As athletes build more and more data within specific exercises, a Load-Velocity (LV) profile will organically be created, assuming a few things:
- Maximum intent within lifts - if athletes aren't lifting with as much intent as possible, any estimated 1RM won't be accurate.
- Multiple sessions - If an athlete doesn't have a high enough volume of data, there won't be enough data to generate the profile, and consequently the estimated 1RM.
- Various loads - if the athlete is lifting the same load at all times, there won't be a way to distinguish the slope of the line or the shape of the curve, and there won't be an accurate 1RM estimation. The same could be said for speeds, but given the relationship between load and velocity, these two things are directly intertwined and combined with maximum intent.
How does Perch generate an LV Profile?
Before we start generating profiles, we require that an athlete must have performed the exercise using at least 2 different weights separated by more than 30 lbs (~13 kg). After they’ve done that, Perch will start to continuously update an LV profile for the athlete and the given exercise.
When analyzing your LV profile and estimated 1RM, there are a few filters to select in your Athlete Profile - Exercise and Date.
These two filters will directly impact what's being displayed to you when analyzing your LV Profile and associated 1RM estimation. On each profile, you will see an option for "Latest" estimated 1RM, as well as the "Previous" estimated 1RM. This is directly tied to the date range you have selected in your filter.
When looking at these numbers, what you're seeing in the "Latest" field is the 1RM estimation for the time range selected. The date displayed represents the most recent date that the exercise selected was performed. In the previous category, it's referring to the same amount of time, but is pulling in data from the time period directly prior.
As an example, if your selected time range is Last 30 Days, "Latest" is looking at the most recent 30 days, and "Previous" is looking at the 30 days prior to that. The date for each is the most recent date that the exercise was performed within the given time frame.
Using a LV profile
Understand an athlete's LV profile can be critical in understanding what bucket of athlete they fall into and where they may be balanced, proficient, or deficient. Steeper profiles tend to mean that an athlete is more explosive but lacks some strength, whereas a flatter profile may indicate more proficiency in strength, but lacks explosiveness. A balanced profile would be more evenly distributed across the entire spectrum of loads, indicating more balance in terms of how they handle heavier and lighter loads.
LV profiles are generated one exercise at a time. They can be an extremely powerful tool in understanding how your athletes handle various loads, and could help to indicate where an athlete may require additional work to make sure that the work on the weight room floor is translating to their sport on the field or court.
What metrics does Perch generate based on an LV profile?
Using the Load Velocity Profile, we also generate some scores to enhance your ability to understand athletic types and bucketing! They are aimed to help you identify and understand athlete adaptations. These scores are normalized scores reflecting athlete load velocity profiles (LV) and are provided for all tracked strength based exercises. There are three options for you to look at and analyze. Tracking these scores over time will provide you with insight into how athletes are adapting to the workload prescribed to them in the weight room.
Estimated 1 Rep Max (e1RM)
Using the LV profile to create a line of best fit based on the set history, Perch will help to estimate a 1RM! It is determined based on where the profile intersects the Minimum Velocity Threshold (MVT), otherwise known as the Terminal Velocity. This will allow you to estimate what an athlete's 1RM could be while using sub maximal loads, and reduce the likelihood for injury and soreness.
Speed Score
Speed score represents an athlete's explosiveness. It is a normalized measurement (z-score) of where the athlete's Load Velocity Profile meets the Y axis, also known as the X-zero or the unloaded max velocity. The higher the speed score relative to others in their group, the more explosive they are in their population.
Strength Score
Strength score represents an athlete's general overall strength. It is a normalized measurement (z-score) of where the athlete's Load Velocity Profile meets the X axis, similar to an estimated one rep max. The higher the strength score relative to others in their group, the stronger they are in their population.
Total Performance Score
Total performance score represents an athlete's overall ability, determined by equally weighting Strength and Speed Scores. As the athlete's profile shifts up and to the right, the Total Performance Score will increase, indicating an improvement in both speed and strength.
If there's any confusion on what's being displayed, please don't hesitate to reach out to your Perch representative or our support team by emailing support@perch.fit. Keep an eye out for updates regarding our LV Profile and 1RM estimation - this is constantly improving to give you the best and most accurate number possible!