Within the last decade, technological advances have captivated the human performance industry. From radically advanced testing capabilities to a spectrum of biotracking and software devices, we have officially entered a new era in our industry. Leading the way for the majority of us has been the interjection of force plates. What was once seen as a costly and sophisticated piece of lab equipment has suddenly become a standard of necessity.
By most accounts, the infusion of tech and data-centric practice in our space has already proven to be largely beneficial. For several decades, our industry was plagued by—and therefore minimized due to—a lack of objectivity. Prior to 2010, human performance testing was relatively scarce. Apart from a few individuals/organizations, force plates, motion tracking, and so forth were only really being conducted in university or lab settings. Beyond the general inaccessibility, advanced diagnostics were costly, lacked efficiency, and were often impractical due to the constraints of software capabilities.
Safe to say, we’ve come a long way in a short period of time.
[bctt tweet=”Once seen as a costly and sophisticated piece of lab equipment, force plates have suddenly become a standard of necessity, says @danny_ruderock.”]
Learning to Ask the Right Questions
Despite progress and validation from the commercialization of force plates, this advancement has not come without cost—both figuratively and literally. Beyond the expense, coaches commonly face challenges such as understanding the vast number of measures, adjusting their session and daily routines, and dealing with glitches and accuracy issues. We should also be cautious about falling into the trap of paralysis by analysis. In other words, just because something can have a number or a pretty radar chart doesn’t necessarily mean it should.
So, this begs the question: is it worth it?
Personal Challenges with Technology Adoption
I’ve been candid about my own struggles adapting to the technology era of human performance. It hasn’t been a seamless transition for me. The biggest challenges have been the disruption to my routines, along with implementation and data interpretation. My philosophy is simple: if I’m going to change my structure or approach, it must significantly impact my decision-making.
The Importance of Understanding Data
Analyzing and utilizing deeper data, and truly understanding how it influences programming decisions, have been my primary shortcomings. Initially, I questioned the expense because I wasn’t really changing much about how I coached or trained athletes. That changed when I met Brian Buck, a lead consultant for Hawkin Dynamics and an expert who has been utilizing and teaching on force plates for over a decade.
People like Brian have been instrumental in helping many of us navigate the expanded implementation of force plates. While many may claim expertise, few truly understand both sport science and strength and conditioning. Collecting extensive data is great. But without grasping the back-end and how it shapes decisions, we’re not making real progress. Brian has been a game changer for me. He completely reshaped how I view and use my force plates.
What Does the Data Mean for Decision Making?
Which brings me to the motive of this article: what does the data mean, and how does it affect our decision making thereafter?
Webinar Discussion with Brian Buck
This full webinar features Brian Buck and Danny Foley discussing how to integrate Hawkin Dynamics force plates into specific training sessions. They also cover practical ways to apply the data to improve athlete performance.
A few months ago, I sat down with Brian for a candid conversation about the challenges of using force plates. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find this discussion valuable—we cover a wide range of related subtopics.
Key Takeaway for Beginners
What I took away from this conversation is simple: when you’re new to force plates, start with a few key metrics. Focus on understanding them thoroughly before diving into more complex analysis. Rather than trying to ‘jump all the way in’ and immerse yourself, go piece by piece. It’s better to be effective with a small pool of knowledge than be misled by a plethora of numbers.
