Force-velocity profiling is a useful tool for athletes that want to increase their power output in jumping and sprinting. Power is simply the product of force (strength) and velocity (speed) (Power=Force*Velocity). Force-velocity profiling gives coaches a better understanding of how an athlete is generating power and determine if they are biased towards one quality or the other. With this information, coaches can program more specifically for each athlete to improve the deficient quality (force or velocity).
Force-velocity profiling in jumping is done by gathering an athletes height(m), mass(kg), maximal leg length(m), initial height(m), and jump height(m) and plugging that information into a formula that provides coaches with the athletes current force-velocity profile and their optimal force-velocity profile. Subsequent training should be geared towards moving the athletes force-velocity profile closer to the optimal force-velocity profile.
Force-velocity profiling in sprinting is done by gathering an athletes height(m), mass(kg), and time to complete a sprint of 30m+. During that sprint, 5 intervals must be calculated. After putting this information into a formula coaches will have their athletes horizontal force-velocity profile, which is comprised of the ratio of force (horizontal/vertical force) or RF, and the decrease in RF during the sprint. In this case a higher RF and lower DRF is the goal because that indicates a greater utilization of horizontal force throughout the duration of the sprint.
With the information from the jumping and sprinting force-velocity profiling coaches and athletes can implement targeted training programs to decrease the force-velocity imbalance in their athletes, improving their force-velocity imbalance and leading to more effective jumping and sprinting strategies.
Once a force-velocity profile has been obtained coaches can adjust specific variables in that athletes training program in order to improve the outcomes of the force-velocity profile. The two variables most relevant to this discussion are load(weight lifted) and tempo(movement speed). An athlete who is more reliant on strength needs to training at a lower load and higher tempo, and vice versa.
The chart below from Daniel Bove’s book “The Quadrant System: Navigating Stress in Team Sport” shows different movement velocities and how it relates to the different strength qualities and estimated % of 1 rep max. An athlete who is over reliant on force production should spend more time training at velocities of .75 m/s (meters per second). An athlete who is over reliant on velocity production should spend more time training at velocities below .75 m/s.
Coaches must have a way to measure the movement speed of their athletes during strength and power movements in order to ensure they are training at the correct speeds to ilicit the desired training adaptation (increased force or increased velocity). We recently started using the MetricVBT app and have found it to be a great addition to our daily training sessions. By giving immediate feedback we can drive intent of the athlete during their lifts, make set to set adjustments in load, or track fatigue accumulation during a session so that we don’t over train.
Two weeks ago I did a force velocity profile on myself and found that I am a force dependent athlete. This meant I needed to spend a lot more time training above .75 m/s, and below 65% of my max for the majority of my lifts. In the weight room, people tend to overly prioritize the weight they are lifting (force) and don’t consider the speed at which they are lifting and how that impacts their power output. Many athletes (not me) perceive these light and fast days to be less intense/beneficial than their heavy days, leading them to narrowly focus on lifting heavier day after day. Ultimately, this narrow focus can lead to over training and decrease performance.
Below are some training clips from the past couple weeks of me training at higher velocities with relatively lighter loads.
Train heavy. Train fast. Either way, don’t guess what you need. High School, College, and Pro athletes at Victory Performance go though Force-Velocity profiling on a regular basis to ensure our programs are targeted to the specific qualities necessary to improve that athlete’s performance.
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