The Speed Lab Podcast Brian Buck: Force Plate Profiling
Nov 18, 2025
Brian Buck, a seasoned applied sports scientist with a history at Sparta Science, shares his expertise on force plate profiling and optimizing athletic performance. He reveals the critical connection between movement efficiency and injury risks, emphasizing the stretch-shortening cycle's role. Brian discusses innovative training tools, including plyometrics and resistance devices, and how data from force plates can tailor in-season strategies for athletes. He also highlights the importance of athlete education and the integration of therapy to maximize training outcomes.
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Profile By Movement, Not Position
- Force-plate profiling focuses on stretch-shortening cycle efficiency using load, amortization, and propulsive phases.
- Profiling lets you program by movement strategy rather than position to reduce injury risk.
Force Patterns Predict Injury Locations
- Specific force-time patterns map to typical injury sites (e.g., high load → ACL risk; low load → tendinopathy).
- Use large normative databases to create T-scores and spot relative extremes linked to injury patterns.
Train Angles And Sequence Intentionally
- Train the missing angles and sequencing, not just generic lifts; pair positional constraints with specific hops or complexes.
- Dose training intentionally because improving one quality often reduces another (balance the trade-offs).
