Using Force Plates to Improve Long Term Baseball Development

Benefits of consistent Offseason and In-Season force plate testing.

If you’re lucky enough to have access to force plates, they can significantly impact how you help an athlete. Implementing regular force plate testing can make a huge difference in the development of baseball athletes. Both offseason and in-season testing can enhance a practitioner’s ability to guide an athlete. Regular check-ins on power development and readiness ensure that athletes stay on track with offseason goals while also preventing excessive fatigue and soreness over a long season. Here are a few key takeaways for both offseason and in-season force plate testing.

Offseason Force Plate Testing

1. Initial Screening

Make force plate jumps a part of your initial offseason evaluation. Using 3-4 countermovement jumps on the first day of the offseason establishes a baseline for key metrics, which can later help assess whether interventions had their intended effects.

2. Consistent Testing

Secondary testing, whether weekly or biweekly, helps track an athlete’s progress and ensures they are moving in the intended direction. It also allows practitioners to adjust programming if unintended consequences arise.

Integrating testing into training sessions keeps athletes engaged and encourages consistent effort.

3. End-of-Offseason Trend Analysis

Look at trends: What happened in the first month of the offseason? Did the athlete peak at the right time? Did they stay in a performance dip longer than expected?

Test-to-test numbers won’t always increase—this is the cost of high-level training and physical strain. Instead of focusing on individual test results, analyze the overall trend line from the offseason to assess long-term development and progress.

In-Season Force Plate Testing

1. Consistent Testing

Maintain a consistent testing schedule and integrate it into an athlete’s routine so it becomes second nature.

One key benefit of consistent testing is the ability to detect performance trends early. Monitoring how an athlete responds to weekend series, road trips, night/day games, back-to-backs, and other scenarios allows for necessary adjustments in training and recovery strategies.

2. Recovery and Readiness Tracking

Certain metrics provide insights into an athlete’s recovery from outings, weekend series, or road trips. A consistent downward trend in test results may indicate a need for programming adjustments or a deload in training/strain.

3. Long-Term Development Progress

While in-season training may not always prioritize improving physical qualities, maintaining power production and vertical ground reaction forces is crucial for continued physical development and injury prevention.

This is especially important at the high school and college levels, where long-term development is a primary focus.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of reasons why force plate testing should be implemented for baseball players. However, it provides a solid starting point for understanding how testing can be beneficial and contribute to an athlete’s long-term development.