Learn This Force Plate Metric: Avg. Relative Propulsive Power
Oct 11, 2025
In the world of sports performance, force plates are one of the most powerful tools for quantifying how an athlete produces and applies force. We currently use Hawkin Dynamics plates. But not every metric is created equal — and one that often flies under the radar, yet says a lot about explosive ability, is Average Relative Propulsive Power.
Let’s break down what it is, why it matters, and how to actually use it in your programming.
1. What It Measures
Average Relative Propulsive Power (ARPP) quantifies how much power per kilogram of body mass an athlete produces during the propulsive phase of a countermovement jump or similar test.
In simpler terms:
It shows how efficiently an athlete can move their own body — not just how strong they are, but how much power they can generate relative to their size.
“Relative” means the value is normalized to body weight, so a lighter athlete and a heavier athlete can be compared fairly.
“Propulsive” means it isolates the phase of movement where the athlete is actually accelerating upward — removing noise from the braking or unweighting phases.
2. Why It Matters
Power wins. But relative power determines who actually moves faster, jumps higher, and reacts quicker — especially in sports like tennis, soccer, baseball, and football, where acceleration and reactivity dominate performance.
Here’s what ARPP tells you:
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Explosiveness: How effectively the athlete converts force into upward movement.
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Efficiency: Whether added body mass contributes to propulsion or just extra load.
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Neuromuscular readiness: Changes in ARPP across sessions can signal fatigue, readiness, or adaptation.
In other words, a 10% drop in ARPP — even if jump height looks similar — might indicate decreased force production efficiency or central nervous system fatigue.
3. How It’s Calculated
The exact formula varies slightly by software, but conceptually it’s:
Most modern force plate systems (like Hawkin Dynamics) automatically identify the propulsive phase — from when the center of mass velocity becomes positive until takeoff — and calculate average power over that window.
The output is typically expressed in Watts per kilogram (W/kg).
4. What “Good” Looks Like
Normative values depend on sport, sex, and level, but here’s a general guide for countermovement jumps:
Level | Males (W/kg) | Females (W/kg) |
---|---|---|
High School | 25–35 | 20–28 |
Collegiate | 35–45 | 28–35 |
Professional / Elite | 45+ | 35+ |
A professional-level athlete hitting 50+ W/kg typically demonstrates elite elastic and concentric output.
5. How Coaches Can Use It
a. Monitor Fatigue
A short-term drop in ARPP — especially paired with reduced jump height or altered force-time curve — may indicate the athlete is under-recovered.
b. Track Development
Rising ARPP over a training block shows improved neuromuscular efficiency and force application.
c. Inform Training Focus
Low ARPP with high force output? Emphasize velocity-oriented training.
High ARPP but poor braking impulse? Build eccentric strength.
d. Compare Profiles
Because it’s relative, ARPP allows you to compare athletes across positions or age groups without bias toward size.
6. Bringing It All Together
Force plates give us hundreds of data points, but power metrics like Average Relative Propulsive Power cut straight to what matters most: how explosively an athlete can move their body.
It’s a clear, repeatable measure that connects science to performance.
Track it. Train it. Improve it.
Because when relative power goes up — so does performance.
We like to utilize power because it involves a time component. Jumping high with no time constraint may demonstrate concentric force capabilities, but with power you have to do it quickly. In order to do it quickly, there must be velocity in the descent. In order to have a good propulsive power score, you have to be able to manage the negative velocity and braking.
These are all indicative foundational qualities of a good athlete.
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