University of Pennsylvania Athletics

The Strength & Conditioning staff's aim is to utilize scientifically sound principles to aid in the decision-making process when it comes to programming for our student-athletes. We utilize cutting edge technology, scientifically sound principles, and internal and external relationships to help shape our Sports Performance program. Our resources create an avenue for conversation with our student-athletes, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of our student-athletes’ experience and their understanding of the training.
 
The goal of our training programs is to improve sport performance. Collaboration and communication with our sport coaches allows for a thorough understanding of the technical and tactical needs of the sport and our athletes; giving us the information needed to accurately design the training programs to meet the specific physical demands of the sport.
 
Current technology being used...
 
TeamBuildr
TeamBuildr is a multifaceted web-based application allowing our staff to write and deliver training programs while collecting and analyzing the training data of our student athletes. Programs are created by the strength and conditioning coaches and delivered to our student-athletes through mobile devices. At Penn, we utilize iPads located throughout the facility to deliver our training programs. We believe TeamBuildr is the industry leader in paperless exercise prescription and delivery.
 
Push Band
Push band is a versatile Inertial Movement Unit (IMU) featuring accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers to analyze movements. The IMU allows for analysis of resisted and unresisted exercises, including velocity and power metrics, along with a wide range of jump measurements. One of the most common uses for our Push Band device is in the form of Velocity Based Training (VBT). Measuring barbell velocity allows for us to track the adaptation to the training program and more accurately prescribe training intensities, often being adjusted during the training session based on our athletes’ level of readiness for the day’s training.


Vetting Technology
In a world where technology is rapidly evolving, we developed a thorough vetting process to ensure our technology is appropriate for our environment. Key points of emphasis for us center on student-athlete safety and University systems compatibility. If we can ensure the data of our student-athletes are protected and the technology is supported by the appropriate campus entities, we begin an in-depth analysis to examine if the technology is a great fit for our department. Here are a few points of interest when vetting potential technology:

• What question does the technology help us answer?
• Does the technology answer questions or lead us to ask more?
• Is the technology validated and reliable? If so, how and by who?
• Does the technology improve our processes?
• How efficiently does the technology lead to actionable information?
• What is the reputation of the company’s customer service?
• How widely used is the technology?

 
Campus Partnerships 
Penn Injury Science Center (PISC)
Expanding on the strong campus relationships in place between the University of Pennsylvania and the Department of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics (DRIA), we have begun an incredible mutually beneficial relationship with the Penn Injury Science Center (PISC). This relationship allows for us to explore some of the most intriguing questions we have regarding the health and performance of our student-athletes. PISC is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded group of scientists, students, and staff with a mission to perform quality research, training, and to translate their discoveries into practice and policy.
Click here to learn more about PISC
 
Penn Sports Medicine
Penn Sports Medicine has been an influential partner to Penn Athletics for years and is a key contributor in guiding our Sports Performance program. Our relationship expands beyond a traditional sports medicine partnership. Over the last several years, Penn Sports Medicine has walked alongside Sports Performance in seeking ways to improve our student-athletes’ experience and to reduce the likelihood of injuries through scientific research and application.
Click here to learn more about Penn Sports Medicine