Daniel Cohen: Decoding Force Plate Truths

In this episode of the VALDCAST, our host Ryan sits down with the co-founder of ForceDecks Dr. Daniel Cohen — sports scientist, researcher and long-time leader in force plate methodology. Together they unpack one of the most important (and misunderstood) areas in athlete assessment: what force plate data actually means.Dan breaks down the insights behind VALD's 2024-25 Premier League Report, including which CMJ metrics truly discriminate elite from sub-elite, why “fatigue monitoring” misses the point and how practitioners can think more clearly about profiling vs monitoring — all through the lens of real-world data.He also dives into asymmetry (and why the 10% rule doesn’t cut it), the rise of single-leg jumps and the one thing every practitioner must master before worrying about metrics: data hygiene.