Perch PLAN: Dynamic Goals and Suggested Weight Features

Perch Plan Webinar Overview

The webinar introduced Perch Plan, one of the three key products offered by Perch, alongside Perch Evaluate and Perch Train. The session covered the functionality, implementation, and recent updates of Perch Plan, emphasizing two new features: Dynamic Goals and Suggested Weight.

These tools leverage individual load-velocity profiles to customize training, ensuring optimal load and speed for athletes aiming to achieve specific adaptations. Coaches can now effortlessly write, deliver, and monitor personalized training programs using Perch Plan’s dashboard. The athlete experience is enriched with real-time feedback on performance, helping maintain motivation and competitiveness.

Perch Suite Overview

• Perch Plan: A programming solution enabling the creation of structured templates, workouts, and exercises. Coaches can input individualized goals (e.g., suggested weight or velocity zones).
• Perch Evaluate: Tracks jump performance to assess athlete readiness.
• Perch Train: Focuses on velocity-based training (VBT), measuring 11+ metrics, including bar movement paths and body movements.

Key Features of Perch Plan

1. Dynamic Goals: Guides athletes to hit a specific velocity range at a set weight, adapting to their historical performance.
2. Suggested Weight: Automatically calculates appropriate loads based on velocity targets, optimizing the load for speed-based training outcomes.
3. Load Progression Monitoring: Allows coaches to visualize week-over-week changes in load, making it easier to manage athlete development.

Both features enable real-time decision-making for coaches and practitioners, enhancing athlete performance monitoring and feedback loops.

Tablet Integration and Athlete View Athletes access programs through a tablet app that syncs with Perch Plan. Depending on their load-velocity profiles, their suggested weights or dynamic goals are automatically tailored. Multiple athletes (e.g., Connor, Jacob, and Lily) can simultaneously train on different custom settings based on their individual needs.

For example, Jacob's back squat might target a zone of 0.7 to 0.79 m/s at 185 lbs., while another athlete with a slower profile would have different targets for the same weight.

Athlete and Coach Benefits

• Athletes find increased accountability and competitiveness in training. They strive to achieve “blue” reps (ideal speed) and avoid “red” reps (below speed targets).
• Coaches save time with automated load adjustments and better athlete feedback. They monitor rep speed to detect performance trends, readiness, and potential fatigue. For example, gold reps (faster than expected) indicate high readiness and performance potential.

Practitioner Insights

• Coach Lance Yancy (Kansas State University) shared his success implementing dynamic goals during bowl game preparation. The feature led to heightened competitiveness and improved training intent among athletes. The ease of implementation—"no extra work, just track it"—helped Lance’s team quickly adapt.
• Trey Kilgore (Samford University) demonstrated how Perch supports training variability. Athletes with different needs (e.g., strength-speed focus or tendon health management) benefit from Perch’s ability to track exercises using various equipment like safety squat bars and trap bars.

Practical Use Cases

• Programming Flexibility: Coaches can create custom workouts, assign them instantly, and track progression over time.
• Dynamic Updates: Load-velocity profiles update as athletes progress, eliminating the need for manual adjustments.
• Athlete Access: Athletes can view assigned workouts and performance metrics through a mobile app, increasing accessibility for off-site training.

Additional Use Cases for Dynamic Goals In competitive environments like college football, real-time feedback helps coaches optimize athlete workload and manage recovery. For off-season periods, red reps might be allowed to induce muscle adaptation. During in-season, tracking blue and gold reps ensures that athletes perform at their peak.

Conclusion Perch Plan streamlines programming and training with cutting-edge load-velocity data, enabling both athlete and coach optimization. This innovative approach positions Perch as a leader in weight room technology. Practitioners believe it's becoming as essential as GPS systems in sports science.

For more details, reach out at support@perch.fit.

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