maintain a static audience plane. When facing toward or away from the audience you will need to use the wall plane. When facing to the left or right of the audience you will need to use the wheel plane. The floor plane would remain as normal.

This is the technique many spinners subconsciously use when recording videos of spinning in front of small groups, but, for an unknown reason, is not always taught to beginners.